Question Resetting/Removing WINDOWS 11 HDR calibration tool settings.
Question Resetting/Removing WINDOWS 11 HDR calibration tool settings.
I recently purchased a new monitor (not particularly flashy but significantly better than what I had before) in February. It’s the KTC M27T20, and it’s the first HDR-capable model I’ve owned for my personal PC. I spent some time adjusting the color settings until I was satisfied, then began using it. I was quite pleased with its performance and appearance, and used it for a while before stumbling upon an accidental discovery: Windows 11 includes an in-built HDR calibration feature. Eager to test this, I explored it and found it to be quite basic, not meeting my expectations.
After completing the setup and understanding that my display quality now appears distorted (the tool seems to be underperforming), I went back to the display settings to reset the calibration to default. This allowed me to adjust colors and contrast directly on the monitor as before. However, there’s no built-in reset or “off” button for the Windows 11 HDR calibration tool. The only alternatives are to disable HDR entirely or switch to a different calibration profile.
Looking online, it seems that Windows 10 had an option to disable or reset the HDR calibration tool without removing HDR support altogether. But this doesn’t seem to be available in Windows 11.
Anyone have ideas on how to fix this? I’ve tried various profiles in hopes of improving things slightly, but everything looks very poor—like a poorly made product, with strange colors and blacks.
I’m hoping to avoid a full Windows reinstall just to fix a single setting. That would feel excessive, wouldn’t it?
Also, Microsoft (at least regarding Windows) doesn’t provide customer support. Instead, they rely on forums where other users act as unofficial tech helpers. This is quite frustrating.
My desire to switch to a Linux distribution grows stronger every day...
Examine Task Manager (review left column menu options) and Process Explorer (Microsoft, free).
Are there any processes labeled "HDR" or "calibration"? Any name hints can assist in identifying the tool's process.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysint...s-explorer
Goal is to find relevant processes and their status.
Hi, thank you for reaching out!
I looked into both Task Manager and the Process Explorer you suggested, checking the windows processes there. The closest match to something related to HDR was found in the Task Manager under "Display Enhancement Service," which can be expanded to reveal the same process name. It shows no activity—0% CPU and 0% memory usage. I wasn’t able to locate any Process Explorer entries linked to HDR calibration, even though I tried using relevant keywords like displays, HDR, calibration, or images.
I’ve attached the screenshots for your reference:
Task Manager: https://imgur.com/a/0tYtwAg
Process Explorer: https://imgur.com/a/PMGoaIy
Let me know if you’d like more details!
View Enhancement Service (quick Google):
https://batcmd.com/windows/10/services/d...ntservice/
Explore further.
Launch Powershell with Administrator privileges and execute the Get-Process cmdlet.
Here’s a summary of the results from my machine (adjusted for clarity):
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-Process
Handles NPM(K) PM(K) WS(K) CPU(s) Id SI ProcessName
------- ------ ----- ----- ------ -- -- -----------
163 10 2560 8372 0.05 4584 0 AdminService
157 10 2112 9404 0.05 7796 0 AggregatorHost
213 14 20508 17604 0.23 2372 1 ai
495 28 21908 39020 0.19 14004 1 ApplicationFrameHost
239 14 9996 19056 0.19 16120 0 audiodg
209 13 2932 9392 0.00 4128 1 backgroundTaskHost
315 31 18072 1616 0.09 10640 1 backgroundTaskHost
275 14 3976 19140 0.00 14836 1 backgroundTaskHost
4752 47 551280 94856 7.56 13392 1 Challenge
149 10 5672 8236 0.16 2852 0 conhost
149 10 5672 8072 0.08 5496 0 conhost
150 10 5676 8420 0.23 7100 0 conhost
109 8 5328 1096 0.02 11832 1 conhost
149 10 5672 8072 0.13 16352 0 conhost
149 10 5664 8224 0.08 18184 0 conhost
273 15 4048 17584 0.00 21096 1 conhost
830 29 2920 6380 4.05 644 1 csrss
879 29 2120 6136 0.97 920 0 csrss
622 22 8380 29592 2.44 9308 1 ctfmon
438 21 7580 17164 0.23 4260 0 dasHost
127 10 2076 8228 0.02 14688 0 dasHost
174 9 1868 9088 0.02 9716 0 DDVCollectorSvcApi
811 81 67168 64000 8.45 18424 0 DDVDataCollector
282 17 19096 14304 0.17 7372 0 DDVRulesProcessor
The output will appear in tidier columns.
There may be variations between the two sets due to differences in systems or configurations. Keep searching for HDR or similar indicators.
In the meantime, I located a relevant Microsoft resource:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-w...c6c5ef24e6
The adjustments you applied are saved in files named HDR Calibrated Profile, along with the date and time. These files reside in your Users folder and also in Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color. Removing them will eliminate their impact on your display. Alternatively, you can locate all .icc files and delete them to restore the calibrations.
I discovered this file at the specified Windows location:
"C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color\CalibratedDisplayProfile-2.icc"
Before proceeding with deletion, consider making a backup by appending BKUP to the filename...
For example: "C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color\CalibratedDisplayProfile-2BKUP.icc"
Just as a precaution...