With Elgato Studio, you can record in HDR to preserve the full color range and contrast of your source. HDR recording is available on Windows and can be enabled from the recording settings panel.
Requirements
- Windows only
- Compatible Elgato capture device
- Source must output an HDR signal
- HEVC or AV1 format (Elgato Studio switches to HEVC automatically when HDR is enabled)
What HDR recording does
Most recordings are saved in SDR (Standard Dynamic Range), which uses a standard range of brightness and color. SDR works well for most content and is compatible with all displays, editors, and platforms.
HDR (High Dynamic Range) captures a wider range of brightness and color than SDR. Highlights can be brighter, shadows can hold more detail, and colors can be more vivid and varied. The result is footage that more closely matches what you see on an HDR display while playing or watching.
When your source outputs an HDR signal but HDR recording is turned off, your capture device converts that signal to SDR before recording. The recording still looks good, but some of the brightness and color range from the original signal is lost in the conversion. Turning HDR recording on keeps the full signal intact.
How to enable HDR
Toggle the HDR switch in the recording settings panel. Elgato Studio handles the format adjustment automatically.
When you enable HDR, Elgato Studio switches your recording format to HEVC, which is required for HDR recording. If you were previously using H.264 or another format, your selection is saved and restored when you turn HDR off.
If your capture device and GPU also support AV1, you can select AV1 as your format while HDR is enabled.
The HDR setting cannot be changed while a recording is in progress.
What changes when HDR is enabled
When HDR is active, a few things adjust automatically:
Your recording format switches to HEVC or AV1. H.264 does not support HDR, so it is not available while HDR is enabled.
The maximum recording resolution may be reduced depending on your capture device. Some devices support HDR recording at a lower resolution than their SDR maximum. When this happens, Elgato Studio displays a notification explaining the adjustment. Your passthrough to your display is not affected and continues at the full resolution of your source.
HDR recordings are encoded in 10-bit color with the BT.2020 color space. This preserves the extended range of colors and brightness that HDR content provides.
Previewing HDR on a standard monitor
You do not need an HDR monitor to record in HDR. If Elgato Studio is running on a standard SDR display, the preview is automatically tone mapped so it looks correct on your screen.
The recording itself still captures the full HDR signal. The tone mapping only affects the preview you see in Elgato Studio, not the recorded file.
Screenshots
Screenshots in Elgato Studio are always captured as SDR, regardless of whether HDR recording is enabled. The screenshot matches the tone mapped preview you see on screen.
When to use HDR recording
HDR recording is most useful when your source outputs HDR content and you want your recordings to preserve that extended color and brightness range. Games on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC commonly support HDR output.
If your source is outputting SDR, enabling HDR recording has no effect. Elgato Studio falls back to SDR mode automatically since there is no HDR data to capture.
Keep in mind that HDR recordings require HEVC or AV1-compatible editing software for playback and editing. Most modern editors support HEVC, but it is worth confirming before recording a full session in HDR.