Bright Pixel Test
Find pixels that stay lit when the screen should be black. The test opens on black, where a bright pixel is the only thing left to see, and it runs on any device.
Starts on black, the only screen a bright pixel shows on. Tap or use the arrow keys for the other colours.
What a Bright Pixel Is
A bright pixel is one that stays lit when the screen should be dark. Everything around it goes black and it sits there as a small white dot, in the same place, every time.
Inside every pixel there are three smaller lights: red, green and blue. All three on together makes white. A bright pixel is one where all three have stuck in the on position and stopped responding, so the pixel shows white no matter what it has been told to show.
That makes a bright pixel a particular kind of stuck pixel. A stuck pixel can be stuck on any colour; a bright one is stuck on all three at once. Some people call it a hot pixel, and it means the same thing.
It is the opposite of a dead pixel in every way that matters. A dead pixel is off and shows on a white background. A bright pixel is on and shows on a black one. That single fact is the whole test.
Bright, Stuck and Dead Pixels
Three faults that people describe with the same words. The background you are looking at tells them apart faster than any description.
Bright Pixel
A white dot on a black screen that vanishes on a white one. All three lights inside the pixel are stuck on.
Stuck Pixel
A coloured dot on a black screen. One or two of the three lights are stuck on rather than all three, so it shows red, green, blue, yellow or cyan.
Dead Pixel
A black dot on a white screen that vanishes on a black one. Nothing inside it is lit at all.
Dust or a Mark
Shows on every background, moves when you tilt the screen, or wipes off. Clean the screen before you decide you have a faulty pixel.
A Camera Hot Pixel
Not this. A bright dot that only appears in photos you take is a fault in the camera sensor, not the screen you are looking at them on.
Backlight Bleed
A bright patch or a glow at the edge of a black screen is light leaking around the panel, not a pixel. It has a test of its own.
How to Run the Bright Pixel Test
This one is quick, because a lit dot on a black screen is not subtle. The test is free, it runs online in the browser you already have, and two minutes is enough.
Darken the Room
A dark room matters more here than on any other pixel test. A bright pixel is a small light, and a small light is hard to notice next to a window.
Clean the Screen
Wipe it with a soft dry cloth. A speck of something pale catches the light on a black screen and looks exactly like a bright pixel until you clean it off.
Open the Black Screen
Press the button above. The screen fills with black, and anything still lit is now the only thing on it. Look across the whole panel, corners included.
Check What Colour It Is
Look closely at any dot you find. White means all three lights are stuck on and it is a bright pixel. A red, green or blue dot means only some are, which is a stuck pixel.
Step through the other colours with a tap or the arrow keys to be sure, then press Escape.
Can a Bright Pixel Be Fixed?
Sometimes, and by exactly the same method that works on any other stuck pixel: running fast changing colour over the spot for about ten minutes, which drives the settled lights inside it hard in every direction.
The honest part has not changed either. It frees some pixels and does nothing at all to others, there is no guarantee, and a pixel that comes back sometimes sticks again a few days later. It has a better chance on an LCD monitor or laptop than on the OLED screen in a phone.
The fixer is below, so you can run it without leaving this page.
Bright Pixel Fixer
Flashing colours. This fills the screen with fast changing colour for as long as you leave it running. Do not use it if you are sensitive to flashing light.
Run it over a stuck pixel for about 10 minutes, then stop and look. It frees some stuck pixels and does nothing at all to others. Press Escape to stop at any point.
Bright Pixel Test on Android and iPhone
A bright pixel test on Android works the same way as it does on a monitor. Open this page in Chrome, turn the screen brightness up, and start the test. There is no app to install and nothing to pay for.
Turning the brightness up sounds backwards on a black screen, but it is the right thing to do. A bright pixel is lit by the panel itself, and a panel running at ten per cent brightness barely lights it.
One thing worth knowing about Android phones in particular: almost all of them are OLED now, and OLED black is properly black because the pixels switch off completely. That is good news for this test, since a lit dot on a truly black screen is unmistakable. It is less good news for fixing one, because an OLED pixel that has gone wrong has usually had something fail rather than settle.
Many Samsung phones also have a built-in hardware test menu, reached by typing *#0*# into the dialler, which includes a plain black screen among its colours. It is not on every model and other makers use different codes, so if nothing happens, use this page.
