Microsoft is now blocking Windows 11 24H2 upgrades on systems with Auto HDR enabled due to a compatibility issue that causes game freezes.
Auto HDR is a Windows feature that automatically increases the color range and brightness from SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) to HDR in games on systems with HDR-capable displays.
While Redmond has confirmed that Auto HDR is breaking some games, customers have also complained on Microsoft’s community website and other online platforms over the past month that the feature makes game graphics look high-contrast and oversaturated.
“After installing Windows 11, version 24H2, you might experience issues with games if you have AutoHDR enabled in your device,” the company warned in a new Windows release health update on Wednesday. “You might observe that the game colors are incorrect in certain display configurations. You might also observe that some games stop responding.”
To workaround this known issue, Microsoft advises affected users to disable Auto HDR by opening the ‘Settings’ app and selecting ‘Graphics’ under System > Display. From there, you can toggle off Auto HDR for all games using the ‘Default Settings’ control or individual games under ‘Custom settings for applications.’
To prevent the gaming freezes from impacting more customers, Redmond has applied a compatibility hold on Windows devices with Auto HDR toggled on (this known issue is tagged with safeguard ID 55382406 in Windows Update for Business reports).
Microsoft also advises affected users not to manually update impacted devices using the Media Creation Tool or the Windows 11 Installation Assistant until these problems are resolved.
One week ago, Microsoft partially lifted another compatibility hold blocking Windows 24H2 upgrades after French video game publisher Ubisoft fixed bugs that triggered crashes, freezes, and audio issues in some of its games.
In recent weeks, the company also announced that it now blocks Windows 11 24H2 on systems with outdated Google Workspace Sync installs, which can cause “Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook” errors and Outlook launch issues.
It also added safeguard holds pausing Windows 11 24H2 updates on PCs with incompatible Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) audio drivers because of blue screen of death (BSOD) issues.
