First check your Xbox One model

This 4K/HDR procedure applies to Xbox One S and Xbox One X. Xbox technical documentation limits the original Xbox One to 1080p video output at 60 Hz, without HDR10 support. Check your console’s physical model before continuing.

On Xbox One S, apply 4K checks to video and Blu-ray; a game not rendering at 4K is not itself a fault. On Xbox One X, check the video chain for 4K games and other compatible content. If you have the original Xbox One, these settings cannot add the 4K/HDR support documented for the S and X models.

1. Check the capabilities detected by the console

Open Xbox > System > Settings > Display & sound > Advanced video settings > 4K TV details. This screen shows the capabilities the Xbox detects for the television and HDMI connection.

Labels can vary with the installed Xbox One system software. If the menus differ, look for the 4K TV details screen in display settings. Failed checks guide troubleshooting but do not prove a particular cable is faulty.

2. Restore automatic TV detection

In video settings, check that the console uses automatic TV detection. Xbox says 4K is unavailable when HDMI or DVI is manually selected instead of automatic detection.

The exact menu path may have changed since Xbox’s 2017 documentation. If labels differ, find the TV detection setting under display settings, then return to 4K TV details to check the detected capabilities.

3. Use the appropriate HDMI port on the television

Connect the Xbox to a TV HDMI port that actually supports the 4K and HDR features you need. Some televisions do not offer these capabilities on every HDMI port.

Consult the TV manual to identify the port and its input-specific settings. Their names and locations depend on the manufacturer and model: do not assume another brand’s labels apply.

4. Check the HDMI cable

For Xbox One S or Xbox One X, Xbox recommends the supplied HDMI cable or a cable certified as HDMI High Speed or HDMI Premium. If 4K or HDR capabilities are not detected, try another cable meeting this recommendation.

This step isolates one part of the video chain. It cannot, by itself, establish that a particular cable is faulty without an actual hardware test.

5. Isolate intermediate equipment

An AV receiver, soundbar or other device between the Xbox and TV can interfere with detection. For troubleshooting, connect the Xbox directly to the television, bypassing that equipment.

When using an AV receiver, also check the 4K/HDR settings for the TV’s HDMI input. Xbox also recommends checking TV and AV receiver firmware and updating it if necessary. Settings and labels vary by model.

6. Check HDCP 2.2 support

For certain content, the TV must support HDCP 2.2 and have it enabled. Xbox’s specifications list HDCP 2.2 for the HDMI outputs of Xbox One S and Xbox One X.

Actual compatibility also depends on the television and HDMI signal path, particularly if an AV receiver or another device sits between the console and screen. Check each relevant component, not just the console.

If the screen stays black or errors appear

After these checks, Xbox recommends temporarily disabling Allow 4K if the screen stays black or displays errors. If HDR colours look wrong, temporarily disable Allow HDR.

Disabling these options is a diagnostic or compatibility step, not a permanent resolution. Then review the HDMI chain to identify which component’s capabilities are not being detected.

Recommended order

1. Confirm that you have Xbox One S or Xbox One X, then distinguish 4K video/Blu-ray on One S from 4K games on One X.
2. Open 4K TV details to examine the detected capabilities.
3. Check that automatic TV detection is selected.
4. Use the TV HDMI port intended for 4K/HDR.
5. Use the cable supplied with Xbox One S or Xbox One X, or an HDMI High Speed or HDMI Premium certified cable.
6. Connect the Xbox directly to the television if an AV receiver, soundbar or other device is between them.
7. Check HDCP 2.2 for relevant content and, when using an AV receiver, check the TV input’s 4K/HDR settings and both the TV and receiver firmware.
8. If the screen stays black or errors appear, temporarily disable “Allow 4K”; for abnormal HDR colours, temporarily disable “Allow HDR”.