How to use the dead pixel test
- Wipe the screen with a dry microfibre cloth first, so dust is not mistaken for a pixel.
- Press Start full screen.
- Tap, click or press the arrow keys to change colour: black, white, red, green, blue and grey.
- On each colour, scan the screen slowly from corner to corner, close enough to see single dots.
- Press Esc or tap Done to leave.
On iPhone the browser bars cannot be hidden, so the test suggests adding the page to the home screen: in Safari, tap the Share button, then Add to Home Screen, and open the test from the new icon. The colours then cover more of the screen.
Dead pixel or stuck pixel?
| What you see | What it is |
|---|---|
| A black dot on white, red, green, blue and grey | Dead pixel: it gets no power and stays off. Easiest to see on the white screen. |
| A red, green or blue dot that stays the same colour on every screen | Stuck pixel: one of its colour parts stays on. Easiest to see on the black screen. |
| A white dot on the black screen | Usually a stuck pixel with all three colour parts on. |
| A dot that moves or disappears after cleaning | Dust or a mark on the surface, not a pixel fault. |
The grey screen helps you see uneven brightness, bright patches near the edges (backlight bleed) and faint shadows of old images. These are not pixel faults, but they are worth checking on a new monitor too.
Can a stuck pixel be fixed?
A dead pixel cannot be brought back. A stuck pixel sometimes recovers, and people commonly try the methods below. None of them is guaranteed to work.
- Wait. Some stuck pixels clear up on their own after hours or days of normal use.
- Flash rapidly changing colours over the spot for a while with a pixel fixing video or tool. Avoid it if you are sensitive to flashing light.
- Turn the screen off and press very gently on the spot through a soft cloth, then turn it on again. Pressing too hard can damage more pixels, so many people skip this one, and it may affect the warranty.
Before trying anything, take a photo of the fault on the coloured screen where it shows best. It helps with a warranty claim or a return.
Warranty and returns
Most manufacturers publish a pixel policy that says how many dead or stuck pixels a panel may have before it counts as defective. The limits differ by brand, by model and by where the pixels are, and some premium lines promise zero bright pixels. Look up the policy for your exact model on the manufacturer's support site.
- Test a new screen on the day you receive it. The store's return period is usually the easiest way to replace a screen with faulty pixels, and it often does not depend on the manufacturer's pixel count.
- Store return rules and the consumer protection laws where you live may give you rights beyond the manufacturer's policy. Check them before you accept a refusal.
- Contact the manufacturer or the store with the model, the serial number, the photo and the colour where the pixel shows.
Testing phones, laptops and TVs
- Phones and tablets: turn the brightness all the way up and turn off Night Shift or Night Light, which tints the colours.
- Laptops and monitors: set the screen to its native resolution so the test colours every pixel, and turn off any blue light or reading mode.
- TVs: open the test in the TV's browser, or connect a computer by HDMI and open it there in full screen.
Questions
How do I check for dead pixels?
Clean the screen, press Start full screen and look over each colour slowly. A black dot on the white screen is a dead pixel; a coloured dot on the black screen is a stuck pixel.
What is the difference between a dead and a stuck pixel?
A dead pixel stays black on every colour. A stuck pixel stays one colour, often red, green, blue or white. Stuck pixels sometimes recover; dead pixels do not.
Can I fix a dead pixel?
A dead pixel cannot be fixed at home. A stuck pixel may respond to flashing colours or time, with no guarantee. A new screen is best handled through the store's return period or the warranty.
Does the dead pixel test work on a phone?
Yes. On Android it fills the screen. On iPhone the browser bars stay visible, so add the page to the home screen and open it from there for the cleanest test.