Windows 11 doesn’t have its own switch for 10-bit color. First check what you have now: select Start > Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and look at Bit depth. To change it, open your graphics card maker’s control app, go to the display settings, and set Output color depth (sometimes just Color depth) to 10 bpc. Your display, cable and graphics card all need to support 10-bit color for the option to appear.
Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support and graphics and monitor makers’ support pages on September 30, 2026.
What 10-bit color does
Most displays show 8 bits per color channel, about 16.7 million colors. A 10-bit signal carries about 1.07 billion colors, which gives smoother gradients in skies, shadows and photos, with less visible banding. You’ll mostly notice it in photo and video editing, HDR video and some games. For everyday browsing and documents, the difference is small.
What you need
- A display that supports 10-bit color. Check the specifications in its manual or on the maker’s website. Some displays use 8-bit panels with extra processing and still accept a 10-bit signal.
- A graphics card and driver that support it. Most recent graphics cards and chips do. Update your driver through Settings > Windows Update or from your PC maker.
- Enough bandwidth in the connection. High resolutions and refresh rates use a lot of it. DisplayPort or a newer HDMI cable and port usually work best. Older HDMI connections may not carry 10-bit color at 4K and 60 Hz.
Step 1: Check your current bit depth
- Select Start > Settings > System > Display.
- Select Advanced display.
- If you have more than one display, choose it from the list at the top.
- Under Display information, look at Bit depth.
If it already says 10-bit, there’s nothing to change. Color format and Color space on the same page show whether the signal is RGB or YCbCr and whether HDR is on.
Step 2: Set 10-bit color in your graphics app
- Open the control app for your graphics card or chip. Search for it in the Start menu, or right-click the desktop and select Show more options.
- Go to the Display section and select the display you want to change.
- Find Output color depth or Color depth and choose 10 bpc (bits per color).
- Apply or save the change. The screen may go blank for a moment.
- Go back to Advanced display in Settings and check that Bit depth now says 10-bit.
If you can’t find the app, get it from your PC maker’s or graphics card maker’s support page. On a work or school PC, your organization may block it. If so, ask your IT administrator.
Where the setting is for each graphics brand
- NVIDIA: open NVIDIA Control Panel, select Display > Change resolution, choose your display, and select Use NVIDIA color settings. Set Output color depth to 10 bpc, Output color format to RGB, and Output dynamic range to Full, then select Apply.
- AMD: open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, select the gear icon, then Display. Set Color Depth to 10 bpc. Keep Pixel Format at RGB 4:4:4 Pixel Format PC Standard (Full RGB) if it’s available.
- Intel: open Intel Graphics Software (or Intel Graphics Command Center on older PCs), go to the display settings, and look for a color depth option. Many laptops with Intel graphics have 8-bit built-in screens, so the option often appears only for an external monitor.
Check your cable’s bandwidth
10-bit color uses about 25 percent more data than 8-bit. At high resolutions and refresh rates, the cable or port can run out of room, and the option disappears or falls back to a compressed color format:
- HDMI 2.0: 4K at 60 Hz in 10-bit only works with 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 color, which slightly softens colored text. Full RGB 10-bit at 4K needs a lower refresh rate.
- DisplayPort 1.4: handles 4K at 60 Hz in full 10-bit RGB. Higher refresh rates, such as 4K at 144 Hz, need Display Stream Compression (DSC), which most recent monitors and graphics cards support.
- HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.x: handle 4K at 120 Hz and above in 10-bit with room to spare, if both the port and the cable are rated for it.
Is your monitor true 10-bit?
Check the monitor’s specification sheet. 1.07 billion colors means it accepts a 10-bit signal; 16.7 million colors means 8-bit. Many affordable monitors listed as 10-bit are actually 8-bit + FRC, which flickers between nearby shades to imitate 10-bit. That still reduces banding and is fine for most people, but true 10-bit panels are better for professional photo and video work.
See the difference
Most apps and websites still output 8-bit images, so you may not notice a change everywhere. To see it, view a smooth gradient, such as a sky in a high-quality photo or an HDR video, at full screen. With 10-bit, the steps between shades (banding) are less visible. Photo and video editors often need their own setting too; for example, Adobe Photoshop has a 30 Bit Display option in its performance preferences.
If 10-bit isn’t available
- Lower the refresh rate. In Advanced display, choose a lower refresh rate, such as 60 Hz instead of 144 Hz. This frees bandwidth for more color. See how to change the refresh rate in Windows 11.
- Change the cable or port. Use DisplayPort, or a cable and port that support newer HDMI versions.
- Change the color format. Some graphics apps offer 10 bpc only with YCbCr 4:2:2 instead of RGB at high resolutions. RGB is sharper for text, so use it when you can.
- Update your graphics driver. Older drivers may not offer the setting.
- Check the display’s own menu. Some monitors have a setting for the input mode or HDMI version that must be turned on for 10-bit input.
Turn on HDR or auto color management
If your display supports HDR, turning it on is another way to get more color precision.
- HDR: select Settings > System > Display and turn on Use HDR. See Microsoft’s HDR settings in Windows for requirements.
- Auto color management: select Settings > System > Display > Color profile, choose your display, and turn on Automatically manage color for apps. Microsoft says this lets apps use 10 to 16 bits of color precision, and it improves gradients even on 8-bit displays by using dithering. It appears only on supported displays and graphics drivers.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Windows still show 8-bit after I turned on 10-bit?
Usually because the connection can’t carry it at your current resolution and refresh rate. Try a lower refresh rate or a different cable, and check that you changed the setting for the right display.
Will 10-bit color slow down games?
Not noticeably on most PCs. It uses more connection bandwidth, not much more graphics power.
Is 10-bit the same as HDR?
No. HDR also needs a brighter display and a wider range of brightness. HDR usually uses 10-bit color, but 10-bit color works without HDR.
Can I check color depth for each monitor?
Yes. In Advanced display, choose each display from the list at the top to see its bit depth.
Next steps
To change what size things appear on screen, see how to set a custom resolution in Windows 11. For brightness and color settings, see how to change the brightness in Windows 11.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.