What's Wrong With My Screen?

A black dot

Does the dot stay dark on a full white screen?

Clean that spot first — dust and dried droplets look identical to a dead pixel until you wipe them.

Run the white screen test →

A black dot

Does it also stay dark on red, green and blue?

Each primary lights only one subpixel. A dot that survives all three is a whole-pixel problem.

Run the RGB test →

Possible

Possible dead / dark pixel defect

This visual pattern is consistent with a pixel that remains dark across multiple test backgrounds. Software cannot switch a genuinely unpowered pixel back on, so the useful next step is documenting it: how many, and where. Manufacturer policies differ on how many dark dots justify a replacement, and dark-dot allowances are usually more generous than bright-dot allowances.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

Possible dark subpixel

A dot that vanishes on some primaries but not others points at one failed subpixel rather than a whole dead pixel. In everyday content it usually reads as a faint colored or slightly dim speck rather than a black dot, and it is often far less noticeable than a full dead pixel.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Not a panel defect

Looks like dust or a surface mark

Anything that moves, smears or disappears when you wipe the screen sits on top of the glass. A pixel defect never moves and never changes size or shape.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Not a panel defect

Looks like it comes from the content, not the panel

A dot that appears only in certain apps, videos or games is almost always in the source material or a compression artifact. A panel defect stays in exactly the same physical position no matter what is on screen.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

A red, green or blue dot

Does the dot stay the same color while the background changes?

Run white, black, red, green and blue and watch that one spot.

Run the white / black / RGB sequence →

Possible

Possible stuck subpixel

A point that holds one color while the rest of the screen changes is consistent with a subpixel stuck in the on state. Unlike a dark pixel this sometimes responds to rapid color cycling — results are not guaranteed, and cycling is worth a try before you conclude anything.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Not a panel defect

Behaves like a normal pixel

A dot that follows the background is displaying what it is told to display. Check whether it comes from the content itself, a scaling artifact or a mark on the surface.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

A bright white dot

Is the dot visible on a full black screen?

Dim the room first. Bright dots are far easier to spot with the lights off.

Run the black screen test →

A bright white dot

Can you still find it on a white screen?

Possible

Possible bright / hot pixel

A point that stays lit on dark backgrounds is consistent with a pixel stuck on. Bright dots are usually the most distracting defect type in everyday use because they are obvious in dark content — and manufacturer policies are often stricter about bright dots than dark ones, which can work in your favour for a warranty claim.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Uneven gray areas

Run 5%, 20% and 50% gray. Where is the unevenness?

Look straight on from your normal distance — viewing angle creates unevenness that is not really there.

Run the uniformity ladder →

Looks similar to

Looks similar to vertical banding

Evenly spaced vertical stripes on mid and dark grays are a known panel characteristic rather than a pixel fault. Almost every panel shows some of it on a full-field gray; the question is whether you can see it in real content — sports pitches, skies, spreadsheets, plain webpage backgrounds.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Looks similar to

Looks similar to horizontal banding

Horizontal stripes are less common than vertical ones and can also come from the cable, the refresh rate or the scaler rather than the panel. Try a different cable and a different input before concluding it is the display itself.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Looks similar to

Looks similar to the dirty screen effect

Irregular smudgy patches that stay put when you clean the screen are what people call DSE. It is a uniformity variation in the panel, most visible on mid gray and during slow panning shots. Mild DSE is normal; strong DSE that follows you into everyday viewing is a fair reason to exchange a new device.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

Possible tint variation

A region that reads warmer or cooler than the rest is a color uniformity variation. Check it on white and on 50% gray, and from straight on — off-axis viewing shifts color on most panel types and can invent a tint that is not there.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

Possible near-black variation

Unevenness that appears only in the darkest grays is typical near-black behaviour, especially on OLED. The dedicated OLED gray test lets you step through 1–25% in single levels and record which regions look darker, brighter or tinted.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

Possible edge glow or backlight bleed

Brightness that rises towards the edges and corners comes from the backlight or from the viewing angle, not from individual pixels. The backlight test includes an angle check that separates the two.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Light near the corners or edges

Does the bright area noticeably change when you move your head or viewing angle?

View a black screen in a dim room, then move left, right, up and down.

Run the backlight bleed test →

Likely

The effect is likely related to viewing angle (panel glow)

Glow that moves with your head is a characteristic of the panel technology — IPS panels in particular show a silvery corner haze on dark content that shifts as you move. It is not a manufacturing fault and it is present on essentially every unit of the same model.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

The bright area appears fixed — possible backlight bleed or clouding

Light that stays in the same place regardless of angle usually leaks past the edge of the panel assembly. Compare it across black, 1%, 2% and 5% gray at your normal brightness; bleed that is still obvious at 5% on a new device is worth documenting for an exchange. Photograph it with the room dark and the camera at normal exposure — long exposures exaggerate bleed and undermine the claim.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Vertical or horizontal bands

On which content are the bands visible?

Run the uniformity ladder →

Looks similar to

Looks similar to panel banding

Stripes on a flat gray field are a uniformity characteristic of the panel. Note which gray levels show it most — many panels band clearly at 10–25% and look fine at 50%.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Looks similar to

Looks similar to gradient banding

Visible steps inside a smooth ramp point at bit depth, dithering or the video pipeline rather than a broken panel. Check your color depth setting, the cable and the source before blaming the display — 6-bit + FRC panels and 8-bit output over a limited connection both produce this.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

An old image remains visible

Does the leftover shape fade after showing varied content for a while?

Run the gray slides for several minutes, then check again.

Run the burn-in check →

Likely

Likely temporary image retention

Retention that fades is normal behaviour, and it happens on LCD as well as OLED. Varying what is on screen and avoiding long static elements at high brightness reduces how often it shows up.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

Possible burn-in

A shape that survives varied content is consistent with permanent wear in the affected subpixels — typically a logo, a taskbar or a game HUD. Record which gray level makes it clearest; that detail matters if the panel is still inside a burn-in warranty, and several manufacturers cover it explicitly.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Moving objects leave trails

What do the trails look like?

Looks similar to

Looks similar to dark smearing

Dark trails behind moving objects, most obvious in dark scenes, are a known characteristic of some VA panels. A browser cannot measure real gray-to-gray response time, so treat this as a visual observation and not a number.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Looks similar to

Looks similar to overshoot (inverse ghosting)

A bright or inverted halo usually means the overdrive setting is too aggressive. Most monitors expose this as an "Overdrive", "Response Time" or "TraceFree" setting — step it down one level and compare.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Possible

Possible frame delivery problem, not a panel fault

Stutter that affects the whole image usually comes from the frame rate, the refresh rate setting or variable refresh, not from the pixels. Check the refresh rate your operating system is actually sending before investigating the panel.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Part of the touchscreen doesn't respond

Have you restarted the device and removed any screen protector?

Both cause dead touch zones far more often than a broken digitizer does.

Possible

Possible touch digitizer issue

Touch is handled by a separate layer from the pixels, so a screen can look flawless and still have dead touch zones — often after a drop or a screen replacement. Map the unresponsive area so you can show exactly which region fails.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .

Not a panel defect

Try the simple causes first

Restart the device, take off any screen protector or case that overlaps the edge, and make sure your hands and the screen are dry. Then map the area again — a surprising share of "dead touch zones" disappear at this step.

This is a visual assessment based on what you reported, not a measurement. A browser cannot measure luminance, response time or color accuracy — here is exactly what these tests can and cannot tell you .