Screen Bleeding Test - How to fix Screen Bleeding

Screen bleeding, also known as backlight bleeding, is a type of screen problem that is common in modern LCDs that use a light source from the screen. The LCD panel alone is meant to filter off any unnecessary backlight when showing an image/video. Smartphones and monitors that lack advanced backlight management can suffer from a problem called bleeding.

Unfortunately, the panel does not completely cover all of the light, and as a byproduct, light seeps around the frame's corners. Backlight bleeding is a phenomenon that can impair image/video quality and ruin your experience. So, how should you proceed if this happens?

Smartphone backlight bleeding is different from TV backlight bleeding in that smartphones do not use the same large screens with a set number of pixels, so there is no pattern to look for. It can be almost impossible for your eyes to notice it at first if you don't know what to look for.

Since the light source is right behind the screen in most cases, when an object with deep blacks or shadows is shown on the screen, you get a bright, white glow near objects. The effect is more pronounced on LCDs that use edge lighting. The images on the screen can also suffer from ugly contrast if you're looking for backlight bleeding.

Types of Screen Bleeding

There are two types of screen bleeding: Flash lighting & Clouding.

Flash lighting: This is a sort of backlight bleeding that appears on the monitor's corners. In a succinct summation, the screen's borders receive significantly more illumination, but the center stays significantly darker than on a standard monitor.
Clouding: It is the type of screen bleeding that creates a high-contrast image, and it is apparent in areas with deep blacks. Clouding on the other hand appears in areas that have relatively low contrast, and it is hard to detect at first.

The Backlight Bleed Test

The backlight bleed test is a simple method to check if your smartphone or TV suffers from backlight bleeding. The test looks for bright circles that appear when light leaks out from the border of the screen. A black background will help in identifying the problem easily.

Follow these instructions to do the bleed test:

Before you start the bleeding test, switch off the lights inside the area. A dark environment and a black screen/monitor make it a lot easier to determine if the glow is from an IPS or backlight bleed.
Next, adjust the display brightness to your liking, anywhere between 30% and 50%, but not 100%.
Launch a pitch-black picture or black display and look for patches of light reflected around the monitor's edges or at the borders. If you don't see any backlight bleeding or IPS glow, your monitor looks Good.

Using an App to Perform a Full Backlight Bleed Test

Some programs are employed to assess your monitor's display and identify whether or not there is an irritating backlight bleed.

You may also test this problem using the website backlightbleedingtest.com. You may use them for computers and mobile phones in addition to testing displays. These tools can determine if your phone suffers from this type of screen problem or not.

You can also use a camera to take high-quality photos of your display's edges and corners, and upload them to the website, which in turn will tell you whether you have a problem with light leaking from your display's edges.

How to fix Backlight Bleed

There are several ways to fix backlight bleeding. You can either make a trip to the local repair shop or try some quick fixes at home. These options are both costly and time-consuming, but they will take care of your issue. Here's how to do it.

The professional way: If you want to get rid of backlight bleeding fast, visit the store where you purchased your phone and ask them for a replacement. Before that though, is making sure that your phone's warranty will be void by doing this fix yourself. If you have purchased a brand new phone, the screen should have not been touched before. Ultimately, if this method does not help, return your device and ask for a replacement.

A few methods you can try to fix this issue are:

Clean the screen well with a microfiber cloth: A simple solution to get rid of this issue is by cleaning the screen with a microfiber cloth from time to time. Don't apply too much pressure on the screen and rub in long strokes, this will scratch your monitor/screen. Alternatively, you can use a window cleaning solution for cleaning screens, or any other microfiber cloth that has been washed before.
Adjust the brightness down on your laptop or your TV: If it is still not working for you, try lowering your display's brightness. You can also use a dark green computer screen or TV screen, or simply open a dark program like Netflix or YouTube to see if the glow is still present.
Adjust your smartphone's brightness settings: If you have an iPhone, adjust the brightness by going to Settings, Display & Brightness. Brightness and turning down the brightness until your problem is fixed. However, this method may not help you fix bleeding because smartphones have a separate adjustment for adjusting their backlight intensity.
Applying electrical tape to the very edge of the display: Cover the screen's ends with electrical tape. This should stop the light from leaking outside of your phone or TV, and it will also hide any scratches you may have on the screen. Applying electrical tape should do the trick, but be careful not to go over the tape or use anything abrasive near your monitor when doing this fix. Make sure you clean up any leftover residue after applying the tape.
Use a black card to cover your smartphone's display: Black foam core is a great piece of equipment for this kind of fix. You can easily buy it from most art supply stores in office product sections, but if you are unable to get one, use black cardstock instead.
Loosen the screws on the back of the monitor or TV frame with a screwdriver: You should be able to slide the screen after loosening the screws. To do this, gently pull on your TV's screen and move it a tiny bit up and down to loosen the screws.
Buy a new device: You can also replace the screen of your phone or TV with a new one if you are not satisfied with how it looks now. Just make sure you get the right replacement part.

How to prevent backlight or screen bleeding

Keep your display clean: Wipe off the dust from your display using a microfiber cloth and window cleaning solution regularly. Doing this will keep dirt away from scratches on your monitor's surface that can lead to light leakage at the edges of the display.
Reduce Screen Brightness: You can also reduce screen brightness by going to Settings, Display & Brightness and turning down the brightness until you are satisfied with how it looks.
Apply tempered glass: Using tempered glass for your smartphone's screen can help prevent scratches on the screen's surface. This method will keep your device looking brand new for a long time.
Replace the Screen of your Phone or TV: You should replace the screen of your phone or TV with a new one if you get sick and tired of fixing and cleaning this issue, which is quite costly as well, but less time-consuming than having to fix it out in a repair shop.
Avoid Straining your Screen: Make sure you avoid any kind of strain on your screen. This can cause blurring and streaks at the edges of your screen, which will eventually lead to light leakage.
Use an anti-glare display: You can also use an anti-glare display film on your smartphone's or TV's screen, which will keep glare away from the surface and reduce light leakage at the edges of the display.

A Few More Notes On Backlight Bleed Tests

A backlit bleed test can be performed just as easily over the internet by viewing a website or with software that enables on-screen testing of LED (backlit) screens in real-time by displaying dark gray or black images and detecting any instances of backlight bleed present.
Backlight bleeding can be caused by a faulty backlight diode or a faulty driver. In some cases, it can even be caused by faulty graphics chips.
Backlight bleeding is most commonly exhibited over the screen's border and corners, particularly in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors and LED (backlit) screens such as televisions, but it may also be present in some older CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and oscilloscopes as well as plasma displays.

Conclusion

There are many ways to fix backlight bleeding. Some of these methods may be more complicated than others, but if you want to make your screen glow disappear for good, try them out. Backlight bleeding has become more common than ever, and it seems like nobody is safe from its reach anymore, but there are plenty of products that do not suffer from this issue at all.