To change saturation on Windows 11, adjust your graphics software’s saturation control, use your supported monitor’s color controls, or run Windows HDR Calibration with HDR enabled. The available controls depend on your graphics hardware and display. These steps use Windows 11 menus.
Start with the graphics software that controls your display if you want an adjustable saturation level. Device presets offer another way to make colors more vivid, while Windows color management helps correct excessive saturation caused by unmanaged color.
The short version
- AMD graphics: Enable Custom Color in Display Settings, then adjust Saturation.
- NVIDIA graphics: NVIDIA app > System > Displays adjusts color depth, contrast, and gamma; for a saturation slider, GTX 10-series or newer graphics support Windows HDR Calibration.
- HDR displays: Windows HDR Calibration includes a Color Saturation slider after its three luminance tests.
- Device controls: Supported ASUS, Surface, and BenQ displays offer color presets or vibrance controls.
| Method | What you can change | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| AMD Custom Color | Display saturation with a slider or value | Compatible AMD configuration exposing the control |
| AMD Vivid Gaming | Color enhancement preset | Supported Radeon RX graphics or Ryzen desktop processor with Radeon Graphics |
| NVIDIA app display controls | Color depth, contrast, gamma, and calibration modes | Display controlled by the NVIDIA GPU |
| Intel Graphics Software | Display saturation where available | Supported Volcora dual-screen system |
| Windows HDR Calibration | SDR and HDR saturation while HDR is enabled | HDR display and supported graphics |
| Surface Color Profile | Vivid or sRGB rendering | Supported Surface model with HDR off |
| ASUS Splendid | Vivid preset and supported gamut choices | Supported ASUS built-in display |
| BenQ remote controls | Overall and individual color saturation | BenQ EX271QZ |
| BenQ Color Shuttle | Color Vibrance for a selected color mode | Compatible MOBIUZ monitor |
| Windows automatic color management | Color accuracy for apps | Supported display and graphics configuration |
| Windows display profiles | Color reproduction through a suitable profile | Profile suited to your display |
| Windows display calibration | Display reproduction through a wizard | Windows 11, with HDR calibration used for HDR-enabled external displays |
| Night light adjustment | Color temperature affecting HDR appearance | HDR colors affected by Night light |
Adjust saturation in AMD Software
Open AMD Software, search for Display, and select Display Settings. Select the display you want to change, then set Custom Color to Enabled. Adjust Saturation with its slider or value box; changes take effect immediately.
You need a compatible AMD configuration that exposes Custom Color. AMD bases its instructions on Adrenalin 23.9.1 Full Install and says available options vary. If your configuration lacks that control, use Windows HDR Calibration or a device control below when your hardware supports it.
For a preset on supported Radeon RX-series graphics or Ryzen desktop processors with Radeon Graphics, stay in Display Settings. Under Global Display, choose Vivid Gaming for Display Color Enhancement. This applies an enhancement preset rather than setting a specific saturation level.
Open the current NVIDIA display controls
Open NVIDIA app, select System, then choose Displays. Select your intended display, then use its Display Color settings to adjust color depth, contrast, and gamma or turn on advanced calibration modes. NVIDIA’s description of these settings does not name a saturation control, so for a saturation slider on GTX 10-series or newer graphics, use Windows HDR Calibration with an HDR-capable display. If you need the software, get it from the official NVIDIA app download page.
Your display must be controlled by the NVIDIA GPU. On a hybrid laptop whose internal panel connects to integrated graphics, the app may omit Displays; use controls supported by that integrated graphics hardware or the laptop’s display utility instead. Windows HDR Calibration provides another route for an HDR-capable screen when its graphics requirements are met.
For current GeForce display color controls, use NVIDIA app. NVIDIA has retired the GeForce Control Panel interface used by older Digital Vibrance instructions. Keep desktop adjustments separate from NVIDIA’s game filters and video enhancements, which affect their respective content.
Use Intel controls on supported systems
On supported newer Volcora dual-screen systems, open Intel Graphics Software and select Display. Choose the target display, then adjust Saturation under Color Settings where that control appears. Settings save automatically.
Intel Graphics Software is included with supported driver packages. To find and update your graphics driver, start from the Intel Graphics Software product page and select See Intel Arc Graphics drivers for supported hardware. Volcora gives the saturation path above for its newer dual-screen systems; if it does not apply to your PC, use HDR calibration or device controls supported by your display.
If you are replacing Arc Control, use Intel Graphics Software on supported hardware. Intel identifies Arc Control as end-of-life, while Graphics Command Center receives only critical legacy fixes. The replacement still depends on your graphics hardware and driver.
