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How to test backlight bleed?

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Backlight bleeding has been a common problem that can be pretty distracting for gamers and content creators. The effect can be rather unpleasant to watch and even intolerable in severe cases.

In this article, we’re going over what is backlight bleeding, how you can test if your monitors suffer from it, and then the solutions you can take to fix the problem.

What is backlight bleeding?

Backlight bleeding is a defect caused by excessive light leaking from the display panel and ‘bleeding’ through the edges of the frame. This happens in two ways.

  • Clouding: Then irregular patches of light are visible on completely black screens. Most commonly found on bigger monitors. 
  • Flash lighting: The bleed will consistently be visible on the edge of the monitor. In severe cases the center might even be dimmer than the edges.

Difference between backlight bleeding and IPS glow

IPS glow shows up as a faint glow only visible in certain angles, especially when watching darker content on an IPS display. This is not to be confused with backlight bleeding, as based on the panel, IPS glow is unavoidable but tolerable. 

Also read: What is Monitor Ghosting? 5 Fixes

How to check for backlight bleeding?

Testing it out isn’t a complex process if you suspect your monitor might be suffering from bleeding. 

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All you have to do is turn off the lights and make sure the monitor is in a dark room. Then adjust monitor brightness to somewhere between 30-50% and set up a black screen or open a black image.

Once you’re there, you’ll be able to see patches of light on the edges or corners of your display panel if your monitor suffers from bleeding.

How to fix backlight bleeding?

There’s not a lot you can do to fix backlight bleeding as it’s mainly caused by defects or cheaper quality components used from the manufacturer’s side. However, you can try one of these fixes.

  • Let your monitor sit for a day.
  • Loosen screws holding the monitor frame in place. At times backlight bleeding is caused by warping of the frame panels because they’ve been shut too tight.
  • Try slightly twisting your frame.
  • Rub the bleed areas in a circular motion with a microfibre cloth. Make sure to apply enough pressure.

Also read: Why does my monitor say no signal? 5 Fixes

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