Identify which version is being viewed
A pale or unfamiliar preview can arise somewhere between an owned HDR source and its display. Before increasing saturation, identify the exact file, its intended colour interpretation and whether the route is meant to present HDR or a prepared SDR version.
Keep the original unchanged. A saturation adjustment made to compensate for an unsuitable preview can damage a later route that interprets the source correctly. The task is first to establish the representation and preview contract, not to make an uncertain monitor look pleasing.
Inspect the export history and any known conversion step. Do not assume that an HDR filename means the current file still carries the same picture treatment, or that removing an HDR label created an SDR image.
Create one explained comparison
Use a short owned passage with faces, neutral areas and bright detail. Compare the intended source route with a deliberately prepared SDR candidate where the production needs one. Record the assumptions and keep the output route fixed within each comparison.
An imagined indoor scene beside a bright window can reveal both subject appearance and highlight treatment. A logo or title card alone may conceal the difference. Judge the result against the programme's intended appearance, not simply whether it is more colourful.
If source interpretation cannot be established, stop before approving a permanent correction. Retain a reproducible sample and the exact observation for the production owner. If the interpretation is known, make a labelled derivative and review its final metadata and picture together.
Questions answered
Does increasing saturation perform tone mapping?
No. It is a different picture adjustment.
Should an uncertain preview be used to overwrite the HDR master?
Preserve the master until the source interpretation and viewing route are understood.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.