What Is This White Spot On My Laptop Screen?

I’m looking at one right now and it can be very annoying. A particular spot on your laptop screen that is either white or has a bright discoloring. It’s not completely blank, but often times there is something your are trying to see or read that is behind the dreaded white spot. Now you have to twist and turn your screen. I’ve had a similar issue on my laptop right where the time is on the bottom right corner. Go figure! Luckily I was able to fix it and hopefully one of the below methods will apply to your particular issue.

A white spot on a laptop screen can mean a number of things. It can be stuck pixels, dead pixels, hot pixels, hardware failure, or just general screen damage from accidents and general usage. Sometimes the issue can be easily fixable depending on the source of this issue. Other times it may be fixable, yet difficult. Unfortunately there also might be permanent damage done that is either way too expensive vs buying a new laptop or just not fixable at all. Lets get into some causes of white spots on laptop below and check out some potential solutions.

Reason Behind White Spots On A laptop screen

Stuck Pixels

First lets get into stuck pixels. Most laptops have LCD screens and with those you will have LED reflectors. These LED reflectors have the potential to cause a white spot you are seeing on your device. Pixels contain “subpixels” that change and work together to display the colors you are seeing on your screen. With continuous use as well as general wear and tear, the pixels, like anything else, have the potential to break and become “stuck”. What this means is one or two of the subpixels become permanently stuck “on” thus not being able to change colors. This might explain the white spot on your screen.

Hot Pixels

Hot pixels are similar to stuck pixels except all subpixels are stuck on instead of just some. Tired of that word yet? Pixels consist of a red, green, and blue subpixel. With hot pixels the red, green, and blue will all be stuck on creating a spot on your screen. Stuck would consist of one or two of the three.

Dead Pixels

Dead pixels are common enough in electronics as there are millions of them together that create the colors you are seeing. Sometimes these pixels will “die” and can cause distortion in color in a given area or just a white or black spot. If the grouping of subpixels die then there would just be black. No light will display. Unfortunately there is not much you can do when it comes to dead pixels besides replacing the screen. If the spot is white there is hope it is a “stuck pixel” but whether it is white, distorted, or black, dead pixels are dead pixels.

Hardware Issues or Failure

Everything you see on your screen is powered and controlled by your graphics card. Each device with an interface has one. Some more powerful than others. A way to check if there is hardware failure is to connect your laptop to a secondary monitor. *Be sure the monitor works normally! If everything seems fine on the secondary monitor but not your laptop then that means your GPU is fine. It must be a different screen issue. However, if the additional display is also experiencing screen issues, then something is wrong with your hardware.

How To Remove White Spot On Laptop Screen

Stuck Pixel Solution

If you believe your device has a stuck pixel then you have a good option to try out. First be sure to power off your laptop and make sure it is not connected to a power supply. Next, simply take a microfiber cloth and gently press against and around where the white spot is occurring. Emphasis on *gently*. You don’t want to increase your already potentially damaged screen. This method has the potential to fix the pixels only displaying a grouping of white. You could also use anything soft like a stylus for a touch screen. This shouldn’t take you long to try. No more than a minute.

Another method you can try is using jscreenfix.com

This basically renders a small box or rapidly changing pixels that will attempt to force a response by changing voltage and colors wherever you place it on the screen. It will make sense when you see it! This isn’t a guaranteed solution but it is low risk and worth a shot. You could try leaving it on your desired spot for around 20 minutes and see if that fixes things. It won’t hurt your laptop in any way if you give it more or less time. You could even leave it overnight if you so choose. It should be noted this is for LCD monitors only.

For stuck or hot pixels the tip you probably don’t want to hear is that sometimes time can fix it. Technology is weird and often times it can fix itself. If you have been having this problem for months then your time is up. Sorry! If this is a brand new problem then it is always possible the pixels will sort themselves out.

