Those light spots on your black screen are just as annoying as mosquitos in your bedroom…
Do you know that, you’re in the middle of an exciting series, eyes fixed on the screen, and then you see it… strange spots of light that ruin the atmosphere. An unwanted light show in your dark scenes, as if someone is in the cinema with a flashlight. This phenomenon, my friends, is called backlight bleeding.
But fear not! In this article, we’re going to dive into the tech wilderness to find out exactly what backlight bleeding is, how it happens, and most importantly, how to recognize and maybe even fix it! Sounds good? Then let’s dive in!
The technical explanation behind backlight bleeding
Technically, backlight bleeding means that your screen’s backlight isn’t functioning optimally. If that lighting is not completely even, you will get spots. Not ideal if you’re in the middle of a Netflix marathon, right?
But then why is this happening? Well, that backlight is behind your LCD panel (hence the name “backlight”). If this lighting shines through the edges of your screen, you get backlight bleeding. You will see light spots, especially in the corners of your screen.
How it arises: the process of backlight bleeding
So, how come the lighting shines through at the edges? That has everything to do with how your screen is made. Imagine a sandwich. But instead of ham and cheese, you have a layer of LEDs or lamps (the backlight), a layer of glass (the LCD panel), and then another layer of glass (the screen you actually see).
If that “sandwich” doesn’t line up perfectly, the light from the LEDs or bulbs can escape and show through the edges of your screen. That’s backlight bleeding. It can occur on your phone, tablet, laptop and of course your monitor and occurs more often when you don’t handle your screen with care.
And what happens if that lighting is uneven? Well, imagine you’re in a dark room and someone shines a flashlight in your face. Not pleasant, right? The same thing happens with your screen. If the lighting is not even, you will get light and dark spots. And that can pretty much ruin your viewing experience.
Difference between backlight bleeding and glow
Okay, so now you know what backlight bleeding is. But wait a minute, what’s that “glow” that everyone is talking about? Glow is another phenomenon that you can see on your screen.
It’s sort of a halo effect around the edges of your screen, especially visible when you look at your screen from an angle. Think of the light you see when you look through a fogged window.
And what about backlight bleeding and glow? Are they related? Well, they’re more like those cousins you only see at family parties.
In short: glow is a kind of light you see when you look at your screen from an angle, while backlight bleeding is visible as light spots on the edges of your screen, no matter from which angle you look.
A good rule of thumb is that if the light is concentrated in the corners of your screen, you’re probably dealing with backlight bleeding. If, on the other hand, the light spreads more evenly across the screen, you’re probably dealing with glow.
I hope the table below makes things a bit clearer.
| Backlight Bleeding | Glow |
|---|---|
| Light spots on the edges of the screen | Halo effect visible when viewed from an angle |
| Visible regardless of viewing angle | Disappears when changing the viewing angle |
| Caused by uneven backlight | Normal with certain types of screens (such as IPS) |
How backlight bleeding affects your screen
And now for the bad news: backlight bleeding can seriously ruin your viewing experience. It’s like watching a movie with the curtains open on a sunny day. You are missing a lot of details. It can significantly affect the color reproduction and readability of your screen, especially if you have a good 27 inch monitor.
How to identify backlight bleeding on your screen
There are several signs you can look out for. One of the most common is dark or black areas of the screen appearing gray or washed out. This can be especially noticeable when using a daisy chain display.
To check if and where you are experiencing blacklight bleeding, open a full-size black image on your screen. This way you can see where the gray spots appear most clearly.
The most common signs of backlight bleeding
Okay, time for a checklist:
- Dark or black areas of the screen appear gray or washed out.
- The screen does not appear uniformly lit.
- There are light spots or areas that are brighter than the rest of the screen.
- The color reproduction is not consistent across the entire screen.
Is there a solution for backlight bleeding?
Well, I have good news and less good news for you. The less good news is that it is not always possible to completely eliminate backlight bleeding. The good news is that there are ways to reduce it.
Simple steps to reduce or fix backlight bleeding
Fancy becoming a bit of a do-it-yourselfer? 👨 Then there are a few steps you can try to reduce backlight bleeding. But beware, it is not child’s play and there are risks involved. The last thing you want is to damage your screen further, right?
- Lower the brightness of your screen. Sometimes too high a brightness can be the cause of the problem.
- Try loosening the screws on your screen. Overtightened screws can put pressure on the screen and cause backlight bleeding. How to do this depends on the model of your laptop or monitor.
- Use a soft cloth to gently apply pressure to the areas where the backlight bleeding is the worst. This can sometimes help distribute the lighting more evenly. Be really careful though – I’ve made it worse myself when I got a little too aggressive!
If you’re really a techie, you might want to consider setting the monitor overdrive. This can help improve the responsiveness of your screen and thus reduce the visibility of backlight bleeding. But beware, this is not for beginners and can damage your screen if not done properly.
A safer option, for example, is to use your TV as a monitor for those moments when you want to enjoy deep black colors.
Televisions often suffer less from backlight bleeding because of their different screen technology. But beware, this is not a panacea. It strongly depends on the type of TV and the quality of the screen.
Frequently asked questions about backlight bleeding
For convenience, I’ve also made a list of the most frequently asked questions about backlight bleeding, in which I briefly summarize everything I’ve explained above.
What exactly is backlight bleeding?
Backlight bleeding is a phenomenon where your screen’s backlight bleeds through the edges of the screen, creating unwanted flare.
How does backlight bleeding occur?
Backlight bleeding occurs when the backlight of the screen is not evenly distributed. This can be caused by several factors such as the quality of the screen, the way it is mounted, and the brightness settings.
What is the difference between backlight bleeding and glow?
The difference between backlight bleeding and glow is that glow is a kind of light you see when you look at your screen from an angle, while backlight bleeding is visible when you’re sitting directly in front of your screen.
How can I recognize backlight bleeding?
You can recognize backlight bleeding by bright spots or areas on your screen, especially around the edges and in dark scenes.
Can I do something about backlight bleeding myself?
Yes, there are a few things you can try yourself to reduce backlight bleeding, such as lowering the brightness of your screen, loosening the screws on your screen, or gently applying pressure to the areas where the backlight bleeding is occurring. the worst.
But beware, these methods are not without risks and can damage your screen if not done correctly. Unfortunately, completely removing backlight bleeding is also not possible.
How can I prevent blacklight bleeding?
Getting the best monitor for working from home or the best monitor for photo editing is the best way to prevent blacklight bleeding in your home office. The technology is getting better and luckily blacklight bleeding is becoming less and less common. The investment is worth it!
It is also important to handle your screen with care. Don’t bump things into it and don’t drop your screen at all on the floor. Damage to the screen that causes backlight bleeding is irreversible!
Conclusion
We’ve researched what backlight bleeding is, how it occurs, and how to identify it. But we’ve also taken a closer look at some DIY solutions. So, if you look at your screen now and see those annoying flares, you know it’s not the end of the world.
You have the knowledge to find out if you are experiencing backlight bleeding and what you may be able to do to reduce it.
And remember, when it comes down to it, the most important thing is that you enjoy your technology. So sit back, turn on your favorite show and… enjoy it, even if it ‘bleeds’ a little!