Xbox Series X|S Dolby Vision HDR Testing Will Expand To Xbox Insider's Alpha Ring

Microsoft is expanding testing for a feature that should make games look better, at least on compatible TVs. Dolby Vision HDR, a feature that should, in the simplest terms, make bright colors brighter and dark areas darker, is arriving for Xbox Series X|S users that are part of Xbox Insider's alpha ring.

Precisely, Dolby Vision HDR is a proprietary HDR format that promises boosted performance over other HDR options. According to Dolby, the format offers "brightness, contrast, color, and depth that goes beyond even traditional HDR games."

The Xbox Series X|S will also be the only consoles with this tech available when it launches for Xbox Insiders. Dolby announced last year that, along with bringing its audio format Dolby Atmos to next-gen Xbox consoles, Dolby Vision would be arriving sometime in 2021.

Before you get too excited though, you'll want to make sure your TV supports Dolby Vision HDR. It's an increasingly common feature to find in TVs, but not one that's widely supported just yet. For instance, none of Samsung's TVs support Dolby's HDR format.

To check if your TV can handle Dolby Vision HDR, first make sure that your Xbox Series X|S is updated to the latest firmware version. Then, head over to the console's 4K TV Settings menu. From there, you should see a set of checkmarks or red crosses showing your TV's compatibility with Dolby Vision at either 4K/60Hz, 4K/120Hz, or both.

Anyone that wants to try out Dolby Vision HDR on their Xbox Series X but isn't part of the Xbox Insider program can fix that quickly. Simply download the Xbox Insider Bundle App from the Xbox Store, open it up, and hit "Join." This won't guarantee access to Dolby Vision HDR, but it's a step closer to having the feature.

It's not clear when Dolby Vision HDR will roll out for the bulk of Xbox Series X|S users. That being said, the feature's addition to the Xbox Insider alpha ring program is a clear indication that Microsoft is looking to roll it out for more players.

For other Xbox Series X|S users, the console's latest update has improved quick resume, making the feature more stable, reliable, and best of all, faster.