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OLED Burn-in Test

Detect and prevent OLED burn-in with this free tool. Moving pattern reveals ghost images on OLED, AMOLED, and MicroLED displays.

OLED Burn-in Test
Detect and prevent OLED burn-in with this free tool. Moving pattern reveals ghost images on OLED, AMOLED, and MicroLED displays.
ESC exit_fullscreen
Sliding pattern reveals image retention
Run for 30+ seconds for best results
Safe for all display types

What Is OLED Burn-in?

OLED burn-in occurs when static elements leave permanent impressions on an OLED screen.

How This Test Works

Displays a moving striped pattern to spot ghost images from previous static content.

Prevention Tips

Why Should You Run This Test?

OLED and AMOLED screens are susceptible to image retention and permanent burn-in. If you use your device with static UI elements (navigation bars, channel logos, game HUDs), ghost images can form over time. This test helps you detect burn-in early — before it becomes permanent and ruins your display.

Common Symptoms

  • Faint ghost images of taskbars, status bars, or app icons visible on solid colors
  • A "shadow" of a TV channel logo that appears even when watching other content
  • Keyboard outlines or navigation button ghosts on phones
  • Uneven brightness in areas where static content was displayed for long periods

What Causes OLED Burn-in?

Primary Causes

  • Static UI elements — Taskbars, navigation bars, and status bars that remain on-screen for hours daily cause uneven pixel aging.
  • High brightness + static content — Running OLED at maximum brightness with unchanging content accelerates organic compound degradation.
  • Channel logos on TVs — Watching the same channel for extended periods leaves a permanent logo ghost.
  • Game HUDs — Health bars, minimaps, and score displays can burn in during marathon gaming sessions.

Why OLED Is Vulnerable

OLED pixels are made of organic compounds that degrade with use. Pixels displaying bright, static content age faster than surrounding pixels, creating permanent brightness differences. LCD panels don't have this issue because they use a uniform backlight.

How to Read Your Results

✅ Uniform moving pattern — no ghost images — Your OLED screen shows no signs of burn-in. The organic compounds are aging evenly across the panel.

⚠️ Faint outlines visible during pattern movement — This is likely image retention (temporary), not permanent burn-in. Try running a pixel refresher cycle (built into most OLED TVs) or displaying varied content for a few hours.

❌ Clear ghost images of previous content visible — This indicates permanent burn-in. The affected pixels have degraded unevenly. This cannot be reversed, but you can slow further damage by reducing brightness and avoiding static content.

How to Prevent and Manage Burn-in

Prevention

  • Enable Pixel Shift — Most OLED TVs (LG, Sony, Samsung) have a pixel-shifting feature that subtly moves the image to distribute wear evenly.
  • Reduce brightness to 50-70% — OLED at max brightness degrades faster. Use auto-brightness or eco mode.
  • Use dark mode everywhere — Dark UI themes mean fewer pixels are lit at high intensity, reducing wear.
  • Vary your content — Avoid displaying the same static image for more than 2 hours continuously.
  • Hide persistent UI elements — Use auto-hide for taskbars and navigation bars when possible.

If Burn-in Is Detected

  • Run the built-in pixel refresher — LG: Settings → OLED Care → Pixel Refresher. Samsung: Settings → General → Panel Care.
  • Display colorful, moving content — Running varied video content for several hours can help even out minor retention.
  • Check warranty — Some manufacturers cover burn-in under warranty (e.g., LG's 5-year OLED warranty in some regions).

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✅ Good Result — Clean, Uniform Pattern

The moving striped pattern should appear perfectly uniform across your entire screen. No ghost images, shadows, or outlines of previous content should be visible. The blacks should be pure black and the whites should be even.

⚠️ Image Retention (Temporary)

You may see faint, barely visible outlines of a taskbar, logo, or other UI element. These outlines are subtle and may only appear at certain angles. This is usually temporary image retention that can be resolved with a pixel refresher cycle.

❌ Permanent Burn-in

Clear, unmistakable ghost images are visible — you can distinctly see the outline of a navigation bar, channel logo, or app interface burned into the screen. The affected area will show different brightness or color temperature compared to surrounding areas.

Frequently Asked Questions – OLED Burn-in Test

Run this test fullscreen. Faint outlines of previous content indicate burn-in.

Temporary retention may reduce. Permanent burn-in cannot be reversed.

Yes. Test your AMOLED phone in fullscreen.

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How did your screen perform?

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