How to fix screen burn-in on iPhone or Android: universal rules

The problem of a burnt-out screen is not a critical one, but it's a very unpleasant one. You're looking at a photo or watching a video on your perfect screen with great colours and screen resolution, but suddenly you notice something like a "ghost" - a residual image that shouldn't be there. You try to erase it, hoping that it's just a fingerprint... but in vain. Burnt-out pixels have appeared on your (no longer perfect) screen, and no matter how much you want to, you can't dilute them. But in reality, it's not the end of the world.

OBOZREVATEL tells you how to revive burnt-out pixels and how to protect yourself from such "ghosts" in the future.

Why screens burn out

Screen burn-in can happen regardless of whether you are holding an expensive iPhone, Samsung, or a cheap Xiaomi. If your smartphone is equipped with an OLED screen, you are at risk. But don't panic.

OLED is a development of organic light-emitting diodes. Such screens are very high quality and capable of transmitting clear and natural colours. This was achieved due to the fact that each pixel is independent and produces light independently of the others. But there is also a trap.

Imagine you have a completely black screen with a single bright app shortcut. In this case, the pixels on the black background will work much less efficiently than the pixels that provide the bright image of the app shortcut. They can eventually burn out and the image of the shortcut will remain even when you open a menu, browser, or anything else.

The same thing happens to the retina when you look at something bright, like a lamp or the sun, and then close your eyes and continue to see the outline of the object.

But fortunately, this is only a temporary phenomenon and you just need to keep your eyes open.

How to fix screen burn-in

Turn on a bright video

You need a video that uses a large palette of colours that change quickly. You can easily find such videos on Youtube. A fast colour change in the video will make all your pixels work very fast and revive the burnt-out ones. Bright, moving screensavers on your smartphone screen are a good way to keep your pixels from burning out.

Switch off your smartphone

Instead of "bombarding" the pixels with colour, which was suggested in the previous version, you can do the exact opposite. You can switch off your smartphone completely for a while. If the burn-in was minor, the pixels are likely to "rest" and work properly again.

Turn down the screen brightness

It's nice to look at photos or watch videos on a very bright screen, but it's the brightness that leads to burn-in, so you should use it wisely.

A good option is to switch on the Auto Brightness function. Then your smartphone will adapt the screen brightness to the ambient light.

Switch on the screen autolock

Pixels burn out because of the brightness and also because they have to work constantly if your screen is not set to auto-lock. So when you're not using your smartphone, lock it. Or set it to auto-lock.

Update your software

A new version of iOS or Android always contains improvements to the gadget. This also applies to various problems you may have with your screen. This includes problems with pixel burn-in.

Reset the settings to the basic ones

If you suspect that the burn-in is due to changes in your smartphone settings, reset them to the default. But don't forget to back up your personal data on your smartphone.

Buy an app to fix the screen

There are apps available online that can test your screen and determine if there are any burnt pixels. These apps will also help you fix the problem. They cost $1-2. You can find them in the App Store or Google Play Store.

Replace the screen

If your screen still shows a ghostly image after you try to get rid of the burnt pixels, it looks like you have a more serious pixel problem. The only option left is to contact a service department to replace the screen.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told whether you can charge your smartphone all night and what the consequences of such charging can be.

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