Set saturation with Windows HDR Calibration
Windows HDR Calibration adjusts saturation for both SDR and HDR content while HDR is enabled. You need Windows 11, an HDR-capable display, supported graphics, and WDDM 2.7 or later. Supported graphics include AMD RX 400-series or newer and Ryzen with Radeon Graphics, supported Intel integrated graphics or DG1 and newer, and NVIDIA GTX 10-series or newer.
Install Windows HDR Calibration from Microsoft Store. Open Settings > System > Display > HDR and enable HDR. Open Windows HDR Calibration from Start, move its window onto the intended display, and run it full-screen.
Complete the three luminance tests before reaching Color Saturation. Move the slider right to increase saturation; the leftmost position is the default. Complete the calibration to save the profile.
Removing the calibration profile removes its saved adjustment. To undo that adjustment as part of restoring display settings in Windows 11, search Start for color management and open Color Management. Select All Profiles, select the calibration profile, then select Remove.
Choose a Surface or ASUS color preset
On supported Surface models, turn HDR off, then open Settings > System > Display. Under Color Profile, choose Vivid or sRGB. Supported examples include Surface Laptop Studio 2, Surface Laptop 7th Edition with Snapdragon, and Surface Pro 11th Edition with Snapdragon.
For a supported ASUS built-in display, open MyASUS, select Device Settings, and find Splendid. Select Vivid to increase saturation, or choose Normal to return to normal rendering. Supported models also offer Color Gamut choices such as sRGB, DCI-P3, and Display P3; the choices depend on the model.
ASUS says Splendid can be disabled automatically in external-display-only or cloned-display configurations. In those configurations, use a method supported by the display you are adjusting. If you need the app, install MyASUS from Microsoft Store, but installing it alone does not add unsupported Splendid hardware features.
Adjust a supported BenQ monitor directly
On a BenQ EX271QZ, press the remote’s Color Vibrance key. Use Up and Down to change the overall setting. Use Left and Right to access the sliders for the six main colors and fine-tune their saturation.
That remote procedure is specific to the EX271QZ and works independently of your GPU vendor. Other monitor models have different menus and restrictions. On compatible MOBIUZ monitors, Color Shuttle offers a software alternative, with controls that vary by monitor and color mode.
You can obtain Color Shuttle from BenQ’s product page for the application. In Color Shuttle, select your monitor and click the sliders icon to open Advanced Color Settings. Select a color mode, then adjust Color Vibrance; changes save immediately.
Correct colors that look too intense
When excessive saturation comes from unmanaged color, automatic color management can improve accuracy on supported Windows 11 display and graphics configurations. Open Settings > System > Display > Color profile. Select the display and turn on Automatically manage color for apps.
To use a suitable display profile, select your display in the same location. Select Add profile to import one, then select Set profile to make a listed profile the default. Results depend on the profile, display, and application’s color management, so use profiles for color correction rather than as arbitrary saturation presets.
For conventional display calibration, open Settings > System > Display > Color profile > Calibrate display and follow the wizard. This corrects display reproduction rather than providing a direct SDR saturation slider. For an HDR-enabled external display, use Windows HDR Calibration.
If Night light makes HDR colors look oversaturated, open Settings > System > Display > Night light. Reduce Strength or select Turn off now. This changes color temperature rather than saturation and can address the HDR color issue Microsoft describes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change saturation for just one game with AMD graphics?
Yes, on compatible AMD Software installations, open Display Settings, select Game Color, and choose the game’s application profile. Enable Custom Color in that profile and adjust Saturation. The profile initially inherits global settings, but subsequent changes apply to that game.
How do you make the Windows 11 display completely grayscale?
Open Settings > Accessibility > Color filters, turn on Color filters, and select Grayscale. This removes color completely rather than providing an adjustable saturation level. Turn Color filters off to restore unfiltered color. Enable Keyboard shortcut for color filters if you want to toggle the selected filter with Windows + Ctrl + C.
Can NVIDIA adjust saturation only for videos?
Yes, RTX Video HDR supports saturation adjustment for supported SDR video on Windows 11 with a supported RTX GPU and HDR10 display, including playback in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and compatible VLC builds. Enable HDR in Windows, then open NVIDIA app > System > Video and enable HDR under RTX Video Enhancements. Open its configuration icon and adjust Saturation while a supported SDR video plays. This does not change every browser page or already-HDR video.
Can Screen Tint soften an intense-looking display?
Yes, on updated Windows 11 installations that expose Screen Tint, you can apply a tint overlay. Press Windows + U, then under Vision, open Screen Tint and turn it on. Choose a preset, or open Custom tint > View colors, then adjust Tint strength. This applies an overlay rather than changing saturation mathematically, and enabling it disables Color filters.