On September 16, 2026, Microsoft extended Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR), the game upscaling feature built into Windows 11, to Copilot+ PCs with Intel Core Ultra Series 3. The game is rendered at a lower resolution to reduce the load on the GPU, and the NPU (a dedicated circuit for AI processing) upscales the image. Previously available on Snapdragon-powered devices and others, Auto SR now also works on thin-and-light Intel PCs. However, the announcement does not mean it is enabled on every Intel Copilot+ PC. The image quality and speed examples Microsoft presented also need to be read with attention to which settings are being compared.
Expansion to Intel devices, but only Series 3 is covered
Microsoft's announcement specifies Copilot+ PCs with Intel Core Ultra Series 3. The current support document also lists Snapdragon X/X2 Copilot+ PCs, Core Ultra Series 3 Copilot+ PCs, and, conditionally, the ROG Xbox Ally X as supported. It does not include earlier generations such as Intel Core Ultra Series 2, nor Copilot+ PCs with AMD chips in general. For the ROG Xbox Ally X, the conditions are enrollment in Xbox Insider and a connection to an external display.
On Intel devices, you need Windows 11 version 24H2 or later, fully up to date, along with updated GPU and NPU drivers and the "Auto Super Resolution Package" distributed through the Microsoft Store. The display resolution must also be 1080p or higher. The common requirement on the game side is an x64 or Arm64 build running on DirectX 10 or later, including x64 games run through emulation on Arm64 devices. x86-only games, DirectX 9, Vulkan, OpenGL, and certain 10-bit formats are not supported. HDR video is also not supported at this time. In other words, buying a supported CPU does not mean Auto SR will work in every game you own.
Currently, users have to enable the feature themselves. You turn it on per game in the Auto SR section of the "Display" widget in Xbox Game Bar, changing the game's resolution or display mode if necessary. In Windows, you can also choose a default for all supported games, as well as per-game settings, under Settings → System → Display → Graphics. Game Bar shows a status indicator telling you whether Auto SR is actually running and whether you need to change the resolution or other settings. Rather than assuming it is working just because you turned it on, you can check its operating status there.
From 45 to 52 fps: look at the quality settings before the numbers
Microsoft showed benchmark averages for Assassin's Creed Valhalla using the Intel Arc B390 GPU. At native 1600p with graphics set to "High," the game ran at 45 fps. With Auto SR upscaling from 1050p to 1600p and graphics raised to "Ultra High," it ran at 52 fps. The difference is 7 fps, or about 15%. Note, however, that it is not only the resolution that changed but also the in-game graphics setting.
In another example, Assassin's Creed Shadows on the same Arc B390 GPU ran at about 31 fps at native 1600p on "Very Low," versus about 29 fps at "Ultra High" with Auto SR upscaling from 1050p to 1600p. Here, the graphics setting was raised substantially, and the average frame rate was about 2 fps lower in exchange.
| Game | Native 1600p | Auto SR: 1050p upscaled to 1600p |
|---|---|---|
| Valhalla | High, avg. 45 fps | Ultra High, avg. 52 fps |
| Shadows | Very Low, avg. approx. 31 fps | Ultra High, avg. approx. 29 fps |
The table lines up the benchmark averages Microsoft presented for the Arc B390, keeping the resolution and graphics settings. In both of Microsoft's examples, the input resolution and the graphics settings changed at the same time, so the fps difference cannot be called the effect of Auto SR alone. Putting the two examples side by side shows that Auto SR is not only about "always making things faster"; it can also be used to redirect spare rendering headroom into image quality.
Microsoft also explains that the current behavior is tuned for scenes running at roughly up to 60 fps, and that extending it to 90–120 fps is still being explored for feasibility. The input resolution is around 800p as a guideline, and Intel devices support up to 1080p. That "up to 1080p" figure refers to the resolution of the source image the game renders, not the resolution of the output display. It should not be read as meaning the same benefit applies to high-refresh-rate games.
Advantages of not modifying the game, and the limits of the image information
Auto SR sits in the Windows display path: the game is made to render at a lower resolution, and the NPU then upscales it. According to Microsoft's technical explanation, it uses a convolutional neural network trained on game footage. Because it requires neither an implementation on the game side nor per-title support from the GPU driver, it can be applied to existing titles that have no built-in upscaling. The GPU only has to draw fewer pixels, and the NPU takes on the upscaling work.
In exchange, Auto SR cannot receive the motion vectors and fine rendering-time information that upscalers integrated into games, such as Intel XeSS, NVIDIA DLSS, and AMD FSR, can use. Microsoft itself gives priority to in-game upscaling and recommends disabling Auto SR when using it. Being built into Windows does not mean it always delivers higher image quality than in-game methods. Microsoft also explains that text and fine UI elements can look thin when upscaled, and that film grain may be mistaken for detail.
Offloading work to the NPU has its costs, too. Microsoft acknowledges that, depending on a device's power allocation, the NPU may share its power budget with the CPU and GPU, so the frame rate can drop slightly even when the GPU draws fewer pixels. In a separate technical explanation for handheld PCs, Microsoft noted that the NPU can carry out upscaling in parallel with the GPU, but that the design involves a trade-off of one frame of latency before the image is displayed. It is worth checking not only speed but also how responsive the controls feel in each game.
If you want to try it, check the display mode and the operating indicator
Even when a game does not let you change its resolution, Microsoft provides a way to set a per-game "maximum display resolution" on the Windows side. The display resolution is lowered to a supported value only while the game is running, then restored when it exits. This is especially useful for games that offer only borderless display, where changing the numbers in the game's settings may not move the rendering resolution. That said, lowering the display resolution also affects other elements on the desktop. Choosing the games you'll use and configuring them individually makes it easier to track how the picture changes.
There is also a pitfall when recording image quality. According to Microsoft, common screen capture tools such as Game Bar capture the contents of the game window, so they normally cannot save the post-Auto SR image you see on screen as is. It is hard to judge how the upscaled image looks just by lining up screenshots. Blurring of text and scenes with motion need to be checked on an actual display.
With support for Intel devices, there are more options for improving titles that lack in-game upscaling from the Windows side. But it only works when the supported device, rendering method, and input resolution all line up. If you want to compare on real hardware, the surest approach is to first confirm in Game Bar that Auto SR is running, then compare average fps, text appearance, and control feel with it on and off, in the same game, at the same graphics settings, and in the same scene.