What a stuck pixel fixer does
Each pixel on a screen is made of red, green and blue sub-pixels. A stuck pixel has one or more sub-pixels stuck on, so it shows as a bright red, green, blue or white dot, most visible on a black screen. Flashing colors very quickly over it makes the pixel switch on and off thousands of times, which sometimes frees it. That is all this tool does: it doesn't send anything special to the display, and no website or app can do more than change the colors shown.
How to use it
- Find the pixel with the dead pixel test. Note roughly where it is.
- Read the warning, tick the box, and choose Small box to flash only the area around the pixel. It's easier on the eyes and works just as well.
- Drag the box over the pixel, tap Start flashing, and look away. Set the brightness to maximum.
- Leave it for 10 to 20 minutes. The page keeps the screen awake where the browser allows it. On iPhone, set Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock to a longer time first.
- Check the spot again. Repeat two or three times if it changes even a little.
Will it work?
Sometimes, and nobody can tell you the odds in advance. Results are better on LCD screens (most laptops, monitors and budget phones) than on the OLED screens in most recent phones, and better on pixels that got stuck recently. It won't help with:
- Dead pixels, which stay black on every color because they get no power.
- Lines, patches or spreading stains, which come from damage to the panel or its connector, not a single pixel.
- OLED burn-in, the faint ghost of a keyboard or status bar. See the burn-in test instead.
Our guide on dead pixels vs stuck pixels explains how to tell them apart and what to do if the fixer doesn't work, including returns and warranty claims.
Is it safe for the screen?
Showing changing colors is what a screen does all day, so a 20-minute run doesn't harm it. Avoid the old advice to press on the pixel with a cloth or pen: on a phone that can crack the glass or leave pressure marks that are worse than one stuck pixel.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stuck pixel be fixed?
Sometimes. Flashing colors rapidly over a stuck pixel for 10 to 20 minutes frees some of them, more often on LCD screens than on OLED phone screens. There is no way to know in advance whether a particular pixel will recover.
Can this tool fix a dead pixel?
No. A dead pixel stays black on every color because it gets no power, and changing the colors shown cannot fix that. Use the dead pixel test to tell the two apart.
Is a stuck pixel fixer safe?
It is safe for the screen, since it only changes the colors shown. It is not safe for people with photosensitive epilepsy, because the screen flashes many times a second. Start it and look away until it ends.
How long should I run it?
Start with 10 minutes, check the pixel, then try 20 minutes. If nothing has changed after two or three runs, the pixel is unlikely to recover with flashing.