What is a Dead Pixel?

A dead pixel is a tiny dot on your screen that no longer lights up. On an LCD, that usually means the pixel’s red, green, and blue subpixels are all stuck off, so you see a small black speck even when that part of the screen should be bright. By contrast, a stuck or bright pixel is one that stays on (often red, green, blue, or white). Both are sometimes called “pixel anomalies.”

• Dead pixel (dark or black dot): All subpixels are off, appears black on light backgrounds.
• Bright or stuck pixel (colored or white dot): One or more subpixels are permanently on, which stands out on dark backgrounds.
• “Hot pixel” is a camera-sensor term; for displays, manufacturers usually stick to “bright,” “dark,” or “stuck,” or “dead” pixel.

Modern displays pack millions of addressable subpixels, each controlled by a transistor. If a transistor (or related circuitry) fails, a subpixel can stick off (dark) or on (bright). Because there are so many subpixels, seeing a small number of anomalies across a panel isn’t unusual, even on reputable brands.

1. Clean the glass (dust can look like a bad pixel).
2. Show solid test colors (white, black, red, green, blue) in full screen and scan slowly.
3. Use a test tool if you prefer: the free EIZO Monitor Test includes a “Defective Pixels” pattern to make anomalies pop.

• Dead pixels: Generally not repairable at home; they’re hardware failures. The practical “fix” is panel replacement (sometimes covered under warranty; see below).
• Stuck pixels: Occasionally recover after running a rapid color-cycling pattern for several minutes. Success isn’t guaranteed, but it’s low risk to try with a reputable pixel-cycling tool.
• Don’t press on the panel: “Pixel massage” can do more harm than good. Manufacturers explicitly caution against applying pressure to LCDs.
• OLED note: “Pixel refresh" or "cleaning” (offered on many OLED monitors and TVs) maintains uniformity and helps with image retention, it does not revive a truly dead pixel. Still, let these maintenance cycles run when prompted.

Many monitor manufacturers align their policies so that regardless of minor pixel anomalies, you still get a serviceable product and some take it even further by offering “zero bright-pixel” guarantees while still allowing a small number of dark pixels. In other words, they commit to replacing a screen if any bright (stuck-on) pixel appears, but may permit a handful of dark (dead or off) pixels before triggering a replacement. Because each brand and each product line may interpret the ISO standards differently, you’ll find variations in how many and what type of pixel defects are tolerated, which is why it’s important to check the fine print of your warranty policy.

For example, Panel Quality Guaranty for CORSAIR monitors states that for its XENEON monitor line, if you find one or more bright pixels or six or more dark subpixels (remember: three sub-pixels = one full pixel) during the three-year warranty period, the monitor is eligible for exchange.

No, one dead pixel won’t affect others. It’s a localized hardware defect. That said, additional anomalies can appear over time as a panel ages or if it suffers physical stress. (If you see rapid changes, contact support and document with photos or videos.)

• Avoid pressure and impacts. Don’t poke the screen, and follow your manufacturer’s cleaning guidance.
• Let panel maintenance run. On OLEDs, keep Pixel Shift and Panel Care features enabled to mitigate retention and wear.
• Mind heat and static content. High temperatures and long-lived static UI elements aren’t your panel’s friends; use screen savers and vary content periodically.

1. Verify it’s not dust (clean gently).
2. Test with solid colors to confirm.
3. Try a short color-cycling session (only for stuck pixels).
4. Check your warranty policy and, if applicable, open a support ticket with photos and a short clip of the issue.