Monitor Shadow Problem: Ghosting, Dark Patches and Double Images

"Shadow" covers three different problems. A trail behind moving things is ghosting, usually fixable in settings. A blurred or doubled copy of everything is often the cable or signal. A dark patch that stays in one place is a fault in the screen itself.

Check it now with the moving block screen test

Which one do you have?

Trail behind moving things (ghosting): Moving objects leave a blur or smear behind them. Run the moving-block test to see it. See fixes
Doubled or shadowed copy of text and icons: Everything has a faint copy beside it, even when nothing moves. See fixes
Dark patch that stays in one place: Same spot on every picture. Shows during the monitor's own self-test. See fixes

Fixes to try (easiest first)

Ghosting: set the right refresh rate
Make sure your computer's display settings use the refresh rate your monitor supports. [1]
Ghosting: update the graphics driver
Outdated graphics drivers can make ghosting worse. Install the latest driver for your graphics card. [1]
Doubled image: check and swap the cable
Make sure the video cable is firmly connected at both ends with no bent pins, then try a known-good replacement cable. [2]
Reset the monitor's settings
Use the monitor's menu to reset it to factory settings (for example on ASUS: Menu > System Setup > Reset). [2]
Dark patch: run the monitor self-test
Run the self-test with the cables unplugged. If the patch shows during the test, the monitor panel itself has a hardware fault. [3]

Is it worth fixing?

Ghosting and cable problems usually cost nothing, or the price of a new cable. A fixed dark patch that shows in the self-test is a panel fault. Contact the manufacturer if it's under warranty; out of warranty, compare a repair quote with the cost of a new monitor.

Repair or replace? Try the calculator · Not sure this is your problem? Take the quiz

Common questions

Is monitor ghosting covered by warranty?

Lenovo says ghosting is typically treated as a settings issue and isn't covered by most warranties, unless it's caused by a defective part.

Sources

Last checked: October 21, 2026