Screen Burn-In Test

How to test for burn-in

This screen burn-in test displays seven steady fields: white, 50% gray, 20% gray, red, green, blue and black. Look for a recognizable shape that remains fixed on the physical screen when the background changes. The test supplies inspection images; it cannot measure pixel wear or certify a fault.

1. Prepare the display. Clean it according to its instructions. Close notifications, hide playback controls and remove reflections. Use a darkened room and sit centered at your usual viewing distance. Check the screen you intend to inspect if several monitors are connected.
2. Set brightness deliberately. Start at normal brightness. For a brief comparison you can raise it toward maximum if comfortable, but inspect each field for only a few seconds and return to normal afterward. Maximum brightness is not required and does not make a diagnosis more reliable. Do not leave bright test fields running unattended.
3. Start fullscreen. Press “Start fullscreen test.” Click or tap the field to advance; the arrow keys move backward or forward, and Space advances. Escape or the small Exit button ends the test. If native fullscreen is unavailable, an expanded browser view is used and browser controls may remain.
4. Compare several backgrounds. White can reveal broad tint differences; middle and darker gray often make faint interface outlines easier to notice. Red, green and blue can expose color-dependent differences. Black helps you rule out reflections and compare dark behavior, but perfectly black OLED pixels may hide wear that appears on gray.
5. Inspect familiar locations. Check the phone status bar, navigation buttons, TV channel logos, game interfaces and desktop taskbar. Look across the whole screen too. Enable “Auto cycle” for a five-second interval, or leave it off to control the sequence yourself.

The gray percentages describe digital channel values: RGB 128 and RGB 51. They are not measurements of physical luminance. Screen settings, color management and your viewing conditions affect the result. Record the selected background and brightness rather than comparing photographs with different automatic exposures.

Burn-in vs image retention

Image retention is a residual image that can be temporary. Burn-in usually describes lasting uneven aging: pixels used more heavily produce a different output from surrounding pixels. A single inspection cannot reliably separate these outcomes. Near-black banding, reflections, a dirty surface or a software overlay can also resemble a persistent mark.

Change to varied ordinary content for several minutes, then repeat a short inspection at the same brightness. Apple describes temporary image persistence on its OLED displays as disappearing after a few minutes of normal use; that is not a recovery deadline for every panel. If the mark remains, let the display rest and complete any manufacturer-recommended standby maintenance before checking again.

There is no universal waiting period that proves permanence. Compare observations after normal use and approved care, and ask support about a mark that remains visible. Move a window or view a screenshot on a different display: a shape captured in the screenshot is being drawn in the image, rather than demonstrating uneven wear on the original panel.

OLED burn-in test

For an OLED monitor, TV or phone, inspect the same physical locations across several colors. Handheld gaming displays, including Steam Deck OLED and Nintendo Switch OLED, can also show persistent interface outlines. A Steam Deck browser can display these patterns where supported; a handheld without a normal browser cannot run this website directly. Use only supported display and maintenance features on the device. Keep checks brief, vary game interfaces and follow the maker’s brightness and sleep guidance rather than leaving a paused game visible.

OLED phones, OLED TVs and OLED monitors can develop uneven wear from repeated static content. This includes OLED-equipped iPhones and Samsung devices; the brand alone does not identify the panel type. Protection features reduce risk but do not guarantee immunity. Older plasma screens can also retain or permanently display image outlines.

LCD monitors use a separate backlight and work differently. Permanent burn-in is uncommon compared with OLED, but LCD image retention is possible. A persistent LCD mark is not automatically OLED-style aging: check the model’s support guidance. Broad gray patches without a recognizable image may be a uniformity issue instead.

What to do if you find burn-in

Stop repeating bright test patterns. Use the display’s documented pixel refresh, panel care or compensation procedure only as instructed. Some routines run automatically in standby; manual long refresh cycles may have different restrictions. Do not repeatedly force them in hopes of a quicker result. A website cannot operate the panel’s internal maintenance or restore permanently worn material.

Check warranty terms for your exact model and purchase region, because coverage varies. Keep notes about the shape, when it appears and whether approved maintenance completed. If taking photos for support, keep lighting and exposure consistent. Describe what you see in normal content as well as on test fields; do not present a browser result as a certified diagnosis.

For everyday use, reduce unnecessary brightness, use screen-off timers and avoid leaving static interfaces on an idle display. Hide the taskbar where practical, vary content and keep the maker’s protection features enabled. Read the OLED burn-in guide for a longer inspection and prevention checklist. This tool offers no repair promise.

Sources

• Apple: OLED image persistence and burn-in
• Sony: model-specific panel refresh guidance
• Dell: LCD image retention on specific Latitude models