Monitor Testing
How to Test Your Monitor for Dead & Stuck Pixels (Step-by-Step)
Display Engineering Team 2026-07-20 4 min read
When buying a new computer monitor, TV, or laptop, checking the panel quality immediately is crucial. Defective pixels can ruin an otherwise brilliant display.
What is a Dead Pixel? A dead pixel occurs when a transistor fails and no power reaches the pixel, leaving it permanently black on all backgrounds.
What is a Stuck Pixel? A stuck pixel happens when one or two subpixels (Red, Green, or Blue) remain permanently frozen on. A stuck pixel will appear bright red, green, or blue on a black screen.
How to Run a Diagnostic Test 1. Clean your screen using a microfiber cloth to remove dust spots. 2. Open our [Dead Pixel Test](/dead-pixel-test) tool. 3. Press **F** to enter 100% fullscreen mode. 4. Cycle through full screen solid colors: **White**, **Black**, **Red**, **Green**, and **Blue**. 5. Examine each quadrant carefully.
If you spot a stuck pixel, try running our [Stuck Pixel Fixer](/stuck-pixel-test) for 15-30 minutes to unstick the liquid crystal state.