In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield. This action role-playing game from Bethesda has recently been released but even in this short span of time, it seems to have grabbed the attention of the masses. There’s much to look forward to as well, whether it’s the open-world spaced theme or its challenging quests. On the flip side though, it has recently been bugged by quite a few issues as well.
The latest to make its presence felt is the HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield. According to the affected users, the entire game seems to be enveloped under a thick layer of white smog. The dark areas are pitch black. whereas the light areas are bright like playing in the sun, there’s no equilibrium level in between. As a result of this, the game seems to be literally unplayable. If you are also facing this issue, then this guide will make you aware of numerous workarounds to resolve this bug. Follow along.
Table of Contents
How to Fix HDR Washed Out Graphics Issue in Starfield
It is recommended that you try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one spells out success. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
Using Reshade
- Download Reshade and select starfield.exe when installing.
- Make sure to select dx10/11/12 and allow it to install everything.
- Once in the game press the home key to open the Reshade menu].
- Then select the “curves” option, this will allow you to increase the contrast.
- Check if this fixes the HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield.
Using Mod
Some users were able to rectify this issue by using the NaturaLUTs mod as well. You may grab it from here and check if works out in your favor or not.
Tweak Shadow Settings
Changing these settings will not only fix the shadow pixelated and flickering issue, but will also come in handy in rectifying the HDR washed out graphics bug in Starfield. In this regard, here are the settings that needs to be implemented:
Anisotropic Filtering - 16X Antialiasing Gamma Correction - OFF MFAA - ON Texture Filtering Anisotropic Sample Optimization - ON Trilinear Optimization - OFF
Disable HDR 10
In a usual case scenario, he below tweak might create a mismatch between the TV and Xbox black-level settings, however, it seems to be doing wonders for Starfields. So let’s give it a try and check out the results.
- Navigate to General TV > Display/Video Mode and disable HDR 10.
- Now proceed to Video Fidelity and Overscan and change the color space to PC RGB.
- Ensure your TV is set to Low or Limited black levels.
- Check if it fixes HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield.
Delete Shader Cache
Your next course of action should be to delete the delete shader cache, and then check out the results.
- To begin with, head over to the below location
- user*yourname*\AppData\Local\Starfield\
- Now remove the “Pipeline.cache” file
- Check if it fixes HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield.
Adjust HDR Intensity
For some, Adjust HDR Intensity also seems to have get the job done. So give it a try via the below-listed steps and check out the result.
- Press Windows+G to open the Xbox Game Center
- Then go to Settings -> Gaming Features -> Adjust HDR Intensity.
- Check if it fixes HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield.
That’s it. These were the various methods to fix the HDR washed out graphics issue in Starfield. As far as the official stance on this matter is concerned, the developers are aware of this issue, but they haven’t given out any ETA for the rollout of a fix. As and when that happens, we will update this guide accordingly. In the meantime, the aforementioned workarounds are your best bet.
UPDATE: Texture Graphics Issue in Starfield
A few users have voiced their concern that they are facing texture graphics-related issues in Starfield. Fortunately, the aforementioned listed workaround should be able to rectify this bug.However, to know more about this issue, you may refer to our standalone guide given below:
