How do I enable HDR on a virtual screen?

Open Settings > Displays > [virtual screen] and enable Enable HDR support. This Pro feature adds extended-luminance, 16-bit-per-component modes to the virtual screen. Reconnect it when prompted so the changed definition takes effect.

Use an HDR-compatible color profile. Display P3 is the recommended starting point in the interface. When mirroring, the receiving display must support the intended HDR/EDR presentation. A virtual screen advertising HDR cannot give an SDR monitor additional physical brightness.

For a full-screen stream or Picture in Picture window, enable Video Filters, then HDR Filter Pipeline in that output’s filter settings. The HDR pipeline requires Apple silicon and is available when the output uses the capture-based filter path. It is hidden when Use Compositor Filter is active or the output requires SDR capture. See Streaming for the available presentation choices.

For a remote-desktop or capture application, that application and its receiving device must also support an HDR path. Enabling the virtual screen’s modes alone does not establish end-to-end HDR delivery.

Leave Create HDR modes only off if you want SDR alternatives too. Enabling it removes SDR entries and prevents turning HDR off through the virtual screen’s menu mode selector. Change the definition and reconnect to restore those alternatives.

See Virtual Screen HDR modes for the mode and presentation settings.