Netflix Now Supports HDR on Windows 10

by Maria Kazandjieva, Greg Freedman, Matt Trunnell

We are thrilled to announce the addition of High Dynamic Range (HDR) support on Windows 10 for both the Edge browser and the Netflix app. With this update, Netflix members who have a supported device and a premium plan can enjoy amazing Netflix movies and shows in HDR. With HDR enabled, fans can immerse themselves in the delicious colors of Chef’s Table, the terrifying depths of the Upside Down in Stranger Things 2, and enjoy the upcoming Netflix film Bright starring Will Smith. And this is just the beginning! Today, we have over 200 hours of HDR entertainment, and in 2018 even more HDR PCs will enter the market and support the growing number of Netflix originals.

This feature is the culmination of a multi-year collaboration between Netflix and a number of industry partners. Intel’s 7th generation and higher CPUs provide that capability needed to play the Netflix HDR10 encodes. In addition, both Intel and Nvidia developed GPUs that use 10 bits-per-channel for each of the RGB colors, increasing the color space that can be represented. With this new hardware available in consumer PCs, Netflix and Microsoft partnered together to put the software pieces in place. Microsoft added the necessary OS and browser changes in their Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and our engineers integrated against those APIs to complete the video player work.

Visit our Help Center to learn what you need to start streaming Netflix in HDR today.

In the PC world, it is still early days for premium video features like 4K and HDR. As engineers, we look forward to bringing these features and more to additional browser platforms. You can help us!