Screen Burn-In: How to Check, Fix and Prevent It

Burn-in is a faint mark left on the screen, usually from a static image like a taskbar or game HUD shown for a long time. It's most noticeable on OLED screens. OLED monitors have built-in care tools such as Pixel Refresh that can help.

Check it now with the gray screen test

Fixes to try (easiest first)

  1. Confirm what you're seeing

    Burn-in is a mark that stays visible during normal viewing. Look for leftover shapes on the solid colors in our screen test. [1]

  2. Run Pixel Refresh (Samsung OLED monitors)

    Menu > Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Panel Care > Pixel Refresh, then Start Now or Start After Smart Monitor Off. [1]

  3. Let the monitor's automatic care run

    Samsung OLED monitors run Screen Optimization after you switch off with the power button. Keep the power cord plugged in, or it won't run, and don't cancel it. [1]

  4. Avoid long periods of static content

    Things that stay in the same place for a long time, like game HUDs, can cause burn-in. [1]

Is it worth fixing?

Try the monitor's own care features first, which cost nothing. If marks remain, contact the manufacturer and ask whether your warranty covers burn-in on your model.

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Sources

  1. Samsung Support: How to troubleshoot burn-in or image retention on your Samsung OLED monitor

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