- To enable Super Resolution on Windows 11, open Settings > Display > Graphics and turn on “Automatic super resolution.”
- The feature uses AI to upscale supported games for a more crisper experience.
- Super Resolution is similar to Nvidia DLSS, AMD’s FSR, and Intel’s XeSS.
- It’s expected to be part of the Windows 11 24H2 release.
UPDATE 2/29/2024: Windows 11 is set to receive an AI feature known as “Super Resolution,” designed to enhance the gaming experience by making supported games play more smoothly with improved details. PhantomOcean3 on X discovered this feature in the latest test preview of Windows 11 24H2 and appears to be similar to Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology, which uses AI to upscale games and improve frame rates and image quality.
What is Super Resolution on Windows 11?
Super Resolution (SR) is a feature that uses AI to increase game resolution and visual quality, providing a smoother, more efficient experience that scales across hardware, including better frame rates.
As part of this feature, Microsoft also created the “DirectSR” API in partnership with Nvidia, AMD, and Intel to integrate SR into the next generation of games. In other words, the new API allows “a single code path to activate a variety of solutions including NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, and Intel XeSS.”
The company is expected to announce the feature during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.
Finally, it’s still unknown whether special hardware, such as an NPU (Neural Processing Unit), will be required to turn on the feature. For example, Nvidia, AMD, and Intel require specific features within their modern graphics cards to make upscaling work.
In this guide, I will teach you the steps to enable the SR feature on Windows 11.
Enable Super Resolution on Windows 11 (preview)
The Super Resolution appears hidden on Windows 11 build 26052 through the Canary or Dev Channel, and you can use the ViveTool app to enable it.
1. Enable Super Resolution on Windows 11
To enable the new Home page for the Settings app, use these steps:
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Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the Super Resolution feature.
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Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.
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Click the Extract all button.
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Click the Extract button.
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Copy the path to the folder.
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Open Start.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:
cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x
In the command, remember to change the path to the folder with your path.
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Type the following command to enable the Super Resolution setting and press Enter:
vivetool /enable /id:39695921 /variant:3
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Restart the computer.
Once you complete the steps, you can proceed to turn on the feature from the Settings app.
2. Turn on Super Resolution feature on Windows 11
To enable the Super Resolution (DirectSR) feature on Windows 11 24H2, use these steps:
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Open Settings.
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Click on System.
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Click the Display page.
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Click the Graphics setting.
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Turn on the “Automatic super resolution” toggle switch
After you complete the steps, the AI upscaling feature will turn on the computer (but it won’t work until Microsoft makes it available for testing).
You can learn more about how to use ViveTool to enable experimental features on Windows 11 in this guide.
Other AI features
Super Resolution is only one of the many AI features that Microsoft is planning to make available as part of Windows 11 24H2 during the second half of 2024. As I previously reported, the rumor is that the software giant plans to build a new Timeline feature allowing you to scroll back in time through apps and websites that Copilot understands you may need.
Copilot will now become content-aware based on the clipboard content, making it easier to perform different actions, whether the content is text or an image. (This feature is already available for testing in build 26052.)
AI is also coming to search, allowing you to search files, settings, and apps using natural language.
Furthermore, version 24H2 is expected to include a new personalization feature, “Depth Effects,” which will use AI to convert a static image into a moving wallpaper by adding a parallax effect. So, when you move the mouse around the screen, you will notice different layers in the background that move at different speeds to give you a sense of depth effect.
Finally, Speak for me is another feature in the works that will let Windows 11 speak aloud with others about your behavior, and you will have the option to create an avatar voice or preserve your voice.
Update February 29, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect new details about the feature.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].