DeadPixelTest.pro

How to Check for Dead Pixels (Step-by-Step Guide)

A dead pixel is a single non-functioning dot on your screen. Here is the exact process to find one — or confirm your display is clean — in under five minutes. Works on monitors, phones, laptops, and TVs.

4 Steps to Check for Dead Pixels

  1. 1

    Clean your screen first

    Wipe your screen with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Dust, fingerprints, and smudges can look like dead pixels. A single speck of debris on the glass can mimic a stuck pixel on every test color. Clean before testing to avoid a false alarm.

  2. 2

    Set brightness to maximum and dim the room

    Turn your display to full brightness in a dimly lit room. Dim conditions make faint stuck pixels — especially those stuck on a dim sub-pixel — far easier to see against both light and dark backgrounds. Ambient room light washes out the contrast difference between a defective and healthy pixel.

  3. 3

    Open the dead pixel test tool and go full screen

    Click the Full Screen button below or press F11. Full screen removes the browser's address bar and toolbars, letting you test pixels at the very edges of the display. Edge pixels are the most commonly missed defects.

  4. 4

    Cycle through each color and scan methodically

    Work through all seven colors: white, black, red, green, blue, yellow, and gray. Spend 5–10 seconds on each, scanning top to bottom, left to right. On large monitors, reduce your viewing distance to 30–50 cm for this step. A dead pixel is a fixed black dot visible on every color except black. A stuck pixel is a colored dot visible on every color except its own.

Free Dead Pixel Test Tool

Use the tool below for Step 3. Click Full Screen, then use the color buttons or Auto Cycle to work through all seven test colors.

Press F11 for best results on desktop

What to Do If You Find a Dead Pixel

Finding a defect does not automatically mean a hardware replacement. Work through these options in order:

1

Try the fix tool — for stuck pixels

Test on pure black first. If the dot glows a color, it is stuck — not dead. Stuck pixels often respond to rapid color cycling. Run the fix tool for 10–20 minutes. About 60–70% of stuck LCD pixels respond within this window.

Run stuck pixel fix tool →
2

Check your warranty

Most manufacturers permit a small number of defects under ISO 13406-2 before requiring a replacement. Dell's Premium Panel Guarantee covers a single bright pixel; most others require 3–5. Check the brand-specific thresholds before calling.

Dead pixel warranty guide — all brands →
3

Use the retailer's return window

Retailer return windows (14–30 days) are often more practical than manufacturer warranty claims. A single dead pixel found within the return window is typically grounds for a no-questions exchange — no warranty threshold applies. Document with a photo before returning.

Checking Dead Pixels by Device Type

Monitor

Test from 30–50 cm. Use F11. Check at close range first, then normal distance.

Monitor dead pixel test

Phone

Hold at 25 cm in a dim room. Tap Full Screen for edge-to-edge coverage.

Phone dead pixel test

Laptop

F11 for full screen. MacBook Retina — move to 30 cm, pixels are very small.

Laptop dead pixel test

TV

Test from 1 m first to find defects. Large 4K TVs — defects may be invisible from sofa.

TV dead pixel test

Dead Pixel Check FAQ

How do I check for dead pixels on a monitor?+
Press F11 to go full screen in your browser. Cycle through white, black, red, green, and blue solid colors. Scan the screen slowly from top to bottom at close range (30–50 cm). A dead pixel appears as a fixed black dot on white and colored backgrounds. A stuck pixel glows a fixed color against black.
How do I check for dead pixels on a phone?+
Open this page on your phone browser and tap the Full Screen button. Hold the phone at normal reading distance (25–30 cm) in a dim room. Cycle through all test colors by tapping the screen. Because phone screens are smaller but high resolution, dead pixels appear as very small dots — look carefully.
How do I check for dead pixels on a laptop?+
Press F11 to go full screen. Laptop screens are often glossy, which increases reflections. Test in a dim room and angle the screen to minimise reflections before scanning. MacBook Retina displays have very high pixel density — move to within 30 cm to spot individual defects.
How do I check for dead pixels on a TV?+
Open this page on your TV's built-in browser, or connect a laptop via HDMI and go full screen. Test from 1 metre first to find any defects, then step back to your normal viewing distance to judge whether they are actually visible during use. Many TV dead pixels are invisible at sofa distance.
What does a dead pixel look like exactly?+
A dead pixel is a single fixed dot that never changes color. On a white background it appears black. On a red, green, or blue background it still appears black. On a pure black background it disappears entirely. A stuck pixel, by contrast, glows a color on the black background. If the dot is present on white but invisible on black, it is a dead pixel.
What should I do after checking and finding a dead pixel?+
First, test on a pure black background. If the dot glows a color (red, green, blue, or white), it is stuck — not dead — and the fix tool may resolve it. If it is invisible on black, it is dead. Then check your warranty: retailers have return windows of 14–30 days, and manufacturers have dead pixel policies that may cover a replacement. Photograph the defect before starting any claim.