For true HDR, the app typically relies on hardware-accelerated decoders like HW or HW+ . These decoders pass the HDR metadata directly to your device's system and display, allowing the screen to handle the specialized processing for peak brightness and color depth.
Sometimes, the audio or video track within an HDR container (like an MKV file) uses a compression format that the stock MX Player app cannot decode due to licensing issues (e.g., DTS or TrueHD audio paired with HDR video). This can cause the video to default to the SW decoder.
Not all phones with “HDR” in the specs actually support HDR playback in third-party apps. Go to:
Download a sample HDR10 video. Good sources: mx player hdr support work
To experience HDR, your device must have an HDR-compatible display and the video file itself must be encoded in an HDR format like HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision.
MX Player supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) video playback on devices and content that meet specific hardware, software, and file requirements. This article explains how HDR works in MX Player, what enables or blocks HDR playback, how to check and troubleshoot it, and practical tips for the best HDR experience.
| Decoder | How It Works | HDR Support | Pros & Cons | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Uses your device's built-in media framework. | ✅ Excellent (reliable HDR metadata passthrough). | Pros: High efficiency, stable. Cons: Limited to formats the system supports. | | H/W+ (Hardware Plus) | Uses MX Player's own media framework with hardware decoders. | ⚠️ Unreliable for some HDR types (may wash out colors for VP9, MKV HDR). | Pros: Plays more video formats, supports 200% volume, background play. Cons: Inconsistent HDR metadata passthrough. | | S/W (Software) | Uses CPU for all decoding. | ❌ Poor (colors appear washed out, dim). | Pros: Plays almost anything. Cons: Very high CPU/battery usage. | For true HDR, the app typically relies on
The team behind MX Player (now owned by Times Internet) has focused more on streaming and ad integration than codec improvements. However, user feedback has pushed them to:
Restart the app. This often unlocks stable HW/HW+ decoding for stubborn HDR files. Step 3: Toggle "Color Format" Settings
The video file itself must be encoded in an HDR format (typically 10-bit HEVC/H.265 or VP9 profile 2). How MX Player Handles HDR Data This can cause the video to default to the SW decoder
A: HW is the older, less capable decoder. Tap the decoder icon during playback and manually switch to HW+. If it doesn’t work, reinstall the custom codec.
Understanding MX Player HDR Support: How It Works and How to Fix Issues
The most frequent complaint regarding MX Player HDR support is a "washed-out" or faded image. Colors look grey, pastel, or desaturated. This phenomenon occurs due to a breakdown in .
Casting HDR content from MX Player to a non-HDR TV? Your phone will tonemap (poorly). Casting to an HDR TV? Often fails because the casting protocol re-encodes to SDR.
Open MX Player, tap the menu icon, navigate to Settings , select Decoder , and ensure that HW+ decoder (local) and HW decoder are checked.