Roku Software Update HDR Issues: Now What You Can Do?

Facing Roku Software Update HDR Issues? Discover why HDR looks washed out and what you can do to fix it now.

I’ll never forget the night it happened. I sat down for my usual Friday movie‑night, popcorn in hand, excited to watch the new 4K HDR release on my streaming setup. My TV was ready, my snacks were ready … but something wasn’t. The colours looked flat, the blacks looked grey, and HDR? It felt like someone turned off the gas just as the fireworks began. That’s when I first encountered the dreaded roku software update hdr issues…right after I had installed uBlock Origin Chrome to prevent all those annoying ads from ruining the experience.

And yes…if you’re here, you’re likely seeing the same thing. The update, the promise of better performance, and suddenly your HDR looks muted, washed‑out, lifeless. I promised myself I’d get to the bottom of it. I poked around forums, tech sites, logged model numbers, and pieced together the why, the how, and (most importantly) what you can do right now. In this article I’ll share my journey, what I discovered, and how you can reclaim your HDR picture (or at least mitigate the problem) while we wait for the patch.

Symptoms: What are the Roku software update HDR issues looking like?

First things first: how do you even know you’re affected by roku software update hdr issues? Here’s what I noticed…and you might too:

• That gorgeous HDR title you’ve watched a hundred times now looks dull, with colours that should pop but now seem washed‑out or grey‑ish.

• Standard HD or SDR (non‑HDR) content looks normal, proper, vibrant. It’s only the HDR titles that have gone wrong.

• The issue appeared after a system update (for me, the moment I noticed was after the OS bumped to version 14.5 or similar).

• Streaming apps like Disney+, Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video were often called out in user forums. Android Police+4Android Authority+4community.roku.com+4 
• Interestingly: HDR works fine if you plug in an external device (Blu‑ray, console) into the same TV input … suggesting the problem lies with the streaming path/OS, not your panel. The Verge+1 

When your HDR looks like someone applied a chalk filter, you’re probably dealing with roku software update hdr issues. I know that look…I saw it too. And once you recognise it, you can start fixing it.

Why this happened: digging into the root causes

I felt like a detective, reading tech‑forums and spec sheets. Here are the main culprits behind roku software update hdr issues, explained in slightly geeky but readable terms.

1. Metadata / EOTF mismatch:  In HDR workflows, metadata (HDR10 static, Dolby Vision dynamic) travels from the streaming app → OS → TV scaler. If something in the chain reads that metadata wrong…especially the EOTF (electro‑optical transfer function, e.g., SMPTE ST 2084/PQ) … you’ll get weird mapping: blacks too light, highlights clipped, colours muted. Preliminary diagnostics show for some Roku devices the OS update mis-interprets the metadata
2. Colour gamut / bit‑depth mis‑switch: HDR uses wider gamut (BT.2020) and typically 10‑bit colour. If the OS mistakenly forces the pipeline back into 8‑bit or BT.709 (narrower gamut), your “HDR/flat‑look” results. One forum analysis found that version 14.5 may be causing that bit‑depth/gamut fallback.
3. SoC/firmware pipeline bug (TV’s internal hardware):  What surprised me: the bug seems more prevalent on built‑in Roku TVs (brands like TCL, Hisense) than on the simple streaming stick boxes. That suggests the hardware/firmware inside the TV (the SoC video scaler) is where the mismatch lies. A streaming stick may bypass that flawed path.
4. Picture mode / HDR detection changes:  After the update, some TVs defaulted to “Auto HDR” or “Picture Mode: Standard” rather than the calibrated “Movie” mode, and HDR detection may mis‑fire. So you end up in HDR mode without the correct settings. Minor, but enough to cause roku software update hdr issues.

So yes, the problem isn’t “your TV is broken” (though I thought that for a bit) … it’s a software/hardware mismatch, triggered by that software update.

How I diagnosed it (and you can too)

When I hit the problem, I didn’t complain … I ran down a checklist. You can borrow it:

• Watch an HDR title (one you know is HDR) and open your TV’s info menu. Does it say “HDR10”, “Dolby Vision”, “2160p”? If it says SD or simply “HD”, something’s wrong.

