When Auto SR launched in June 2024, Microsoft limited it to Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs. That was the launch-era rule, not the whole story today: Microsoft’s current documentation lists Snapdragon X and X2 Copilot+ PCs, plus the ROG Xbox Ally X under specific conditions. Auto SR remains restricted by hardware, Windows version, game technology, resolution and display requirements; owning any Copilot+ PC does not guarantee support.
What Auto SR does
Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) is a Windows feature that upscales a game’s image at the operating-system level. The game renders at a lower resolution, and Windows uses the device’s GPU and neural processing unit (NPU) to reconstruct an image for a higher-resolution display. The aim is to make lower-resolution rendering look better while easing some of the GPU workload. It is a trade-off, not a promise of native-resolution image quality or a fixed frame-rate gain.
Auto SR processes graphics on the device. Microsoft says game graphics and details are not sent to Microsoft or the cloud. Its support page describes the feature and its current requirements at Microsoft Support.
Why the original story said Snapdragon X only
The June 6, 2024 launch-era implementation depended on the NPU in Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft’s early technical explanation, reported by Thurrott, described a convolutional neural network trained on gaming content, with work coordinated between the NPU and GPU. The explanation gave an intended latency cost of approximately one frame; that is a design description, not an independently measured result that applies to every game and system.
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“Copilot+ PC” is a broader platform label, not a guarantee that every qualifying computer can run Auto SR. At launch, Microsoft said support for more devices, including future AMD- and Intel-based Copilot+ PCs, would follow. The current Microsoft support page instead identifies specific supported hardware; it does not document universal availability across all Copilot+ PCs.
Which devices and software Microsoft currently documents
Microsoft currently documents Auto SR for Copilot+ PCs with a Snapdragon X or X2 Series processor and Hexagon NPU. It also names the ROG Xbox Ally X as a separate supported device, subject to Xbox Insider enrollment and docking to a display. The listed requirements include Windows 11 version 24H2 or later, a fully updated system, current graphics and neural-processor drivers, and the latest Auto SR package for the platform. Microsoft also specifies a display of 1080p or higher.
These are the currently documented requirements, not a claim that every game on those devices will work. Check the live Microsoft requirements before relying on compatibility, since the supported-device list may change.
Which games can use Auto SR?
Microsoft says a compatible game must use DirectX 10 or later and run as native x64, x64 through emulation, or Arm64 software. Those conditions are necessary, not a guarantee that a particular title will work. Microsoft lists x86-only games, DirectX 9, Vulkan and OpenGL among unsupported paths; it also identifies certain formats, including 10-bit, as unsupported. HDR content is not currently supported by Auto SR.
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Auto SR supports x64 games running through emulation on Arm64 devices as well as native x64 games. That does not mean every emulated game is compatible: the graphics API, resolution and title-specific behavior still matter. x86-only software is a separate unsupported category.
Verified titles and the changing compatibility list
Launch-era coverage named 11 verified games, including Borderlands 3, Control, Dark Souls III, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. That original set should not be mistaken for a complete current catalog. Microsoft now directs users to the community-maintained Works on WoA game database, which includes Auto SR filters and compatibility information. Microsoft says it has contributed compatibility data to the database, but individual entries are community-maintained and can evolve.
A manually opted-in game may work even if it is not on a verified list, but Microsoft warns that such games can have quirks and are not guaranteed to improve. Treat a verified listing as stronger evidence than a successful-looking Settings toggle.
Resolution and display mode matter
Auto SR supports game render resolutions from 700p to 900p. Microsoft recommends 1280×800 (800p) on eligible Copilot+ PCs and 1280×720 (720p) on the ROG Xbox Ally X. These are recommended lower-resolution inputs, not a promise that every scene will look like native 1080p.
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- Render resolution is the resolution at which the game draws its image.
- Output resolution is what the display receives; Microsoft requires a 1080p-or-higher display.
- Auto SR input resolution is the lower game resolution the feature upscales, within its supported 700p–900p range.
Use Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen where the game offers it. Some titles or modes may not activate Auto SR as expected, and changing a resolution may require restarting the game. Microsoft also offers an automatic resolution-switching option for selected games, useful when a title lacks a separate render-resolution control or only provides borderless-windowed mode.
How to turn Auto SR on or off
Use Game Bar for a game in progress
- Launch the game, then press Win + G.
- Open Widgets Menu > Display > Auto SR.
- Turn on Always use with this game to retain the per-game choice on later launches. You can also enable Show in-game status indicator.
- In the game’s own settings, select a supported resolution and use Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen if available.
- Check the Auto SR status indicator. If you changed the resolution and the widget indicates a restart is needed, restart the game.
Set it for one game in Windows Settings
- Open Start > Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
- Find the game under custom application settings, or add its executable file (
.exe). - Set Automatic super resolution to On or Off.
