Apple TV HDR looks dark or wrong
If HDR movies on Apple TV look dull, crushed, or too warm, the issue is usually mismatched output formats, wrong TV picture modes, or marginal HDMI bandwidth. This walkthrough locks in a clean HDR baseline and prevents the box from forcing HDR on everything.
Start with a clean baseline
- Use 4K SDR as the default
In Settings > Video and Audio, set Format to 4K SDR 60Hz. Enable Match Dynamic Range and Match Frame Rate so HDR only turns on when content requires it. - Run Check HDMI Connection
Let Apple TV test 4K HDR and Dolby Vision. If the test fails, fix cabling before tweaking picture settings. - Use the highest-bandwidth HDMI port
Plug the Apple TV into the TV’s 4K120/HDMI 2.1/eARC port with a certified cable.
- Turn off "Always HDR"
If Apple TV is forced to HDR for menus, SDR shows and sports will look dim. Keep the UI in SDR.
Dial in TV picture modes for HDR
- Pick the correct HDR picture preset
Use the TV’s Filmmaker, Cinema, or Movie mode for HDR. Avoid Vivid/Dynamic; they clip highlights and oversaturate skin tones. - Disable tone mapping experiments first
Turn off Dynamic Tone Mapping/Active HDR until you verify a neutral baseline. Then re-enable if you prefer extra brightness. - Check local dimming
Keep local dimming on High/Standard. If it is Off or Low, HDR will look flat. - Color temperature
Choose Warm 1/Warm 2 for accurate HDR whites. Cool temperatures make HDR look blue and harsh. - Black level and gamma
Set HDMI Black Level/Range to Auto/Normal. Avoid crushing blacks with Low unless the Apple TV outputs Limited Range (rare).
Receiver and soundbar considerations
- Enhanced/8K output on the AVR
If you pass video through a receiver, set its HDMI output to Enhanced/8K/4K120 to avoid HDR handshake failures. - Bypass the AVR for testing
Connect Apple TV straight to the TV to see if the receiver is altering the signal.
- Keep cables short
Long runs to the receiver can degrade HDR. Use the shortest certified cable from Apple TV to the AVR.
Fixing overly dark Dolby Vision
- Test HDR10 vs Dolby Vision
If Dolby Vision looks dim but HDR10 is fine, your TV’s Dolby Vision tone mapping may be aggressive. Keep Match Dynamic Range on so apps can pick HDR10 when Dolby Vision is problematic. - Check TV Dolby Vision mode
Some TVs have separate Dolby Vision picture modes (Cinema vs Bright). Use the brighter mode in rooms with ambient light. - Disable light sensor or eco mode
Ambient light sensors can cap peak brightness in HDR. Turn them off while calibrating.
Fixing clipped highlights or neon colors
- Set Chroma to 4:2:0
Reduces bandwidth while keeping colors accurate. Try 4:2:2 only if you know your chain supports it. - Reduce sharpness and noise reduction
Keep sharpness near 0–10. Noise reduction can smear HDR detail. - Turn off motion smoothing
TruMotion/MotionFlow can add artifacts around bright objects; disable it for HDR movies.
Scenario example: sports look gray in HDR
Live sports in a TV app look gray and flat while movies look fine. You switch Apple TV to 4K SDR default, enable Match Dynamic Range/Frame Rate, and set the TV picture mode to Cinema with local dimming on High. Sports now play in SDR with better brightness, while HDR movies trigger proper Dolby Vision with correct colors.
Advanced tuning
- Use Apple TV Color Balance
Calibrate with an iPhone (Settings > Video and Audio > Color Balance) to tame oversaturated menus. - Test with a known HDR clip
Use Spears & Munsil or YouTube HDR demo reels to confirm highlight detail and black levels. - Check app-specific HDR toggles
Some apps let you disable HDR for live events; use that if the broadcast grade is poor.
Recommended gear for this fix
When to suspect hardware or compatibility
- A TV that only supports HDR10 (no Dolby Vision) may look different across apps; that is normal.
- If the TV fails the Apple TV HDMI test repeatedly even with a short certified cable, the HDMI port or cable is likely marginal.
- Very old receivers can strip Dolby Vision; if HDR10 works but Dolby Vision fails, route video directly to the TV and use eARC for audio.