Screen Burn-In: How to Check, Fix and Prevent It

Updated October 16, 2026 · 6 min read · By Varinder

Burn-in is a faint, permanent shadow of something that stayed on screen too long: a keyboard, the navigation bar, a news channel logo, a game's health bar. It's most common on OLED screens. Here's how to check for it, what can be done, and how to avoid it.

What causes burn-in?

On OLED and AMOLED screens, every pixel makes its own light, and pixels slowly lose brightness the more they're used. If one area shows the same bright image for hundreds of hours (the status bar on a phone, a taskbar on a monitor, a logo on a TV), those pixels wear faster than their neighbours. The difference becomes visible as a ghost image.

Burn-in vs image retention

Image retention is temporary. You see a ghost of the last thing on screen, but it fades after a few minutes of other content. It can happen on LCD and OLED. Burn-in doesn't fade, because the pixels themselves have aged unevenly.

How to test for burn-in

1. Open the burn-in test and press Fullscreen.
2. Turn brightness up and, if you can, dim the room.
3. Step through the solid colours, then switch to Grey levels. Greys between 20% and 50% are the most revealing.
4. Look for shapes: the outline of the navigation bar or keyboard on a phone, a taskbar or window edges on a monitor, a logo in a TV corner.

Buying second-hand? Run this test before you pay. Burn-in is one of the most common hidden faults on used OLED phones.

Can burn-in be fixed?

• Image retention: usually fades on its own. Showing varied content, or running the colour fixer for 10 to 20 minutes, speeds it up.
• OLED TV and monitor maintenance: most OLED TVs and monitors have a built-in pixel refresh or panel care routine, which often runs automatically in standby. A manual run can even out mild wear. Follow the manufacturer's advice on how often to use it.
• True burn-in: permanent. It can be made less noticeable, but the only real fix is replacing the screen. Check your warranty, since some manufacturers cover burn-in.

How to prevent burn-in

• Lower the brightness, especially for static content. Auto-brightness helps.
• Use a short screen timeout so the screen turns off when you're not using it.
• Auto-hide the taskbar on Windows, and the Dock on Mac.
• Vary what's on screen. Don't leave a paused game or a static dashboard up for hours.
• Keep panel protection on: pixel shift, logo dimming and screen savers exist for this reason.
• Dark mode lowers overall wear on OLED, though static white elements can still burn in.