How-to · Monitors
How to prevent OLED burn-in on a monitor: 10 settings and habits that work
Burn-in comes from static content at high brightness for many hours. Ten Windows, macOS, and monitor settings that cut the risk without ruining the picture.
OLED pixels wear slightly as they emit light, and pixels that show the same bright content for thousands of hours wear faster than their neighbors, leaving a permanent ghost. Modern OLED monitors fight this with pixel shift and refresh cycles, and most brands warranty burn-in for two to three years, but your habits still matter most.
10 ways to prevent burn-in
- Auto-hide the taskbar (Windows) or Dock (macOS).
- Use dark mode in the OS, browser, and apps.
- Lower SDR brightness for desktop work; save peak brightness for games and HDR video.
- Set the display to sleep after 5 to 10 minutes idle.
- Leave pixel shift (also called orbit or screen move) on.
- Let the monitor enter standby so it can run its automatic refresh; avoid cutting power at the wall right after use.
- Hide desktop icons and use a changing or dark wallpaper.
- Turn on HUD dimming or logo detection if your monitor has it.
- Avoid leaving paused videos, game menus, or streaming overlays on screen.
- Rotate content: do not run the same dashboard or trading layout 10 hours a day on OLED; use an LCD for that.
What to do if you see a ghost image
First, show varied or full-screen content and put the monitor in standby; temporary retention usually clears. If it persists, run the manual pixel refresh from the on-screen menu once. If it still stays, it may be burn-in: photograph it on a solid gray full-screen image and contact the manufacturer under its burn-in warranty.
Questions we get
Is image retention the same as burn-in?
No. Image retention is temporary: a faint ghost that fades after minutes or after the monitor's pixel refresh runs. Burn-in is permanent wear that stays. Retention is a warning sign to change habits.
Should I run pixel refresh manually?
Only if you see retention, or if the monitor prompts you. Most OLED monitors run a short refresh automatically when put into standby. Running the long manual refresh constantly is unnecessary.
Does dark mode really help?
Yes. Bright white backgrounds and toolbars drive pixels hardest. Dark mode lowers wear on the areas that stay static all day, such as browser tabs and app sidebars.