Burn-in Test
Check an OLED or LCD screen for burn-in and image retention with full-screen grey and colour fields, then run a slow pixel refresher to help temporary ghosting fade.
Full-screen burn-in check
Seven flat colour fields, starting with mid grey. Each field is a solid colour, so look for a ghost of a static UI from earlier use: a status bar, clock, battery icon, keyboard, logo, or game HUD. Click, tap, the arrow keys, or swipe to change colour. Esc or Exit leaves. Do not leave one bright field up for a long time.
Pixel refresher (for image retention)
Fills the screen with colours that fade from one to the next, or with bars that keep moving, for a set time. A bright picture is not left sitting still. This can help temporary image retention fade. It cannot undo permanent burn-in.
Photosensitivity notice
The refresher shows full-screen colour changes and moving stripes. Colours fade over three seconds and nothing strobes, but if you have photosensitive epilepsy or get migraines from moving patterns, skip it or look away from the screen while it runs. Stop at any time with Esc or the Stop button.
The page asks the browser to keep the screen awake while it runs. If your device still dims or locks, raise the screen timeout first.
Reading the result
Burn-in vs. image retention
Burn-in is permanent. OLED pixels dim as they age, and pixels that showed the same bright shape for thousands of hours wear faster than the rest, leaving a faint ghost. Image retention is temporary: an after-image left by a static picture that fades within minutes or hours. Both LCD and OLED panels can show it. If a ghost is still there after a refresher run and a night switched off, treat it as burn-in.
Where screens burn first
Look for the phone status bar and its clock and battery icons, the navigation bar or gesture pill, the keyboard, game HUDs such as health bars and minimaps, TV channel logos, news tickers, and the Windows taskbar. Mid grey shows most of these best. Pure red, green and blue isolate which subpixel colour has worn, and burned areas on white often look slightly pink or yellow.
Checking a used phone, TV or Switch OLED
Sellers rarely mention burn-in, and normal photos hide it. Open this page on the device itself, set brightness to maximum, and step through every colour before you pay. Ex-display TVs and phones used as navigation or ride-share screens are the usual suspects. Check for dead pixels and backlight bleed while you are there.
Prevention and fixes
Preventing burn-in
Use dark mode, auto-hide the taskbar or dock, and lower brightness for static content. Leave the panel's own protections on: pixel shift, logo dimming and the panel refresh that OLED TVs run in standby. Do not unplug an OLED TV right after switching it off, or that refresh cannot run.
What the refresher can and cannot do
Cycling colours exercises every pixel evenly, which helps retained images fade faster. No web tool can fix true burn-in, because the worn pixels have physically lost brightness. Anything claiming otherwise is selling you something. Your TV's built-in pixel refresher evens wear by adjusting voltages, so use it sparingly, as it uses up some of the panel's life.
Related tools
Found a stuck pixel instead of a ghost? Try the dead pixel fixer. For plain colour fields at any size, use the solid color screens. The dead pixel test and screen bleeding test cover the other common panel faults.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between burn-in and image retention?
Burn-in is permanent. OLED pixels that showed the same bright shape for thousands of hours lose brightness, so a faint ghost stays. Image retention is temporary: an after-image of a static picture that fades within minutes or hours. LCD and OLED panels can both show retention. If a ghost is still there after a refresher run and a night switched off, treat it as burn-in.
How do I look for a ghost?
Start on Grey 50% with the brightness turned up. Each field is a solid colour, with no sample picture drawn on it. Look for a ghost of something that used to sit still: a status bar, clock, battery icon, keyboard, navigation bar, game HUD, channel logo, or taskbar. Click, tap, the arrow keys, or a swipe moves to the next colour. Esc or Exit leaves the test.
Which colour shows a ghost best?
Grey 50% is the best all-round field for ghosted bars and logos. Grey 20% shows faint uneven patches. Green is a good check for keyboard and navigation shapes. Red, green, and blue show which subpixel colour has worn, because a worn subpixel looks darker on its own colour. On white, burned areas often look slightly pink, yellow, or dimmer. On cyan, green or blue wear looks darker, and red wear stays hidden.
Can the pixel refresher repair burn-in?
No. Cycling colours, or moving bars, gives every pixel a turn and can help a temporary ghost fade faster. Permanent burn-in is worn pixel material, and no web page can restore that brightness. A TV menu may have its own panel refresh that evens wear by adjusting voltages. Use that sparingly, because it uses some of the panel life.
Will running this damage an OLED?
The check is a set of flat colours you step through yourself. Do not leave one bright still image up as a way to test burn-in. The refresher keeps the picture changing for 5, 15, or 30 minutes: colours shift every few seconds, or bars move. If the device asks for reduced motion, bars stay off and colours step with no fade. Stop with Esc or the Stop button. Skip the refresher if colour changes or motion make you unwell.
Does this work on a phone, a monitor, or a TV?
Yes. Open the page on the screen you want to check, including a phone, a monitor, a TV, or a Switch OLED. For a used device, step through every colour at full brightness before you pay. Ex-display sets and phones used for navigation or ride-share maps are the usual places a ghost shows up.