Screen Defect

Dark shadow on computer screen

About 9 seconds, full screen, then one question.
White screenBlack screenGrey screenRed screenGreen screenBlue screen
White screen⛶ Full screen
On whitedark spots, pressure marks, lines
On blackbright dots, backlight bleed, glow
On red, green, bluedead or stuck pixels, colour lines
Depends — see test

A dark shadow or shaded area on a computer screen — larger than a spot, with soft edges — is one of three things: a pressure bruise where the panel was squeezed (a bag, a thumb, a case), a backlight fault (LCD: a failing LED string or a slipped diffuser sheet leaves a dim band), or burn-in of a dark app area (OLED).

Test it now

Full-screen white shows a bruise or a dim band clearly. Full-screen grey (50%) shows burn-in ghosts best. If the shadow has the shape of an app element, it is burn-in.

What it is

A dark shadow or shaded area on a computer screen — larger than a spot, with soft edges — is one of three things: a pressure bruise where the panel was squeezed (a bag, a thumb, a case), a backlight fault (LCD: a failing LED string or a slipped diffuser sheet leaves a dim band), or burn-in of a dark app area (OLED). A shadow of an image that looks like the keyboard or a status bar is burn-in, not a bruise.

Can it be fixed?

Bruise: no. Dim band from a backlight LED: the backlight strip can be replaced on monitors and TVs, rarely worth it on a laptop, not possible on a phone. Burn-in: no. Image retention (fades in hours): yes, by itself.

What to do

  1. White, then grey, then black.
  2. Shape of an app element → burn-in test page.
  3. Uniform dim band at one edge → backlight; get a quote if it is a monitor or TV.
  4. Soft blotch, any position → pressure; photograph and decide whether to live with it.

What a repair costs

United Statesusually more than the monitor is worth — a panel swap starts around $150 and most 24"–27" monitors cost less new
India₹4,000–10,000 for a panel, so a new monitor is often the better buy

Typical ranges from repair-shop and manufacturer price lists, 2026-09-06. Get two quotes; prices vary by model and city.

Warranty

Most makers replace a panel under warranty for physical panel faults that are not accidental damage; pressure marks, cracks and liquid damage are treated as accidental and are not covered. For dead pixels, each brand has a threshold (typically 3–5 bright or 5–8 dark pixels on a laptop; Dell's premium-panel guarantee replaces at one bright pixel).

Related

Why is there a line on my computer screenA line on a computer screen is either the signal or the panel.Depends — see testBlack spot on monitorA black spot, black dot or dark mark on a monitor or computer screen has the same three causes as on a laptop: dead pixels (a sharp black point or cluster on every colour), a crack in the LCD (a black blot with lines running from it), or pressure damage from something pressing the panel (a soft dark smudge on white).Not fixable — new panelBlack dot on computer screenA black dot on a computer screen that shows on white and vanishes on black is inside the panel: a cluster of dead pixels (a sharp-edged tiny square), a pressure mark (soft-edged, where something pressed the panel), or dirt under the glass (moves if you press gently, on tablets and monitors only).Depends — see testBlack shadow on iPhone screenA dark shadow or shaded area on an iPhone screen — larger than a spot, with soft edges — is one of three things: a pressure bruise where the panel was squeezed (a bag, a thumb, a case), a backlight fault (LCD: a failing LED string or a slipped diffuser sheet leaves a dim band), or burn-in of a dark app area (OLED).Depends — see test