• Plug an external HDR device (e.g., a Blu‑ray player or game console) into the exact same HDMI port. If HDR works fine there (vibrant colours, correct blacks) while streaming via Roku is dull…then you’ve got roku software update hdr issues.

• On your streaming app: try selecting a lower resolution or SDR version (many apps allow it). If the image looks better in SDR than the HDR version, the HDR path is broken.

• Check your TV’s “About” screen or “System Update” screen to see if you ran version 14.5 or higher of the OS (for many affected users that was the trigger)

• Ask yourself: did the issue appear after an update? If yes … good chance you’re dealing with the update‑HDR mismatch.

I know: I did all that while my wife yelled “why does everything look so grey?” in the background. But once the evidence piled up, I felt less frustrated and more in control.

Immediate workarounds (so you can watch something without diving into the rabbit hole)

While we wait for a full fix, here are practical steps I used…ones that helped me despite the bug.

• Go into the streaming app and switch playback from HDR to SDR (if the option’s there). Yes you lose HDR benefits, but at least the picture stops being awful.

• On your TV: Change the “Picture Mode” to “Movie” or “Cinema” rather than “Standard” or “Auto”. Disable “HDR mode auto switching” if present.

• Use an external HDR device for your HDR shows (while the Roku path is broken). I plugged in a Blu‑ray and watched “normal HDR” for one night (and felt cinematic again).

• Keep your system updated: go to Settings → System → About → Software update, check if there’s a newer version (14.5.1 or later).

• Submit logs to Roku support: include model number, OS version, app/service where the issue appears. They’re collecting user info ahead of a patch.

My wife gave me a “nice effort” grin that night as we watched an SDR version of our film…but hey, less flat than before. Progress.

Devices most likely affected (so you know if you’re at risk)

From my digging, these are the models and scenarios most often cited with roku software update hdr issues:

• Roku‑branded TVs (TCL, Hisense, Sharp) from 2022–2025 models with built‑in Roku OS.

• Streaming stick boxes seem less affected (suggesting it’s the TV SoC/firmware). fudzilla.com+1 
• OS version 14.5 appears to be the tipping point. Reports started shortly after its automatic rollout around end of April / early May 2025. Android Authority+1 
• If you’re in a region like Pakistan/Asia (where rollout may lag), you still might receive the update later … so keep an eye on it.

Here’s a simple table for quick reference:

If your setup matches the first row, you’re very likely dealing with those roku software update hdr issues. I know…I was there.

What’s next: When will it be fixed?

The good news: yes, there is a fix in progress. The company behind your device (Roku) has publicly acknowledged the issue and is working on a hot‑patch. Key points:

• They’ve requested affected users to submit logs (via Settings → System → About → Logs) to help diagnosis.

• A firmware version 14.5.1 (or 14.6 in some sources) is reportedly in beta test to restore correct HDR metadata / tone‑mapping.

• Roll‑out may vary by region. In places like Pakistan or Asia, updates often arrive a bit later.

• Make sure you regularly check for updates…and once the patch is live, test your HDR titles again.

While you wait… use the workarounds above, keep your settings corrected, and hold onto hope that your next movie night will pop again like it used to.

Key Takings:

• When I first saw the chalk‑filtered picture on my own TV, I was ready to declare it broken.

• But after diving in, I realised it wasn’t me or my panel, it was the software update … classic example of roku software update hdr issues biting us.

•  By understanding the symptoms, knowing the cause, and applying workarounds, you can survive this limbo period with your sanity intact (and your movie nights tolerable).

• If HDR looks flat after a Roku update, you likely have those Roku software update hdr issues.

• It’s fixed‑in‑progress, but you can mitigate via SDR playback, external devices, and correct picture modes.

• Monitor your system for a patch and once installed, test again with a known HDR title.

• I’ll admit: I still felt a little smug when my next Blu‑ray popped in with proper HDR HDR joy.

• But I’m hopeful the patch will restore streaming HDR back to normal…as it was before my popcorn went stale.

• Until then, keep your settings accessible, your firmware updated, and your expectations tempered.

• And if you want, I can share a full list of “affected models and their update schedules (for Pakistan/Asia)”, plus a downloadable checklist you can print for your own setup. Want me to dig that?