How to Use the Burn-In Test
- Launch the test above and select the uniform grey pattern. This is the most revealing background for detecting image retention and burn-in.
- Look for ghost images from previous content — taskbars, game health bars, channel logos, application windows. Any faint ghost visible on grey is image retention or burn-in.
- If a ghost is visible: Run the pixel refresh or compensation cycle in your monitor's OSD (available on all OLED monitors). Then recheck after 30 minutes.
- If the ghost persists after a pixel refresh cycle on grey, white, and other solid colours: the retention is permanent burn-in — it cannot be reversed.
Test in a dimmed room to make faint retention visible. Retention that requires a pitch-dark room and close inspection is within normal tolerance; retention visible in a normally lit room during everyday use is not.
Image Retention vs Burn-In — The Critical Distinction
These two terms describe very different conditions with very different implications:
Image retention is a temporary ghost that fades on its own after minutes or hours of displaying varied content. It is caused by temporary electrical charge differences in organic pixels from prolonged display of static content. Image retention is normal on OLED displays and is addressed by OLED pixel refresh cycles in the monitor's OSD. It does not constitute a defect.
Burn-in is permanent image retention — a ghost that never goes away regardless of content displayed. It is caused by uneven pixel degradation from long-term static content at high brightness. True burn-in is irreversible. It is a defect and qualifies for warranty replacement on displays within their warranty period.
The distinction matters for warranty claims: image retention is not warrantable; burn-in is. OLED monitor warranties typically cover burn-in (permanent retention) but not temporary image retention.
OLED Burn-In Risk — What Actually Causes It
OLED burn-in risk is real but frequently overstated relative to practical usage patterns. Burn-in from casual use at normal brightness typically takes thousands of hours of the same static content to develop.
High-risk scenarios:
- Static game HUDs (health bars, minimaps, ammo counters) displayed at maximum brightness for 6+ hours per session over months
- Persistent taskbars or application UI at high brightness
- Sports channel logos or news tickers displayed continuously
- Screensavers that display bright static content
Lower-risk scenarios:
- Varied gaming with different environments and colour palettes
- General productivity with moving windows and content
- Video streaming with varied source material
Modern OLED monitors include multiple built-in mitigation features:
- Pixel shift: Slowly moves the image by a few pixels to prevent static elements burning specific pixels
- Logo detection: Dims or compensates for detected static elements automatically
- Pixel refresh: Recalibrates pixel brightness levels to compensate for uneven wear
- ABL (Automatic Brightness Limiting): Reduces brightness on bright full-screen content to limit degradation
Burn-In Prevention Tips
- Run OLED pixel refresh regularly — most monitors include this in the OSD settings. Run it after every 4–8 hours of use, or enable the automatic schedule.
- Use a screensaver or power-off timer — configure the monitor to sleep after 10–15 minutes of inactivity.
- Avoid sustained maximum brightness — reduce brightness to 60–80% for everyday use. Peak brightness is reserved for HDR highlights, not sustained content.
- Vary your content — avoid leaving the same game HUD, taskbar, or static image running for extended sessions.
- Enable pixel shift — this is usually on by default; verify it is not disabled in the OSD.
LCD panels (IPS, VA, TN) are not susceptible to burn-in under normal use. Extreme cases of very long static content display at maximum brightness can produce temporary image retention on LCD, but it is reversible and extremely uncommon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is screen burn-in?
Screen burn-in is permanent image retention — a ghost of previously displayed content that remains permanently visible on a display, regardless of what is currently shown. It is caused by uneven pixel degradation from prolonged static content at high brightness, primarily on OLED displays.
Is OLED burn-in permanent?
Yes. True burn-in — as opposed to temporary image retention — is permanent and cannot be reversed by any software process or pixel refresh cycle. Temporary image retention fades on its own; burn-in does not.
How do I check if my OLED monitor has burn-in?
Display a uniform grey screen (use the tool above) in a dimmed room. Any faint ghost image from previous content is retention. Run the pixel refresh cycle from the monitor OSD and recheck after 30 minutes. If the ghost persists after refresh on grey, white, and other colours, it is permanent burn-in.
Can I fix image retention on an OLED?
Temporary image retention: yes — display varied content or run the OLED pixel refresh cycle from the monitor's OSD. The retention will fade. Permanent burn-in: no — it cannot be fixed by software, pixel refresh, or any user intervention. A burned-in panel requires replacement.
How do I prevent burn-in on my OLED monitor?
Keep brightness below 80% for sustained use. Enable pixel shift and the auto pixel refresh schedule in the OSD. Use a screensaver or power-off timer for inactivity. Avoid leaving the same game HUD or static application visible for sessions longer than 4 hours without break.