OLED burn-in and image retention test.

How this test works

Use low gray levels and solid colors to reveal persistent shapes or uneven wear.

1. Prepare the display using the checklist below.
2. Select Start test and allow fullscreen mode if your browser asks.
3. Use the arrow keys, on-screen controls, or click the pattern to move through the test.
4. Exit the runner and save a local observation if useful.

Before you begin

• Lower display brightness
• Let the panel reach room temperature
• Dim the room without making it completely dark

What to look for

• Faint interface shapes on gray screens
• Uneven color or brightness
• Vertical bands in near-black gray

Compare the shape you see

Illustrations only: these are enlarged diagrams, not photographs, live test results, or diagnostic thresholds. Use the full-screen test to inspect your own display.

Check an OLED phone, monitor, or TV briefly

1. Use a comfortable, moderate brightness. Hide static interface elements and put the test window on the display you want to inspect.
2. Allow fullscreen if available. On a phone, hide browser controls where possible; on a TV, use its browser only if it can render and switch the patterns correctly.
3. Spend a few seconds on each gray and muted-color field. These gray percentages describe browser RGB values, not measured luminance or panel brightness settings.
4. Finish promptly and return to varied normal content. Note the pattern, shape, location, brightness setting, and whether the mark affects ordinary use.

If fullscreen is denied, the test stays in the window. Covered areas cannot be inspected in that view. Do not leave a static field running to try to remove retention.

For the explanation behind a persistent outline, read image retention versus OLED burn-in. For broad patches without a content shape, compare the screen uniformity test. The general screen burn-in check explains other emissive display types.

Check for shapes, not a single dramatic screenshot

OLED pixels emit their own light, and areas that have shown different content for long periods can age differently. Start with brief low- and middle-gray fields at moderate brightness. Look for a recognizable outline, such as a logo, menu bar, or game interface, that remains in the same place after the original content is gone. Compare more than one gray level and a muted color. Some near-black irregularity appears only at one level, while a persistent shape may be visible across several fields. This page is for OLED-specific retention, tint, and near-black inspection.

Do not begin with maximum brightness or leave a static field on screen while you walk away. The runner uses 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% gray plus muted red, green, and blue. Move through them briefly and return to varied normal content. A faint outline can be temporary image retention, persistent uneven wear, or a different uniformity issue. The browser cannot measure panel age or prove permanence from one visit. Record which field revealed the shape and whether it is also visible in normal video or desktop use.

Separate retention from normal panel variation

Temporary retention may become less visible after the screen displays varied material. Burn-in describes persistent uneven aging, but a short browser check cannot establish that it will never fade. Vertical bands or tint in near-black gray may be panel-uniformity behavior rather than the outline of a static interface. If the issue has a geometric shape matching content you previously displayed, note that relationship. If it is a broad patch or edge tint, compare the screen uniformity test instead. Keep brightness, viewing angle, room light, and picture mode consistent while comparing.

Phone cameras can exaggerate low-gray bands through exposure, noise reduction, and color balance. First judge the panel with your eyes from a realistic distance. A photo may help you document the shape, but it is not a measure of remaining OLED life. Also check whether a screen saver, taskbar, channel logo, or game HUD was present before the observation. Those details matter when you describe what you saw, yet they do not let the website diagnose the underlying panel chemistry.

Keep the inspection low-stress

Use a few seconds per pattern, at a brightness comfortable for the room. Do not loop static patterns or run repeated maintenance cycles because a webpage appears to suggest a fault. Follow the display maker’s own guidance about any compensation or pixel-refresh feature; those procedures vary by model. This test does not repair burn-in, remove retention, or certify that an OLED is free of wear. If a persistent outline interrupts ordinary content, document it and consult the maker or retailer using your actual purchase terms.

The separate screen burn-in page covers a broader question across emissive technologies such as OLED and plasma. Use this OLED-specific page when near-black fields, tint, or OLED image retention are the concern. For a new monitor inspection, combine a short OLED pass with pixel, gradient, and motion checks rather than dwelling on one demanding pattern. Your observation remains local to your browser unless you choose to copy it. A careful, repeatable description is more useful than an alarmist label after one viewing.

Frequently asked questions