Hardware Fixes

Unless you are extremely tech savy and work on graphics units, fixing it will probably be out of the question. There is still hope! Obviously you can always buy a new GPU. If you aren’t doing anything heavy duty like gaming then you might be able to replace your graphics in your laptop fairly cheap by tearing apart old units or finding outdated hardware online. That will be entirely dependent on what device you have, how new is it, how accessible is it etc. The hope is in the software.

Using Software

It is possible that your graphics driver is the cause of the issue. Even if you connected to another display decided it is a hardware issue, be sure to check the driver before you throw your hands up in the air thinking you have to shell out a bunch of money. Open up your control panel via the start menu and search for your driver. You can either click update so you know you have the most up to date version. You can also uninstall the driver, then download the latest stable version. The driver will be located under the display adapters tab.

Here you can right click or double click to bring up the properties. You can uninstall or update via the properties pop up menu or use the task bar above in the device manager.

Test Your Laptop Screen For White Spots

Be sure to check out your screen immediately if you have a new laptop. Even if you find one you like in a store you will be receiving a new device. As long as it is not used I would expect you to have some sort of warranty or return period after your initial purchase. Mess with the brightness settings and try to put some stress on the screen. Stress via the interface, do not start pressing and putting physical pressure on the screen! duh! Make the background dark if it isn’t already and take note if you see any white spots or potential pixel issues. If you notice anything off then see about returning it or getting it fixed via warranty. While technology keeps getting better that doesn’t mean your special new device is impervious to common problems.

Take Care Of Your Laptop Screen To Avoid Possible Damages

If you move around a lot or travel consider investing in a protective case or sleeve. Most of the time damage will happen when you are moving around and handling the laptop even when it is closed. Sometimes you start to get a little more carless when setting down your device or moving it. Even if you have a touchscreen you should be mindful of the pressure your are using on the glass and how hard the device is hitting the surface. Always be sure to keep your laptop cool, out of the heat, and out of direct sunlight.

Conclusion

Hopefully this gave you some guidance or a starting point on your screen issues. Remember to always handle your devices with care as electronics are expensive! There is no need to worry right away as there are always potential solutions to your tech issues. While white spots on screens can be major or minor we hope that in your case it is the latter and you can utilize one of the methods listed above to solve your problem. In the long run it is always beneficial to dig in and try to fix something yourself so you have a better understanding of what is going on. You may be able to help someone you know with a similar problem in the future.

FAQs on How to Remove White Spot on Laptop Screen

Why Is There A White Spot On My Monitor?

Your graphics unit could be damaged, your screen could be damaged or dying, or concentrated areas of pixels could be stuck.

What Causes White Spots On Laptop Screen?

This is a common problem with LCD panels. This could be a simple case of a hot or stuck pixel. Pixels come in groups of 3 consisting of a red, green, and blue. Sometimes the pixels are “hot” which means all three subpixels are stuck and will not change even when your interface demands it. Similarly your pixels could be stuck which is almost the same issue except it is one or two subpixels rather than all.

How Do I Remove A Spot From My Laptop Screen?

There are a number of methods to try depending on the root cause. You can try gently massaging the spot with a stylus or microfiber cloth. Charging the spot using a pixel generator. Another method to try is updating your graphics driver or uninstalling completely and re-installing the latest driver.

Can Dead Pixels Go Away?

If the problem is brand new, then it is possible the pixels can become fixed themselves. If they are truly dead pixels then unfortunately there is nothing you can do outside of replacing the screen which can be costly. First try the methods above to see if your problem can be fixed. If the spot is black then there is no light being emitted and you have dead pixels on your hands.

Can Dead Pixels Spread?

You do not have to worry about dead pixels spreading. If you notice white spots spreading on your screen then there is ongoing damage that is affecting the LED reflectors. Be sure to always handle your devices with care to avoid breaking your screen resulting in dead pixels.

Is It Expensive To Replace A White Spot?

It is too difficult to say the cost without knowing the actual issues and extent of the potential problems or damage. If it is a graphics processing problem then you will need replacement hardware. If you experiencing severe screen issues then you may need an entire screen replacement. Be sure to check your manufacturers warranty to see if you are covered for a replacement or maintenance.