Microsoft Auto SR Official Launch: Handheld Mode, 1080p, 120fps Performance Mode, and How to Enable It
Auto SR is out of preview on the Xbox Ally X and X20, and on select Ryzen Copilot+ PCs. Handheld and 1080p are live; Performance mode (up to 120 fps) and Auto HDR roll out via Windows Update. How to enable it, plus Auto SR vs DLSS vs FSR.
TL;DR: On Nov 10, 2026, Microsoft took Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) out of preview on the ROG Xbox Ally X and Ally X20, and expanded it to select AMD Ryzen Copilot+ PCs. Handheld / battery play and 1080p support are available now. A new Performance mode (up to 120 fps) and Auto HDR compatibility are rolling out through Windows updates. Below is what changed, how to turn it on, and how Auto SR differs from DLSS and FSR on paper — not a quality bake-off.
What changed vs the preview
Microsoft started testing Auto SR on the Xbox Ally X in April 2026, but only while the handheld was docked, and you often had to drop a game below 1080p before Auto SR would engage. The official launch, announced on the DirectX Developer Blog on Nov 10 and covered by The Verge early on Nov 11 UTC, changes that.
| Feature | Xbox Insider preview | Official launch (Nov 10, 2026) | When you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devices | Ally X, docked only (preview) | Ally X, Ally X20, and select AMD Ryzen Copilot+ PCs | Available now |
| Handheld / battery | Not supported | Works undocked, including on battery | Available now |
| 1080p input | Usually had to lower resolution first | Works with games running at 1080p. Docked, Auto SR can upscale up to 1440p | Available now |
| Frame-rate ceiling | Around 60–75 fps | Quality mode still listed at up to 70–75 fps. New Performance mode up to 120 fps | Performance mode via Windows Update |
| Auto HDR | Could not be used together with Auto SR | Can be enabled together on compatible HDR displays. Initial support is on AMD-based devices | Via Windows Update |
Microsoft cautions that 1080p in handheld mode "may not be as optimal as other configurations," but says you will still see visual improvements, "especially in older games."
Microsoft's own example, shown in the launch post, is Rocket League on an Ally X at 720p with in-game graphics set to High: Auto SR Quality averaged 70 fps, Performance averaged 115 fps. That is a Microsoft demo, not an independent benchmark, and it is not a 1080p figure.
Microsoft Support already lists other Copilot+ hardware as eligible, including Snapdragon X/X2 (for example the Surface Laptop 7) and Intel Core Ultra Series 3 or Arc G3 (including the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+). This launch is the official Ally X / X20 exit from preview, plus the expansion to select Ryzen machines.
How to enable Auto SR
From Microsoft's launch post and the Auto SR support page:
- Install the latest Windows 11 updates (version 24H2 or later) and update Game Bar.
- Download or update the Auto Super Resolution Package from the Microsoft Store.
- Open Game Bar (the Xbox button, or Win + G) and go to Widgets > Display > Graphics.
- Turn on Auto SR for the current game. Optionally turn on the in-game status indicator.
- In the game, use a supported resolution and set the display mode to Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen.
- Pick Quality or Performance in Game Bar. You can switch while playing, once Performance mode has reached your device.
Auto SR is opt-in, not on by default. Microsoft notes an older exception: on legacy Snapdragon X devices it was applied by default to a short verified list of games.
If Game Bar is not installed, you can enable Auto SR per game or as a default under Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
Requirements and limits
From Microsoft Support:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Device | A Copilot+ PC with an NPU: AMD Ryzen AI (including Ally X and X20), Intel Core Ultra Series 3 or Arc G3 (including MSI Claw 8 EX AI+), or Snapdragon X / X2 |
| OS | Windows 11, version 24H2 or later, fully updated |
| Display | 1080p or higher |
| Games | DirectX 10 or later, running natively on x64, x64 emulation, or Arm64 |
| Not supported | x86-only games; DirectX 9, Vulkan, or OpenGL |
| Ideal input resolution | AMD Ryzen: 720p–1080p. Intel: 800p–1080p. Snapdragon: around 800p |
| Processing | On-device (GPU + NPU). Microsoft says game visuals are not sent to the cloud |
Other limits worth knowing:
- Native HDR games: Auto SR does not currently support native HDR content. Turn Auto SR off to use the game's own HDR.
- Auto HDR (the Windows feature for games without native HDR) can now run with Auto SR, but that pairing is still rolling out. Microsoft says initial support is on AMD-based devices.
- Screenshot and capture tools often will not show the Auto SR image, because Auto SR is applied in the display pipeline.
Auto SR vs DLSS vs FSR
Auto SR is a Windows-level upscaler. It can run on games that never shipped with it, which is the main difference from NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. Those usually need a game integration or a driver hook. The table below is a feature comparison, not a quality or FPS ranking. We have not run a side-by-side bake-off.
| Auto SR | NVIDIA DLSS | AMD FSR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Windows display pipeline, independent of the game's own scaler | In-game NVIDIA integration (and community tools for some titles) | In-game, plus driver-level options such as FSR 4.1 in Adrenalin on supported AMD hardware |
| Hardware | Copilot+ PCs and listed handhelds with an NPU (Ryzen AI, Intel Core Ultra Series 3 / Arc G3, Snapdragon X/X2) | GeForce RTX GPUs. The feature set depends on generation; DLSS 5 neural rendering is RTX 50 / Spark | Broad GPU support, with newer FSR versions tied to newer AMD hardware or specific drivers |
| Game support | Existing DX10+ x64/Arm64 library; not DX9, Vulkan, or OpenGL | Games that ship DLSS, or unofficial swaps in some cases | Games that ship FSR, or driver injection where AMD supports it |
| Frame-rate cap | Quality up to 70–75 fps; Performance up to 120 fps (rolling out) | No Microsoft-style 75/120 cap. Frame generation is a separate DLSS feature | No Auto SR-style cap. FSR frame generation is separate where supported |
| Frame generation | Not part of Auto SR | Yes, including multi-frame generation on supported GPUs | Yes, in supported FSR versions and games |
| Modes | Quality or Performance, switchable in Game Bar | Quality / Balanced / Performance / Ultra Performance and related settings | Quality / Balanced / Performance and related settings |
If a game already has DLSS or FSR, Microsoft says turning those scalers on or off will change quality and frame rate in ways that "vary based on the game, settings, and your system." Auto SR can sit in the Windows display pipeline rather than replacing the game's own scaler.
Related
- DLSS 5 supported games list
- How to enable FSR 4.1 on RX 6000 and Ryzen AI
- DLSS Swapper vs Manager vs OptiScaler
- Where Winds Meet DLSS 5 requirements
Sources
- Microsoft DirectX Developer Blog, Nov 10, 2026: Auto SR Officially Launches on ROG XBOX Ally X and X20, Expands to Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen
- Microsoft Support: Automatic Super Resolution
- The Verge, Nov 11, 2026: Microsoft’s DLSS competitor is out for the Xbox Ally X and works in handheld mode
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