Best in a dark room with the TV or monitor brightness turned up. The screen goes fully black - look for bright patches at the edges and corners. Tap or use the buttons to switch shade, Esc to exit.
What is backlight bleed?
Backlight bleed is light from your screen's backlight leaking through on dark scenes, usually seen as bright patches or streaks at the edges and corners of a black screen. This free test shows a pure black screen so you can check your TV or monitor for bleed and clouding. It works best in a dark room with the brightness turned up. OLED screens have no backlight, so they show no bleed.
How to test for backlight bleed
- Darken the room - bleed and clouding are only visible against a truly dark background.
- Turn the screen's backlight or brightness up so any leaking light shows clearly.
- Press Start backlight bleed test for a full black screen.
- Look around the edges and corners for bright patches (bleed) and across the middle for uneven blotches (clouding).
- Use the 5% Gray shade to make faint clouding easier to spot.
Backlight bleed
Light leaking through at the edges or corners, often as bright streaks. Caused by uneven pressure or imperfect panel sealing on LCD, LED and QLED screens.
Clouding
Soft, blotchy uneven patches across the panel on dark scenes. A milder, more spread-out version of bleed.
IPS glow
A silvery glow in the corners that shifts as you move your head. Normal on IPS panels and not a defect - it is not the same as bleed.
Is some bleed normal?
Yes. A little backlight bleed is normal on any LCD, LED or QLED screen and is not a fault on its own. It becomes a problem when it is heavy, distracting during normal viewing, or shows as strong flashlights in the corners. If yours is severe, compare it against your manufacturer's policy and warranty. OLED screens have no backlight, so they show no bleed at all.
Backlight bleed FAQ
What is backlight bleed?
Backlight bleed is light from an LCD, LED or QLED panel's backlight leaking through on dark scenes, usually seen as bright patches or streaks at the edges and corners on a black screen.
Backlight bleed vs clouding vs IPS glow?
Bleed is light leaking at the edges. Clouding is uneven blotchy patches across the screen. IPS glow is a silvery glow in the corners that changes with your viewing angle and is normal on IPS panels.
Is some backlight bleed normal?
Yes. Mild bleed is normal on LCD, LED and QLED screens. It is only a defect when it is heavy, distracting in everyday use, or appears as bright flashlights in the corners. Check your warranty if it is severe.
Do OLED TVs have backlight bleed?
No. OLED pixels make their own light and have no backlight, so they show no bleed or clouding. OLED panels have perfect blacks but can suffer from burn-in instead.
How can I reduce backlight bleed?
Lower the backlight or brightness, let the screen warm up for a while, and avoid pressing on the panel or frame. Some mild cases ease over the first few weeks of use.
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