Support · 2026
Stuck pixel or dead pixel? How to tell them apart, and how to fix it
A coloured dot that never switches off can often be freed in ten minutes, free of charge, straight from your browser. A black dot, on the other hand, is usually a genuine fault. Here is how to tell them apart, and what to do in each case.
It happens on every brand, ours included
Let us be straightforward: a faulty pixel is not the mark of a poor brand. A 27-inch 5K panel contains 5,120 × 2,880 pixels, close to 14.7 million dots, each made of three sub-pixels. That is more than 44 million transistors to etch without a single error.
No manufacturer in the world achieves a 100 % success rate at that volume, and that applies to Apple, LG, Samsung, Dell and BenQ just as much as to Kuycon — we buy our panels from the same foundries they do. That is precisely why an international standard exists, ISO 9241-307, defining how many faulty pixels are tolerated for a given display class.
Official Kuycon tool. Around 70% success. It does not work every time, but most stuck pixels can be revived. Start repair
Diagnosis
Stuck pixel or dead pixel: the difference
It comes down to a single question: is the dot coloured, or black?
| Stuck pixelstuck pixel | Dead pixeldead pixel | |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | a coloured dot: red, green, blue, sometimes yellow, cyan, magenta or white | a black dot, completely off |
| On a white background | visible, coloured | visible, black |
| On a black background | visible, it stays lit | invisible, it blends in |
| Cause | a sub-pixel stays powered | the transistor no longer responds |
| Repairable? | often, in a few minutes | no, it is a hardware fault |
| What to do | run the tool below | contact after-sales support |
The decisive test: display a completely black image full screen. A dot that stays lit on a black background is a stuck pixel. A dot that only appears against a light background is a dead pixel.
The fix
Freeing a coloured pixel in ten minutes
The tool we recommend is called Kuycon PixelFix. It is free, runs directly in the browser and requires no download.
Locate the dot precisely
Display a plain full-screen image — white, then black, then red, green and blue — and note the exact position of the offending dot. A stuck pixel shows up mainly against black; a dead pixel, mainly against white. While you are there, clean the screen with a dry microfibre cloth: ingrained dust looks a great deal like a dead pixel.
Open the tool in your browser
Go to Kuycon PixelFix, official stuck pixel repair tool and start the repair. There is nothing to install: the page displays a patch of very high-frequency coloured noise, generated in JavaScript, which forces the sub-pixels to change state hundreds of times per second.
Place the patch over the pixel
Drag the repair square until it covers the stuck dot. It does not need to be centred to the pixel: it is enough for the active area to pass over it.
Let it run for at least ten minutes
This is the step everyone cuts short, and it is the one that matters. Allow ten minutes minimum, and do not hesitate to leave it an hour if the dot resists. Some pixels give way in thirty seconds, others need several successive runs.
Check, and repeat if needed
Go back to a black then a white background to check. If the dot has gone, it was indeed a stuck pixel. If it is still there after two or three long runs, move on to the next section.
What you must not do
On plenty of forums you will find the advice to press firmly on the panel with a cloth or a rounded object, at the spot of the pixel. Do not do it.
The technique sometimes works, but it risks causing permanent damage: pressure marks, mottling, displaced liquid crystals or new dead pixels around it. On an OLED panel it can mark the screen permanently. And it exposes you to a refused claim: a pressure mark is identifiable by a technician.
If the pixel will not go
Two cases arise.
The dot is black. It is very probably a genuinely faulty pixel: the transistor driving that dot no longer responds. No software can wake it, because this is not a state problem but a failed component.
The dot is coloured and resists after several long sessions. This is rarer, but it happens: some sub-pixels stay powered because of a physical defect rather than a simple state lock.
In both cases, the next step is after-sales support.
Our faulty pixel policy
Kuycon monitors comply with the ISO 9241-307 Class Istandard, and our threshold is stricter than the standard: beyondone faulty pixel — bright or dark — per million, the monitor qualifies for replacement.
The warranty covers 2 years in the European Union and 12 months outside the EU, against material and manufacturing defects. After-sales is handled in Europe by our own technicians. The exact terms are on the Warranty page.
In practice: photograph the dot against white and then against black, note your order number, and write to us. In most cases the photograph is enough to qualify the defect.
Can the problem be avoided?
Not at the point of purchase: no factory check guarantees zero faulty pixels over a panel’s lifetime, and some appear after several months of use. Two habits do, however, reduce the risk of a pixel sticking:
- Avoid static images displayed for very long periods at maximum brightness — a static interface left for hours always drives the same sub-pixels.
- Let the screen switch off rather than showing a bright screensaver permanently. Sleep is the best care a panel can get.
And if a coloured dot appears one morning: do not panic, open the tool, let it run for ten minutes. It is free, and in most cases that is all it takes.
FAQ
Faulty pixels: frequently asked questions
How do I know whether a pixel is stuck or dead?
Display a completely black image full screen. A dot that stays lit and coloured is a stuck pixel, very often repairable. A dot that disappears against black but appears black against white is a dead pixel, that is, a hardware fault.
How do I fix a stuck pixel for free?
With Kuycon PixelFix, at kuycon.co: the tool runs directly in the browser, with no download or installation. Drag the repair area over the dot and let it run for at least ten minutes.
Can a black pixel be repaired?
No, in almost every case. A black dot means the transistor driving that pixel no longer responds: no software can reactivate it. You then need to go through after-sales support.
Should I press on the screen to free a pixel?
No. Pressure can cause permanent damage — mottling, marks, new dead pixels — and a pressure mark is identifiable by a technician, which can lead to a refused claim. The software method carries no risk.
Is a faulty pixel covered by the Kuycon warranty?
Our monitors meet ISO 9241-307 Class I with a stricter threshold: beyond one faulty pixel, bright or dark, per million, the monitor qualifies for replacement. The warranty runs for 2 years in the European Union and 12 months outside the EU.
Do faulty pixels affect every brand?
Yes, without exception. A 5K panel holds nearly 14.7 million pixels and more than 44 million sub-pixels; no manufacturer achieves a perfect yield. That is precisely why an international standard governs how many pixels are tolerated.
Does the tool work on a television or a phone?
Yes: it is simply a web page displaying an animated pattern. It works on monitors, laptops, smart televisions, tablets and phones, on LCD as well as OLED.
Unsure about your screen?
Try the tool first: it is free and carries no risk. If a black dot remains, write to us with two photographs. After-sales handled in Europe, 2-year warranty in the European Union.
See the warrantyArticle written in September 2026. Kuycon PixelFix is a free third-party tool that we neither develop nor control; it only alters what is displayed.