If you've connected either a PC or a modern gaming console to your TV and found that almost everything looks foggy, grey, and lifeless, then you aren't dealing with a broken panel. The culprit is almost certainly a mismatch in the RGB range, also known as the HDMI Black level.

Let's say your source device, your PlayStation 5, for example, and your TV are speaking different languages regarding what qualifies as pure black. This results in a flat, low-contrast image that looks faded and lifeless. Luckily, there's only one simple setting you need to change to fix this.

How to change RGB Range settings on your TV

You need to adjust these settings on your TV and your source

The most fundamental change to make if you're struggling with a faded image is to ensure that your TV's HDMI black level matches the RGB range of your source device. Different devices use different RGB ranges: full RGB (0-225) is used primarily by gaming consoles, with black set to 0. Limited RGB (16-235) is the standard for broadcast TV, Blu-ray, and streaming services, with black set to 16.

If your console sends a limited signal, but your TV is set to a full range, the TV expects black at zero, but the signal only goes as low as 16. The TV interprets 16 as a dark grey, washing out the entire image.

For the most accurate picture, both the TV and the source should ideally be set to auto for color range; however, if that fails, you can set them manually to match, following the directions below.

First, set up the source device. These specific steps will depend on your device itself, but here's an outline for consoles and PCs:

1. PS5: Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > RGB Range. Change it to Limited for movies or Full for gaming. ​​
2. Xbox: Go to Settings > General > Display and TV Options > Video Fidelity & Overscan. Set color space to Standard for movies or PC RGB for gaming.
3. PC: Right-click on your Desktop > click on Nvidia Control Panel > Change resolution. Under Output Dynamic range, select Full.

Once your source is set up, next it's time to adjust your TV settings to match if they don't already. The name of the setting varies by TV brand, so be sure to double-check the manufacturer's manual if you can't find the exact setting.

1. Go to your Settings and select Picture.
2. Then select the Expert Settings option.
3. Select HDMI Black Level, RGB Range or your TV's equivalent. My TV has it listed as Contrast Enhancer.
4. Choose either Low/Limited or High/Full based on the option in your source. Ensure they match for the best results.

And with that, you should have fixed the washed-out appearance of your picture on your TV. Be sure that if you set your console to limited, your TV is set to limited. If you set your console or PC to full, then your TV needs to be set to full as well.

Fixing a washed-out image can be a bit tricky

Adjusting other settings might help

If you're still finding the image washed out and that matching the RGB range hasn't fully resolved the issue, there are other settings you can check. Changing the picture mode, including switching from Vivid or Dynamic to Cinema, Movie, or Filmmaker, might produce more natural contrast.

Disabling the power-saving settings on your TV can help, as this feature aggressively dims the backlight, which can wash out the colors and save energy. Lastly, ensure to adjust your brightness or black level. Pause a dark scene and lower the brightness control until black looks truly black, but you can still see the subtle details in the shadows.