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Methods to Rectify Screen Burn-In on Plasma, LCD, and OLED Televisions

Have you ever left your television or monitor powered on for days, displaying the same image?


You return to your screen, only to see a picture permanently etched into the display. Regardless of your actions, it will persist. It is a persistent image retention. What causes image burn in monitors and televisions? What prevents manufacturers from eliminating image retention on LCD and plasma screens? Furthermore, what measures can be taken to rectify image burn?


In certain instances, it is possible to mitigate the image burn effect. In certain instances, picture burn can be entirely eliminated, provided it has not persisted for an extended duration.


Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock

Seven Remedies for LCD and Plasma Screen Burn-In


Solutions for image burn-in are available for LCD and plasma displays. The efficacy of an image burn-in remedy is contingent upon the extent of screen damage. Depending on the duration and intensity of the image retention, certain displays may sustain irreversible damage.


If your screen exhibits indicators of deterioration, you may be contemplating methods to eliminate screen burn. Fortunately, numerous remedies exist for LCD screen burn, and most are entirely free of charge.


1. Avert Burn-In on LCD and Plasma Screens


The optimal solution for screen burn is to avert it initially. That is not particularly beneficial if your screen is already suffering from image burn-in. Nevertheless, one should refrain from leaving the screen displaying a static image for an extended duration. The duration required for an image to burn in differs between screens, influenced by manufacturers, sizes, and panel types.


My guideline is to deactivate the display if I intend to be absent for over 15 minutes. This approach minimizes the risk of being detected, reduces electricity expenses, and mitigates wear and tear on your monitor or television.


2. Mitigate Image Retention on LCD and Plasma Displays


Another preventive measure is to minimize screen contrast to the greatest extent possible. Regrettably, the majority of screens are improperly calibrated, frequently elevating contrast and brightness levels excessively.


Reduced contrast results in more uniform lighting throughout your screen. This results in reduced stress on particular screen regions, hence aiding in the prevention of picture burn-in.


3. Employ Static to Rectify LCD and Plasma Burn-In


If your plasma or LCD screen exhibits image burn-in, consider activating a white static display for 12 to 24 hours. The continuous oscillation of white and black on your screen in arbitrary configurations can assist in eliminating the ghost picture from your display.


Regrettably, this approach is ineffective for extreme scenarios. Certain televisions feature an integrated pattern swiping function that achieves the similar effect of populating your screen with random patterns.


4. Employ Pixel-Shift to Rectify LCD and Plasma Image Retention


Certain televisions and monitors incorporate pixel-shift or screen-shift technologies.


Pixel-shift continuously and subtly modifies the image on your display, varying pixel utilization to mitigate image burn-in. It may be necessary to activate a pixel or screen shift feature in your display settings. Pixel-shift is a useful function for LED and OLED displays that are unable to recover from picture retention and is designed to mitigate LCD ghosting.


Contemporary displays possess integrated refresh features recommended by the manufacturer to eliminate image retention and burn-in problems.


5. Utilize JSCreenFix to Rectify LCD and Plasma Screen Burn-in


The optimal instrument for rectifying ghost pictures is JScreenFix. The initial program repairs monitors with dead pixels; however, the same company has also launched a "advanced" version called JScreenFix Deluxe.


The Deluxe edition employs sophisticated algorithms to rectify burned screens and extend the lifespan of plasma and LCD displays; however, the original website is currently inactive, and there is no legitimate means to obtain the full version.


The free version of the Deluxe software is available online, but it is restricted to a maximum runtime of 20 minutes each session. Moreover, we will not provide links to the online versions, as we cannot ascertain the security of these installations. Utilization of the Deluxe edition is undertaken at your own peril.


If you are uncertain about the presence of a dead pixel, utilize one of these dead pixel detection applications to ascertain its existence. Certain alternatives incorporate inherent solutions as well.


6. Employ a White Screensaver to Rectify LCD and Plasma Image Retention


An alternative is to establish a wholly white desktop background and allow it to operate for several hours. The uniform color may mitigate image burn-in. A solid-color background is more likely to mitigate picture persistence rather than image burn, however it remains advisable to experiment.


To address television burn-in, connect a laptop to your TV via an HDMI cable, extend your desktop to the television, and display a white screensaver. It is hoped that this would alleviate your television's burn-in issue.


7. Utilize a ScreenBurnFixer Video


The team at ScreenBurnFixer provides several methods to address screen burn on your television or monitor. The efficacy of screen burn-in remedies is contingent upon the severity of the problem.


Visit the ScreenBurnFixer Video page to locate a video suitable for your screen type, and allow it to play for an extended duration (many hours, rather than a brief thirty-minute session). Alternatively, navigate to the Chart page and locate your device or a device that corresponds to your parameters.



Prior to contemporary flat displays, televisions utilized CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) technology, wherein pixels consisted of red, green, and blue phosphors. Over time, irregular phosphor degradation may result in "image burn," producing a residual picture on the display. However, various types of screen technology exist, each exhibiting distinct behaviors regarding screen burn.


  • Plasma screens utilize electrically charged gas (plasma) to emit photons, which are then transformed into images by phosphors. Similar to CRTs, plasma panels experience image burn when phosphors degrade from extended exposure to static images.


  • LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and LED (Light-Emitting Diode) screens utilize backlit liquid crystals to generate colors. LED is a variant of LCD that utilizes LED backlighting. These screens may not suffer from burn-in like CRTs and plasmas but may have "image retention," where a faint outline of a static image temporarily persists.


  • Burn-in versus. Image retention on LCDs and LEDs is often transient and diminishes with screen movement. Prolonged exposure to static pictures on LED, OLED, and QLED displays can result in irreversible burn-in due to accelerated pixel degradation. This is especially prevalent with static logos or news tickers.


To mitigate these problems, refrain from displaying static images on the screen for extended durations. Examine our post regarding LED, OLED, and AMOLED image burn-in and methods to prevent it. It includes several useful advice for smartphones as well.

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