On an iPhone it is the same story with no shortcut: iOS has no pixel test of its own, so a browser page is the whole of it. Check a new or newly repaired phone early, while raising it with the shop is still simple.
Why a Bright Pixel Is the One People Notice
Of the three pixel faults, a bright one is usually the hardest to live with, and it is worth understanding why before you decide whether to act on it.
Your eye is drawn to light in a dark field. A dead pixel is a small dark dot in a bright picture, and the eye skips over it within a few days. A bright pixel is a small light in a dark picture, and the eye goes back to it every time. Anyone who watches films in a dark room, works with dark software, or plays games with night scenes will keep finding it.
Where it sits matters too. A bright pixel near the edge of a large monitor is something most people stop seeing. One in the middle of the screen sits in the part you are actually looking at, and that is a different experience entirely.
This is also why makers often treat the two faults differently. Many warranty policies are stricter about pixels that are always on than about pixels that are always off, and stricter about the middle of the screen than the edges. The exact rules change with the maker, the model and the country, so look up the policy for your own screen rather than trusting a number you read somewhere. If the screen is only days old, start with the shop instead — retailers are usually easier than manufacturers in the first weeks.
And if it turns out you are keeping it, that is a fair choice. A bright pixel does not spread, it does not damage anything else, and it does not get worse on its own.
Other Pixel and Screen Tests
A bright pixel is one fault. These cover the rest of the panel.
Stuck Pixel Test
For a coloured dot rather than a white one, with the full fixing method.
Dead Pixel Test
For dots that stay black. The test to run if the dot shows on white instead.
Black Screen
A plain black screen on its own, without the rest of the test around it.
Backlight Bleed Test
For a glow or a patch at the edge of a black screen rather than a single dot.
Screen Color Test
Steps through nine full-screen colours to confirm what a dot is doing.
Screen Test
The wider check, covering colour, brightness and uneven areas as well as pixels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bright pixel?
A pixel that stays lit when the screen should be dark. All three of the lights inside it are stuck on, so it shows as a small white dot on a black background. Some people call it a hot pixel.
How do I test for a bright pixel?
Darken the room, clean the screen, then start the test. It opens on black, where a lit pixel is the only thing left to see. Look across the whole panel, corners included.
What is the difference between a bright pixel and a dead pixel?
They are opposites. A bright pixel is stuck on and shows as a white dot on black. A dead pixel is off and shows as a black dot on white. Each one disappears on the background that finds the other.
Is a bright pixel the same as a stuck pixel?
A bright pixel is a kind of stuck pixel. A stuck pixel can be stuck on any colour; a bright one has all three of its lights stuck on at once, which is why it looks white rather than red, green or blue.
Can a bright pixel be fixed?
Sometimes, using the same flashing method that works on other stuck pixels. Run the fixer over it for about ten minutes. It frees some pixels and does nothing to others, and the odds are better on an LCD than on an OLED phone screen.
Why does my bright pixel only show on dark scenes?
Because that is the only time it stands out. The pixel is lit all the time, but on a bright picture it is one light among millions. On a dark scene it is the only light in that part of the screen.
How do I check for bright pixels on an Android phone?
Open this page in Chrome, turn the brightness up and start the test. No app is needed. Many Samsung phones also have a hardware test menu you reach by typing *#0*# into the dialler.
Why turn the brightness up for a black screen test?
A bright pixel is lit by the panel itself, so a panel running dim barely lights it. Turning the brightness up makes a faint bright pixel visible without making the black any less black.
Is a bright spot at the edge of the screen a bright pixel?
Probably not. A glow or a patch at the edge of a black screen is light leaking around the panel, which is backlight bleed. A bright pixel is a single sharp dot in the same place every time.
Will a manufacturer replace a screen for one bright pixel?
It depends on the policy, and many makers are stricter about pixels that are always on than about pixels that are always off, and stricter about the middle of the screen than the edges. Check the policy for your exact model, and ask the shop first if the screen is new.
Run the Bright Pixel Test
Darken the room, open the black screen, and anything still lit is what you came for.
Free, no app to install, and it works on a monitor, laptop, tablet, phone or TV.
Start Bright Pixel Test