RGB Color Cycle Test: Find Stuck Pixels in 60 Seconds
Published March 13, 2026
A stuck pixel shows up as a tiny dot of the wrong color — red, green, or blue — that refuses to change regardless of what is on screen. Unlike dead pixels (always black), stuck pixels are still powered; they’re just frozen in one state. This guide explains how to find them and what to do next.
What causes stuck pixels
Each physical pixel is made of three subpixels: one red, one green, one blue. The LCD panel uses a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer to switch each subpixel on and off in response to the image signal.
A stuck pixel occurs when a transistor fails and locks a subpixel in the “on” or “off” position. On an LCD, a subpixel stuck in the “on” position lets the backlight through at full intensity in that channel, producing a red, green, or blue dot. A subpixel stuck “off” blocks its channel entirely — if all three subpixels in a pixel are stuck off, you get a dead pixel.
OLED displays can also develop stuck subpixels. On OLED, because each subpixel emits its own light rather than blocking a backlight, a stuck-on subpixel appears brighter than its neighbors.
How to find stuck pixels
The key insight: a stuck red subpixel is invisible on a red background. You can only see it on backgrounds that don’t contain red — like blue, green, or cyan.
This is why a single-color test misses most stuck pixels. You need to cycle through all three primary colors, which is exactly what the RGB cycle test does.
Step 1 — Open the RGB cycle test and tap Start.
Step 2 — The screen cycles through red, green, and blue at a configurable speed.
Step 3 — Watch for any dot that doesn’t match the current background:
- On a red screen, a stuck green or blue subpixel appears as a cyan, green, or blue dot
- On a green screen, a stuck red or blue subpixel appears as a yellow, magenta, or red dot
- On a blue screen, a stuck red or green subpixel appears as a yellow, magenta, or red dot
Step 4 — If you spot a suspicious pixel, pause on that color and examine it closely. Move your face a few inches from the screen if needed.
The full dead pixel test
For the most comprehensive check — including dead pixels, hot pixels, and stuck pixels — run the dead pixel test which cycles through six colors: black, white, red, green, blue, and yellow.
Can stuck pixels be fixed?
Sometimes yes. Here are the methods most commonly reported to work:
Pixel cycling
A pixel cycling program rapidly alternates a stuck pixel through all colors at high frequency — sometimes forcing the transistor to reset. The RGB cycle test at its fastest speed (0.5s) can serve this purpose. Let it run for 10–30 minutes on the affected area.
Gentle pressure
Power off the monitor. Wrap a pen or stylus with a soft cloth, and apply light pressure to the stuck pixel while powering the monitor back on. Some people report this physically “unsticks” the transistor. Important: use very light pressure — less than you think — and never press directly without a cloth.
Heat
Stuck pixels sometimes resolve on their own after the monitor heats up to operating temperature. Let the monitor run at full brightness for 30–60 minutes before concluding a pixel is permanently stuck.
Wait
Some stuck pixels resolve spontaneously over time, especially in the first few weeks of use. If you’ve just noticed a stuck pixel on a new monitor, don’t panic — it may disappear within days.
When to request a replacement
Stuck pixels within the warranty period can often be replaced under the manufacturer’s defect policy. The same ISO 13406-2 thresholds that apply to dead pixels apply to stuck pixels: Class II monitors (the most common) allow up to 2 bright sub-pixel defects.
If you’re within the warranty period and the stuck pixel hasn’t resolved after a few weeks, contact support. Document it with a photo taken against a background that makes it clearly visible.
Try the RGB cycle test now
The RGB cycle tool takes 60 seconds and checks all three primary color channels. Run it every few months on a new monitor — stuck pixels that develop gradually are much easier to notice when you run a regular check.