Test burn-in OLED

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

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).