A full-screen color test is the fastest way to find dead and stuck pixels. Here's how to run it properly, which colors to use, and what to do if you find one.
Dead and stuck pixels are small display defects that show up as a dot that stays dark, or a dot that stays one color no matter what is on screen. The quickest way to find them is to fill your entire display with a series of solid colors and look for anything that doesn't change.
A dead pixel is a pixel that no longer lights up at all. It shows as a tiny black dot that stays black on every background color.
A stuck pixel is a pixel that is permanently stuck on one color — red, green, or blue — because one of its subpixels stopped responding. It still emits light, so it looks like a bright colored dot on certain backgrounds.
Open a full-screen color tool and set the display to the brightest color available. Then scan the whole screen slowly from one corner to the other, moving your eyes a few centimetres at a time rather than staring at the middle.
Switch to black next. Black makes stuck and glowing pixels stand out clearly, because any dot that is brighter than the background is easy to spot.
Repeat the pass on red, green, and blue. The primary colors isolate each subpixel channel, which reveals problems that a mixed color like white or yellow would hide.
Doing all five passes takes two or three minutes and is worth it whenever you buy a new display, receive a repair, or notice a strange dot on screen.
White reveals dark or dead pixels. Black reveals bright, glowing, or stuck pixels. Red, green, and blue each test one color channel on its own, which is how you confirm exactly which subpixel is affected.
If the dot changes with the color of the screen, it is a pixel problem. If it stays in exactly the same physical place no matter what is displayed, it is more likely a speck of dust or dirt on the surface.
Try cleaning the screen first. Many 'dead pixels' turn out to be a fleck of dust or a hair stuck to the glass.
A stuck pixel can sometimes be revived with a rapid color-flash routine that cycles the subpixels quickly. It doesn't always work, but it is free and takes under a minute.
If the pixel is genuinely dead, check your display's warranty window. Most manufacturers accept returns or replacements for panels with a small number of dead pixels, and that window is time-limited — so test early.
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A stuck pixel is often fixable with a rapid red/green/blue flash. Learn the method that sometimes revives a stuck subpixel — and when to give up and claim warranty instead.
Uneven brightness, cloudy corners, and glowing edges are all signs of backlight bleed or poor uniformity. Here's how to check your panel like a reviewer.
Adjustable-color full-screen light for video calls — dial in the perfect color temperature to look natural on camera.
Create a custom-colored glow ring around your webcam window — softer than a solid fill and mimics a physical ring light.
Instant max-brightness white fill — turns your screen into a portable flashlight for finding things in the dark.
Convincing cracked-screen overlays — pick from spiderweb, shatter, glitch, or LCD bleed styles to prank a friend.
Classic Windows, macOS, or Linux-style fake update screens — lock the display and watch coworkers think you're updating.
Animated TV static with a bouncing NO SIGNAL overlay — convincing enough to make someone check the cables.
Each link opens instantly in full screen. White and black are the most searched, but green, blue and pink are popular for video and streaming setups.
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