Color & Calibration
Black Screen
A pure black full-screen for backlight, dust, and OLED checks.
▶ Start full-screen testTap for controls · Esc to exit
How to use
- 1Click Start for a full-screen pure black field.
- 2In a dark room, look for glowing edges or patches (backlight bleed / IPS glow).
- 3Press Esc to exit.
FAQ
What is a black screen used for?
Checking backlight bleed and IPS glow, spotting dust before cleaning, testing true blacks on OLED panels, and as a simple low-glare background.
Why do the edges glow on a black screen?
On an LCD, that's backlight bleed or IPS glow: light from the backlight leaking at the edges, or showing through as a haze when you look at an angle. A little is normal on almost every LCD. An OLED should stay fully black, because its pixels switch off.
Does a black screen save power?
On OLED, yes: black pixels are switched off and draw almost nothing. On an LCD the backlight stays on behind the black image, so the saving is small. Lowering brightness, or turning the display off, saves far more.
Tips
- Turn the lights off and crank brightness to maximum — bleed is invisible in a bright room.
- Let your eyes adjust for 30 seconds before judging the corners.
Related tests
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Related guides
Learn more about what this test reveals and how to act on the results.
IPS vs VA vs TN vs OLED: Which Panel Should You Get?Color, contrast, response speed and viewing angles compared across all four panel types, with the right pick for gaming, work and movies.Mini-LED vs OLED: Which Is Better for You?Brightness and burn-in resistance versus perfect blacks and zero blooming — the real trade-offs between Mini-LED and OLED, and who each suits.Do You Still Need a Screensaver?Screensavers were invented to stop CRT burn-in. Here's what they still do for OLED, LCD and TVs today, and when sleep or a black screen is the better choice.Why Do Blacks Look Grey? Full vs Limited RGB RangeWashed-out blacks or crushed shadows over HDMI are often an RGB range mismatch, not a bad panel. Here's how to spot it and how to set it right.