Stuck Pixel Fixer
Flash a small square of rapidly changing colours over a stuck pixel to try to free it. Safe by default, free, and runs in your browser.
Photosensitivity warning: this test flashes rapidly changing colours. By default only a small square flashes. Don't use the full-screen mode if you or anyone watching has photosensitive epilepsy.
How to test
- 01Find the pixel first with the Dead Pixel Test, and note where it is.
- 02Read the flashing notice, then press Start. The screen goes black with a small flashing square.
- 03Drag the square over the stuck pixel and leave it for 10–20 minutes.
- 04Press Stop and check the pixel again on a solid colour.
How it works
A stuck pixel is a sub-pixel that won't switch off, so it glows red, green or blue on every background. Flashing the area through rapidly changing colours drives that sub-pixel on and off many times a second, which can sometimes free it.
It doesn't work on every screen, and it can't revive a dead pixel: one that stays black because it gets no power. That's a hardware fault, and the fix is a replacement.
Why only a small square flashes
Large flashing areas can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Web accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.3.1) treat flashing as low-risk when it covers less than 21,824 square pixels. The fixer's square is 140 × 140 pixels, inside that limit, on an otherwise still, black screen.
Flashing the whole screen is available for pixels near the edge, but only after a second warning. Don't use it if you, or anyone who can see the screen, has photosensitive epilepsy.
Tips
- Find the exact spot first with the Dead Pixel Test. Mark its position on the bezel with a small piece of tape, not on the screen.
- Run the fixer for 10–20 minutes, then check the pixel on a solid colour.
- If nothing changes after two or three runs, stop: the defect is probably permanent.
- Avoid pressing hard on the panel. Pressure can damage an LCD, and on a screen you might return it can void the warranty.
What your result means
The coloured dot is gone
The stuck sub-pixel was freed.
Check again tomorrow. If it returns, run the fixer once more.
The dot is fainter or flickers
It's responding.
Run another 20 minutes.
No change after 2–3 runs
It's probably permanent.
If the screen is new, ask for a replacement within the return window.
A black dot that never changes
That's a dead pixel, not a stuck one.
No software can fix it. Use the return window or the warranty.
How to fix it
If the fixer doesn't help
- Leave the screen off for a few hours and try again.
- Some people press gently on the spot with a soft cloth while it flashes. Only do this on a screen you're keeping: pressure can damage a panel.
- On a new screen, the return window is the real fix.
Questions
Does a stuck pixel fixer really work?
Sometimes. Rapid colour changes can free a sub-pixel that's stuck on. It works on stuck (coloured) pixels, not on dead (black) ones, and results vary between screens.
Is the flashing safe?
By default only a small square flashes, kept below the size that accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.3.1) treat as a seizure risk. The optional full-screen mode flashes the whole display: don't use it if you or anyone watching has photosensitive epilepsy.
How long should I run it?
10–20 minutes per try. If nothing changes after two or three tries, the pixel is probably permanent.
Can it damage my screen?
Flashing colours can't damage a screen. Pressing on the panel can, so be careful if you try that.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The test runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you see, say or film is sent to us or stored anywhere.