Set the default for supported games
- Go to Start > Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
- Under Default settings, turn Automatic super resolution on or off.
A per-game setting overrides the global default. Auto SR is generally opt-in, although Microsoft documents a legacy-device exception in which the feature was applied by default to a set of verified games on Snapdragon X systems. Its default behavior can therefore depend on device and software version.
Let Windows switch a game’s resolution
- Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
- Select the game and choose an Auto SR-capable value under Maximum display resolution.
- Launch the game. Windows can change the display resolution for the session and restore the original resolution after the game closes.
For the exact current labels and procedures, see Microsoft’s Auto SR instructions.
Why Auto SR may show as off
In Game Bar, On means Auto SR is actively enhancing the game. Off, Action Required means the feature is enabled but blocked—for example, by an unsupported resolution or a required restart. Off means it is disabled for that game.
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If it does not activate, check the likely blockers in this order:
- Confirm the device is a documented Snapdragon X/X2 Copilot+ PC or an eligible ROG Xbox Ally X configuration.
- Update Windows to version 24H2 or later and install current graphics and neural-processor drivers.
- Update the Auto Super Resolution package through Microsoft Store.
- Check that the game uses DirectX 10 or later and runs as native x64, emulated x64 or Arm64—not x86-only.
- Rule out DirectX 9, Vulkan, OpenGL, unsupported 10-bit formats and HDR.
- Set the game to a supported 700p–900p resolution, use Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen if available, and restart after changing resolution.
- Open the Auto SR tab in Game Bar and follow the specific blocking condition it reports.
What to expect from image quality and performance
Microsoft warns that reconstruction can make small text or UI look poor when those elements were rendered at the lower input resolution. Fine detail may soften or shimmer; edges can look unusual, and some games or scenes may show other unwanted artifacts. Results depend on the title, its interface, display mode, input resolution and rendering choices.
Performance gains are not guaranteed. Lowering render resolution can help when the GPU is the limiting factor, but Auto SR cannot remove a CPU bottleneck, engine limit or thermal constraint. The NPU-assisted design and its stated latency goal do not establish a universal frame-rate improvement or guarantee that input latency will feel better in every game.
Microsoft says Auto SR operates independently of a game’s own scaling technology, but that does not make stacking them a safe default. Compare the same scene with Auto SR on and off, and with the in-game upscaler on and off, rather than assuming that two upscalers improve the result. HDR is another practical trade-off: Microsoft’s current documentation says Auto SR does not support HDR content.
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There is also a capture caveat. Screenshots or recordings may capture the lower-resolution game image rather than the final enhanced image visible on the display, so a capture is not always a faithful record of what the player saw.
Auto SR, DLSS, FSR, XeSS and DirectSR are different things
| Technology | Who or what implements it | What that means for a player |
|---|---|---|
| Auto SR | Windows, at the operating-system/display-pipeline level | Designed to work with existing compatible games without each game adding a separate Auto SR implementation; still requires supported hardware, software, API and settings. |
| NVIDIA DLSS | NVIDIA technology integrated by game developers; requires compatible GeForce RTX hardware for DLSS features | Availability depends on the game’s implementation and supported GPU. |
| AMD FSR | AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution family, implemented in supported games | Availability depends on game support and the particular FSR implementation. |
| Intel XeSS | Intel upscaling technology integrated in supported games | Availability and performance depend on game implementation and hardware. |
| DirectSR | Microsoft developer-facing API for a common interface to super-resolution technologies | It requires game-developer support; it is not an automatic Windows feature for every existing game. |
Auto SR is therefore not simply “Microsoft DLSS.” It works at a different integration layer from game-specific upscalers. The distinction between Auto SR and DirectSR was also central to the June 2024 launch coverage.
Should you choose a Snapdragon X laptop for Auto SR?
Auto SR makes the most sense as a bonus for someone already drawn to a thin, battery-conscious Windows-on-Arm laptop who plays older, less demanding or compatible emulated games. It may help balance image quality and smoothness on integrated graphics, particularly when a game is GPU-limited and its lower-resolution output remains acceptable.
It is a weak sole reason to buy a Snapdragon X computer if your priority is broad modern PC-game compatibility or dedicated-GPU performance. DirectX 9, Vulkan and OpenGL libraries are outside the documented support, HDR cannot be used with Auto SR under Microsoft’s current guidance, and some games may have Arm-emulation or anti-cheat compatibility problems unrelated to upscaling. Auto SR does not turn an efficient general-purpose laptop into a gaming laptop.
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For a library built around supported in-game upscalers or modern AAA titles, compare the full gaming platform—GPU capability, game and anti-cheat compatibility, battery and thermal behavior, and display needs—rather than buying for one Windows feature. Alternatives such as gaming laptops or handhelds with x86 processors may offer broader compatibility, while machines with dedicated GPUs provide a different performance class; those are platform trade-offs, not guarantees that any particular game will perform well.
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