Mozilla has rolled out one of Firefox’s most requested media features. Starting with Firefox 153, Windows users with HDR-capable displays can now enjoy High Dynamic Range (HDR) video playback on supported websites like YouTube.

Until now, Firefox displayed HDR videos in standard dynamic range (SDR), missing out on the improved brightness, contrast, and wider colour range offered by HDR content. With Firefox 153, that changes.

Here’s a screenshot of the feature request from 2022:

Firefox-HDR-support-in-Windows — A feature request from 2022

The feature is enabled by default, so there’s no need to tweak any settings inside Firefox. Users simply need to update to Firefox 153, run Windows 10 or Windows 11, and ensure HDR is enabled under Windows Settings > Display. This also requires a capable display panel, not just any screen.

Mozilla says Firefox 153 supports both BT.2100 PQ (HDR10) and BT.2100 HLG video formats, which are widely used for HDR content across the web. However, whether HDR is available depends on whether a streaming service serves HDR video to Firefox.

There are a few limitations to be aware of. Displays that only support HDR video streaming instead of full HDR mode aren’t currently supported, while some HDR videos recorded on smartphones may not display correctly depending on their orientation. Firefox also doesn’t perform HDR tone mapping in this release, meaning some very bright HDR videos may appear brighter than they do in browsers that automatically adjust HDR output. Mozilla says display-aware tone mapping with a user control is planned for a future update.

To verify HDR is working, users can play an HDR video on YouTube. If everything is set up correctly, YouTube’s quality menu should show HDR playback options. Mozilla is also preparing Firefox 153.0.1, which will add HDR display information to the browser’s about:support page, making it easier for users to troubleshoot and report any playback issues.

The addition of HDR playback closes one of Firefox’s biggest media feature gaps on Windows and brings the browser closer to rivals like Chrome and Edge for users with HDR-capable displays.