Washed out photos from a newer iPhone, Pixel or Galaxy are usually an HDR problem, and the cure takes seconds. Drop them anywhere on this page: JPGs get the Ultra HDR gain map stripped instantly with zero re-encode, so the image pixels stay byte-identical, and HDR HEICs come back as a standard JPG every app displays correctly. No upload, no file cap, no signup. For footage, use un-HDR video.
Why your photos look washed out
Since 2023-2024, flagship phones save photos as Ultra HDR (Android) or HDR HEIC (iPhone). These files contain your normal photo plus a hidden second image called a gain map: instructions that tell an HDR screen how bright each area should glow. On an HDR display, it looks stunning.
Everywhere else, it breaks. Apps, sites and printers that don't understand the gain map either ignore it (flat, gray, washed-out) or half-apply it (dim shadows, blown highlights). That's why the photo looks great in your camera roll and terrible the second you share it.
Why creators un-HDR everything before posting
Ask anyone who makes content for a living: HDR source files are a trap. Film or shoot with HDR on, and the moment you put text over the image, the overlay and the photo live in different brightness worlds; the text looks dull while the highlights glow, or the whole frame goes gray when the app tone-maps it down. Thumbnails render differently on every device, editors apply the gain map inconsistently, and the graded version you exported is not what your audience sees. The reliable fix is to un-HDR the source first: one consistent SDR image that looks the same in every editor, on every screen, under every overlay. Until now that meant a desktop app and a re-encode. Here it's one drop, and for JPGs the pixels aren't even re-compressed.
What this tool actually does
For JPGs, it performs surgery, not conversion: the gain map is a separate chunk appended inside the file, so we remove that chunk and its metadata pointers and keep your original image bytes untouched. Zero re-compression, zero quality loss, finished in milliseconds. For HEIC photos, we decode the standard (SDR) base image, the one every device understands, and hand it back as a plain JPG.
| Input | What happens | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra HDR JPG (Pixel, Galaxy, Instagram export) | Gain map stripped, pixels untouched | Lossless |
| HDR HEIC (iPhone) | SDR base image decoded to a standard JPG | Visually identical |
| Already-normal photo | We tell you it's fine and change nothing | n/a |
FAQ
What does "un-HDR" mean?
Removing the HDR layer from a photo that was captured in HDR, leaving the standard (SDR) image every screen, app, and printer displays the same way. Phones don't offer this for existing photos, and that's the gap this page fills.
Can I un-HDR a video?
Yes. Drop a MOV or MP4 right here and it gets tone-mapped to a standard SDR MP4, audio untouched. There's also a dedicated un-HDR video page with the full details.
Will this make my photo lower quality?
No. For JPGs the image data is byte-identical. We only remove the HDR layer riding along inside the file. Your photo will also get smaller, because gain maps typically add 1-3 MB.
Why do my iPhone screenshots look washed out too?
iOS 26 made screenshots and screen recordings HDR by default. Same problem, same fix: drop them here.
Is my photo uploaded to a server?
Never. Your photos are never uploaded, stored, or seen by anyone. Skeptical? Here's how to check.
How do I stop my phone doing this in the first place?
Android: turn off Ultra HDR in the camera settings (name varies by brand). iPhone: set Camera Formats to Most Compatible in Settings; that helps for photos. But most people keep HDR on (it does look better on your own phone) and just fix the copies they share. That's what this page is for.
Can I fix many photos at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection. Turn on Auto-download in the header and every fixed photo saves itself the moment it's done.