How we wrote this guide: the check uses our own Screen Test. What counts as normal bleed is based on RTINGS’ black uniformity testing, linked under Sources.
LCD screens don’t make their own light. A backlight shines through the panel, and the panel blocks or lets through light for each pixel. When the edges of the panel don’t seal perfectly, some of that light escapes. That escaping light is backlight bleed.
How to check your screen
- Dim or turn off the lights in the room.
- Set the screen brightness to the level you normally use.
- Open our screen test and pick Black.
- Look straight at the screen from your normal distance and check the edges and corners.
Take a photo with your phone if you want to show the shop, but phone cameras exaggerate bleed, so judge with your own eyes.
Bleed or IPS glow?
- Backlight bleed stays in the same place and has the same shape when you move your head.
- IPS glow is a silvery or warm haze, mostly in the corners of IPS screens, that changes or disappears when you change your viewing angle. It is a property of the panel type, not a fault.
Is some bleed normal?
Most LCD screens show a little bleed on a black screen in a dark room. It counts as a problem when you can see it in normal use, for example in films with black bars or dark game scenes, or when bright patches reach far into the picture.
What you can do
- If the screen is new, check the shop’s return window and the manufacturer’s warranty terms. Bleed comes from how the panel was assembled, so an exchange is the most reliable fix.
- Lower the brightness a little. Bleed is more visible at high brightness.
- Don’t press on the screen or loosen screws to fix it. That can make it worse and may void the warranty.
Does it get worse over time?
Bleed usually stays the same over the life of the screen. If it suddenly appears after a drop or a knock, the panel or its frame may be damaged.