Dead Pixel Test

What This Test Checks

The dead pixel test displays full-screen solid colors so you can visually inspect every pixel on your monitor, laptop screen, or mobile display. It helps identify three types of pixel defects:

• Dead pixels – permanently off transistors that appear as tiny black dots on any background
• Stuck pixels – sub-pixels locked in an on state, showing a persistent red, green, or blue dot
• Hot pixels – pixels that always appear white or abnormally bright compared to surrounding pixels
• Sub-pixel defects – partial pixel failures visible only on specific color backgrounds

Troubleshooting

If you're having issues with the test or your display:

• Clean your screen first with a microfiber cloth to rule out dust or smudges that may look like dead pixels
• Adjust your screen brightness to maximum for the most accurate inspection
• If fullscreen mode doesn't activate, try clicking the display area first, or use your browser's native fullscreen shortcut (F11)
• Test in a dimly lit room to make faint stuck pixels easier to spot
• If you find a stuck pixel, try running a pixel-cycling video for several hours to attempt a fix

How to Try to Fix a Stuck Pixel

Stuck pixels (showing red, green, or blue permanently) are often recoverable. Dead pixels (permanently black) almost never are. Try these methods in order of safety:

1. Pixel-cycling (safest, first try this)

1. Leave this page running in fullscreen mode with Auto Cycle Colors active for 6-12 hours.
2. Alternatively, open a dedicated tool like JScreenFix or UDPixel which flashes all three sub-pixels rapidly at the stuck location.
3. Works best on recently-stuck pixels. Has no effect on truly dead pixels.

2. Pressure method (higher risk)

1. Power off the screen.
2. Wrap the tip of a soft cloth around a blunt object (e.g. the eraser end of a pencil).
3. Gently press on the exact stuck-pixel location for 5-10 seconds, then power on while releasing.
4. Warning: too much pressure can permanently damage the panel. Skip this method on OLED or AMOLED screens.

3. Combination (warm + cycle)

Some users report success warming the pixel (hair dryer at low heat from 30 cm, under 30 seconds) then immediately running a pixel-cycler. Don't attempt this on OLED — heat accelerates burn-in.

Manufacturer Dead Pixel Policies (2026)

If you're within a return window or warranty, most brands will replace a new monitor even for a single bad pixel. Check before you resort to DIY fixes:

• Apple: no published pixel tolerance. Replacement depends on the technician's judgement; multiple defects or a single defect in the central area usually qualify.
• Dell: Premium Panel Guarantee on most UltraSharp models covers any bright sub-pixel. Standard monitors: ISO Class II (up to 5 bright, 15 dark, 5 cluster sub-pixel defects before replacement).
• ASUS ProArt & ROG: zero bright-dot policy on select models, listed on the product page.
• LG: OLED monitors covered for a single bright pixel; LCD follows ISO 13406-2 Class II.
• Samsung: varies by region. In the EU/UK, consumer law often forces replacement for any visible defect within 30 days regardless of ISO tolerance.
• BenQ: Zero Dead Pixel Warranty on Designer and ProArt lines within 36 months.

Document the defect: photograph the screen showing the defect on every solid color (red, green, blue, white, black), and include a ruler or object for scale. Most support reps ask for exactly this.

OLED, AMOLED, and Burn-in — Not the Same as Dead Pixels

On OLED phones, TVs, and gaming monitors, persistent image areas are usually burn-in, not dead pixels. Burn-in appears as faint ghost images matching things you've displayed (taskbars, game HUDs). Fixes:

• Run the panel's built-in Pixel Refresher or Compensation Cycle. All modern LG, Samsung, Sony OLEDs have this.
• Show full white for 30-60 minutes to even out sub-pixel wear.
• Prevention is easier than cure: enable taskbar auto-hide, vary wallpapers, and use screen dimming when idle.

Related Display Tests

If this test confirms a pixel issue, also check the general screen test for backlight bleed and color uniformity, and the brightness test for uneven backlighting that can mask or exaggerate pixel defects. If your monitor is recent and you suspect GPU-side issues (wrong bit depth, limited color range), the GPU test shows what your card is actually outputting.

Test a New Monitor, TV, or Phone Before the Return Window Closes

The single best time to run this test is the day your new display arrives — while you can still return it for a refund instead of fighting an RMA later. Pixel defects are present from manufacture, but they are easy to miss against busy desktop wallpaper, app windows, or video. A full-screen solid color makes a bad pixel jump out instantly.

Return windows are tight and vary by retailer and membership tier. As a rough guide, consumer electronics typically get around a 30-day return window at major US retailers, though some standard policies are shorter (often closer to 14–15 days unless you hold a paid membership), and holiday purchases are frequently extended into late January. EU buyers usually have an additional statutory right to return faulty goods well beyond the retailer's voluntary window. Because the clock starts at delivery, test on day one rather than after you have set everything up.

To inspect a brand-new screen thoroughly:

1. Open this test, click Fullscreen, and step through red, green, blue, white, and black in turn — a defect may only appear on one color.
2. Sit at your normal viewing distance, then move in to about an arm's length and scan in a grid pattern so you don't skip a corner.
3. If you find anything, photograph the screen showing the defect on each solid color, ideally with a coin or ruler near it for scale.
4. Keep the order confirmation and packaging until you're satisfied — a clean test result is your green light to keep the display.

The same five-minute check is worth doing before the return window lapses on a refurbished or open-box unit, and as a quick sanity check if you're buying a used laptop in person.

Stuck vs. Dead vs. Hot Pixels — and Which Ones You Can Recover

These three defects look similar at a glance but have very different causes and very different odds of being fixed. Knowing which one you have tells you whether to attempt a DIY recovery or go straight to a return:

• Dead pixel — the pixel receives no power and stays black on every background, including white. This is a permanent transistor failure. DIY fixes essentially never work; treat it as a return/warranty case.
• Stuck pixel — one or more sub-pixels are locked on, so you see a fixed red, green, or blue dot that does not change with the image. Stuck pixels are the most recoverable type, especially if they appeared recently.
• Hot pixel — the pixel reads as permanently white or abnormally bright. Some hot pixels respond to the same cycling treatment as stuck pixels; many do not.

The quickest way to tell them apart is the black-then-white check: a dot that disappears on black but shows on white is likely dead (off); a dot that shows on black is stuck or hot (on). Cross-check against the green and blue screens to confirm which sub-pixel is involved.

Can a stuck pixel be fixed? Often, yes. The most reliable method is rapid color-cycling: flooding the stuck location with fast-alternating colors forces the sub-pixels to switch on and off many times per second, which can free a sub-pixel that's frozen. Leave a pixel-cycling routine running on the affected area for anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. The page's general screen test is useful afterward to confirm the surrounding area is uniform, and the brightness test helps rule out uneven backlighting that can be mistaken for a defect. Pixel-cycling carries no risk to the panel; only escalate to the pressure or heat methods described above if cycling alone fails, and never on OLED.

Frequently Asked Questions