How to Fix a Stuck Pixel (and What to Do About a Dead One)

You spot a tiny red dot in the middle of your new monitor, and it’s still there when you scroll, switch apps and restart. Before you start a return, find out what kind of pixel problem it is. A stuck pixel can often be fixed at home in under an hour. A dead pixel usually can’t.

Step 1: Confirm It’s a Pixel and Not Dust

Wipe the area with a dry microfiber cloth first. Then open the white screen tester in full-screen mode and look at the dot from a slight angle.

• If it moves, looks fuzzy or disappears after wiping, it was dust or a smudge.
• If it stays perfectly sharp and in the same place, it’s a pixel.

Step 2: Work Out If It’s Stuck or Dead

Switch between the black, red, green and blue screens and watch the same spot.

• Stuck pixel: it shows a color (red, green, blue, or a mix like cyan or white) and stands out most on black. One or two of its subpixels are stuck on.
• Dead pixel: it stays black on every color and is easiest to see on white. The pixel isn’t lighting up at all.
• Partly dead: it looks black on one color only, for example black on the red screen but normal on green and blue. One subpixel has failed.

Only stuck pixels have a real chance of being fixed. If yours is dead, skip to the warranty section.

Step 3: Try to Fix a Stuck Pixel

Try these in order. Stop as soon as the pixel goes back to normal.

1. Leave the screen on for a while

Some stuck pixels clear on their own after a few hours or days of normal use, especially on new panels. If you only noticed it today, give it a day before doing anything else.

2. Run a pixel-flashing tool

Pixel-flashing tools show rapidly changing colors on a small area of the screen. The idea is to “exercise” the stuck subpixel until it starts responding again. Free web tools such as JScreenFix do this in the browser.

1. Open the tool and drag the flashing box over the stuck pixel.
2. Leave it running for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Check the pixel on a black screen. If it’s still there, run it again for up to an hour.

Warning: flashing colors can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Don’t look at the flashing area, and keep children and pets away from the screen while it runs.

3. Gentle pressure (last resort, monitors only)

This method works for some people, but it can also make things worse. Only try it on a monitor that is out of warranty, and never on a phone or an OLED screen.

1. Turn the monitor off.
2. Fold a soft microfiber cloth and place it over the stuck pixel.
3. Using a blunt object such as a stylus cap, press very lightly on that spot through the cloth.
4. While pressing, turn the monitor on, then release.

If the pixel isn’t fixed after a couple of tries, stop. Pressing harder can create permanent pressure marks or more stuck pixels.

What Doesn’t Work

• Restarting the computer or updating drivers. Pixels are hardware, so software won’t change them (unless the dot also shows in a screenshot, in which case it’s not a pixel at all).
• Heating the screen with a hair dryer. This can damage the panel and the coatings.
• “Pixel fixer” apps that ask for unusual permissions or payment. The free browser tools do the same job.

If the Pixel Is Dead: Check Your Warranty

Dead pixels can’t be repaired without replacing the panel, so the warranty is your best option. Most brands have a pixel policy that decides whether you get a replacement. Policies usually look at:

• How many defective pixels there are
• Whether they are bright (stuck) or dark (dead), since bright pixels are often treated more strictly
• Where they are, with the center of the screen counting more than the edges
• How close together they are

Search for “[your brand] pixel policy” to find the rules for your model. Take a clear photo of each pixel on a solid color, write down where it is, and contact the seller first if you’re still inside the return window. Returns are usually easier than warranty claims.

How to Avoid Surprises With a New Screen

Test any new monitor, laptop, TV or phone on the day it arrives. Run white, black, red, green and blue in full screen and look slowly across the whole display. Our screen test tool takes about five minutes, and finding a problem while you can still return the device saves a lot of hassle.

Quick Answers

Can a stuck pixel spread?

A single stuck pixel doesn’t usually spread. If more dots appear over time, or you see lines on the screen, the panel itself may be failing.

Is one dead pixel normal?

It’s not ideal, but many manufacturers don’t consider a single dead pixel a defect. Check the pixel policy for your model.

Do stuck pixels happen on OLED screens?

Yes, but less often. On OLED, a pixel that is permanently dark is far more common than one that’s stuck on.