Dead pixel test
Solid color fields, one after another, so a faulty pixel has nowhere to hide. Made to run on the television itself: Open it in the TV's browser, drive it with your remote, and check the whole panel from where you actually sit.
The test
This test needs JavaScript to run. Everything below still explains what to look for and what a bad result means, so the page is useful either way.
Nine full screen fields
White, black, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow and gray. Step through with the arrow keys and scan the whole panel on each one. Clean the screen first, because dust looks exactly like a dead pixel.
How to read it
No pixel faults. Check from a normal distance rather than pressing your nose to the glass.
A dead pixel. The transistor has failed and it cannot be revived.
A stuck pixel. These are sometimes recoverable, and the fixer below is worth a try.
A hot or bright pixel. Most obvious on the black field. Not recoverable.
Dust or a smudge, not a pixel fault. This is the most common false alarm by far.
Stuck pixel fixer
A stuck pixel is jammed on one color instead of switched off. Rapidly cycling the sub-pixels can knock it loose, so it is worth a try. It will not revive a genuinely dead pixel, but nothing can.
You get a small flashing box. Drag it, or nudge it with the arrow keys, so it sits over the stuck pixel, and leave it there for ten to thirty minutes before checking again. A few runs give it the best chance. You can make the box bigger, or fill the whole screen, if you prefer.
Photosensitivity warning
The fixer flashes bright colors very fast. It starts as a small box you move over the stuck pixel, and you can choose to fill the whole screen. Flashing like this can cause a seizure in a small number of people, even with no history of epilepsy. If that could be you, or anyone else in the room, do not run it.
This starts a small box that flashes rapidly, which you can move over the pixel or expand to the whole screen. Stop and look away if you feel dizzy or faint, or notice any twitching or disorientation.
Keep testing
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What this test can and cannot tell you
Most of this test is genuinely reliable. Two parts are not, and here they are.
Completely reliable. Solid color fields are exactly how manufacturers check panels. If a pixel is faulty, one of these nine fields will expose it.
Wipe it. Dust and smudges are by far the most common false alarm. Clean the screen with a dry microfiber cloth before concluding anything.
Worth a try. Rapidly cycling the sub-pixels can free a stuck one. It cannot revive a genuinely dead pixel, but nothing can, so there is no harm in running it.
Depends on the manufacturer. Most set a minimum number of faulty pixels before they will accept a return, and the threshold varies by brand and by panel size. A single dead pixel is usually not enough.
Beyond what this can show. A partially failed sub-pixel may only be visible on specific colors at close range. These fields will catch anything you would notice in normal viewing.
Knowing what you are looking at
Dead pixel
Permanently off, so it stays black on every field including white. The transistor driving it has failed. There is no fix, and no amount of cycling will bring it back.
Stuck pixel
Permanently on in one color, so it shows as a colored dot that stays the same while the fields change around it. The sub-pixels are jammed rather than broken, which is why the fixer sometimes works.
Hot or bright pixel
Permanently fully on, so it appears white and is most obvious against the black field. Treated as a defect but generally not recoverable.
Dust, and why it fools everyone
A speck on the glass looks exactly like a dark pixel. It is also the most common thing people find. Clean the screen first, and if it moves or vanishes when you wipe, it was never a pixel.
Questions people ask
There is a small dot on my TV screen that will not go away. What is it?
Most likely a faulty pixel, but rule out dust first. Wipe the spot gently with a dry microfiber cloth; if it vanishes, it was only dust or a smudge. If it stays, look at its color. A dot that is black on a white screen is a dead pixel. A dot that glows red, green or blue and will not switch off is a stuck pixel. Run the solid color fields on this page to see which one you have.
How do I test my TV for dead pixels?
Show solid color fields one after another and scan the whole panel on each. This test cycles through white, black, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow and gray, so a faulty pixel stands out against at least one of them. Clean the screen first, because dust is the most common false alarm.
What is the difference between a dead pixel and a stuck pixel?
A dead pixel is switched off for good and stays black on every field, including a white one. A stuck pixel is jammed on in a single color and shows as a colored dot that does not change as the fields change. Stuck pixels are sometimes recoverable; dead ones are not. Our guide, dead pixel vs stuck pixel, goes into telling them apart, fixing, and warranty rules.
Can a stuck or dead pixel be fixed?
A stuck pixel, sometimes. Rapidly cycling the sub-pixels can jolt it back to life, which is what the fixer on this page does. It works often enough to be worth trying and not often enough to promise. A genuinely dead pixel, no: The transistor that drives it has failed and no software can bring it back.
Is one dead pixel enough to return the TV or claim the warranty?
Often not, and the thresholds are less generous than people expect. Most brands publish a pixel policy based on the number and type of faulty pixels and the panel size, and a single dead pixel usually does not meet it. Check your manufacturer's policy, and test the set early while you are still inside the return window.
Can a dead pixel spread or get bigger?
A single dead or stuck pixel normally stays put and does not infect the pixels around it. What does grow is a different fault: A dark patch or blotch that spreads over days or weeks usually points to a failing panel or a pressure injury, not one lost pixel. If a spot is spreading, treat it as a panel fault and raise it under warranty quickly.
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