A dead pixel can be a huge pain, whether it's on your smartphone, desktop monitor, or laptop. Fortunately, even though a dead pixel isn't a great sign of monitor health, there are ways you can sometimes bring that pixel back to life.
If your device is no longer under warranty or you don’t want to take it to a professional, don’t despair. Here's how to fix a dead pixel in just a few steps.
Fix a dead pixel with JScreenFix
Step 1: Go to the JScreenFix website. Open your favorite browser and navigate to the JScreenFix homepage.
Step 2: Launch the web app. Click the blue Launch JScreenFix button at the bottom of the page.
Step 3: Let the JScreenFix app run for at least 30 minutes. Drag the white noise window to where your stuck or dead pixel is located, and then let it run for half an hour. JScreenFix claims it can repair most stuck pixels in under 10 minutes, but giving it plenty of time to work never hurts. Try using it several times if the first run wasn’t successful.
Keep in mind that this method uses both HTML5 and JavaScript and may work with LCD or OLED screens. If it doesn’t work, though, you could always try one of the platform-specific tools below.
Alternative ways to fix dead pixels
PixelHealer (Windows)
PixelHealer is an entirely free application from Aurelitec that fixes pixel problems. It’s compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. Once downloaded, PixelHealer will present you with a colored box window and a settings menu. It is important to note, though, that users who are sensitive to flashing images should not look directly at the box/app window, because as the app runs, the window will then flash multiple colors in quick succession.
PixelHealer is more likely to work on a stuck pixel that shows signs of life than a dead pixel, which may stay unresponsive, but there’s a chance it can fix both, so give this dead pixel fix a try regardless of how your wounded pixel is behaving.
Dead Pixels Test and Fix (Android)
With such a straightforward name, you know that Dead Pixels Test and Fix (DPTF) is a quick and easy dead pixel fix for locating and potentially repairing dead or stuck pixels. It’s a free app and features an interface that is both self-explanatory and easy to navigate. DPTF assumes the same process as its competitor apps, using a series of solid color blank-outs on your screen to reveal damaged pixels.
The developers recommend that you let DPTF run for at least 10 minutes to fix all of the pixels, but we had better results when we left it running for a couple of hours so it had time to fix all of the dead pixels. You’re going to need to have a full battery or your device connected to a power source while you execute this tool.
Editors' Recommendations
- How to use a laptop with a secondary monitor
- How to delete your ChatGPT accounts
- How to use GPT4ALL — your own local chatbot — for free
- Wi-Fi not working? How to fix the most common problems
- How to deactivate your Instagram account (or delete it)
