Dead Pixel Fixer
Try to unstick a stuck pixel by flashing rapid colours over it. Drag a resizable square onto the bad spot or flash the whole screen, set a 10, 20 or 30 minute timer, and walk away. Free, runs in your browser.
Photosensitive epilepsy warning
This tool flashes bright, saturated colours many times per second. That can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy and cause headaches or nausea in others. If you or anyone nearby is sensitive to flashing light, use reduced flashing mode, keep the square small, and do not watch the screen while it runs.
Fixer controls
Show the square, place it over the stuck pixel, then start. Or flash the full screen.
Drag the square by its body or toolbar, resize it from the bottom-right corner, or focus it and use the arrow keys (Shift for 10 px steps) and + / - to resize. Press Esc to stop a flash immediately. Time in a background tab does not catch up: each animation frame adds at most a tenth of a second. Square size is in CSS pixels, so one physical pixel may be smaller than 1 px on high-density screens.
How the dead pixel fixer works
A stuck pixel might unstick. A dead one will not
A stuck pixel has one or more sub-pixels jammed on, so it shows as a constant red, green, blue or white dot. The transistor behind it still works but the liquid crystal is not switching cleanly. Forcing it through rapid colour changes sometimes gets it moving again.
A truly dead pixel is black on every colour because its transistor or connection has failed. No software can repair that, whatever an app or video claims. If the dot stays black on a white solid colour screen, skip the flashing and go straight to the warranty.
How long to run it
Find the exact spot first with the dead pixel test, then place the square over it with a little margin. Start with a 10 or 20 minute run and look away while it flashes. Check the pixel afterwards on solid red, green, blue and white. If it improved but did not clear, run 30 minutes a few more times. If several hours across a couple of days change nothing, it is unlikely to recover. Noise mode is the better first try: each step picks red, green, blue, white or black, instead of one colour across the whole square. Above about 1.5 million device pixels, noise is drawn in small blocks rather than one colour per pixel.
The gentle pressure method
Some stuck pixels respond to light pressure. Turn the screen off, fold a soft microfibre cloth a few times, and press gently on the spot with a blunt, rounded object like a pen cap, never a point. Turn the screen on while still pressing, then release. Caution: too much force can crush the panel and create a larger dead area, and pressing may void the warranty. Never try this on an OLED phone or a touchscreen you cannot afford to replace.
When to use the warranty instead
Most makers publish a pixel policy that only replaces a panel once a set number of defects appear, so one stuck dot is often not enough. A shop return window is usually easier, so test any new screen in the first week. Does the box promise a zero dead pixel guarantee? Read the fine print for the exact terms. Bright stuck pixels are often covered sooner than dark ones.
Related tools
Locate the bad pixel with the dead pixel test, check an OLED or plasma for image retention with the burn-in test, or fill the screen with any colour using solid colour screens.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stuck pixel and a dead pixel?
A stuck pixel stays lit as a red, green, blue or white dot. The transistor still works, but the liquid crystal is not switching cleanly. A dead pixel stays black on every colour, including a white screen, because the transistor or its connection has failed. Flashing colours can sometimes get a stuck pixel moving again. It cannot bring a dead pixel back.
Will this fix my stuck pixel?
It might, and it often does not. This page only flashes colours over the spot. That is a common first try, not a repair. Afterwards, check the same spot on solid red, green, blue, white and black. If the dot is unchanged after a few sessions, treat it as a hardware fault and check the warranty or the return window.
How do I stop the flashing?
Press Esc, or press Stop. On the square, Stop is in the main controls and on the square toolbar. In full-screen mode, Esc or the Stop button ends it at once, and that button stays on screen after the hint fades. Leaving this page stops the flash too. If you set a timer, the run also ends when that time is up.
Can this flashing cause a seizure?
Yes. Bright colours changing many times a second can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, and can cause headaches or nausea in others. Read the warning and confirm before a flash starts. Full-screen mode asks again every time. If you or anyone who can see the screen is sensitive to flashing light, use reduced flashing at 2 changes per second, keep the square small, and look away while it runs. Stop at once if you feel dizzy, sick or notice any change in vision.
What does reduced flashing do, and what do the speeds mean?
Reduced flashing slows the pattern to 2 colour changes per second, under the usual 3-flashes-per-second guideline. The page turns this on when your device asks for reduced motion, even if a faster speed was saved earlier. You can turn it off before you start, and the warning shows the rate you are about to use. Fast, medium and slow are 60, 20 and 8 changes per second. Those speeds are not used while reduced flashing is on.
How long should I run it, and what if nothing changes?
Find the dot with a dead pixel test, place the square over it, and start with 10 or 20 minutes. Look away while it flashes. Then check the spot on solid colours. If it looks better but is not gone, try 30 minutes a few more times. If several hours across a couple of days change nothing, more flashing is unlikely to help. A black dot on a white screen is a dead pixel, and this tool will not revive it.