White Spot on Your Screen? What Causes It and How to Fix It

Which one do you have?

Dirt or dust

The spot wipes away, or looks like it sits on top of the glass. See fixes

Stuck pixel

A single tiny, sharp dot that stays lit on every background. See fixes

Pressure damage

A brighter blotch, often after the laptop was carried in a full bag or pressed with a finger. It may grow or spread. See fixes

Backlight problem

A soft, glowing patch that's easiest to see on dark pictures. See fixes

Fixes to try (easiest first)

1. Clean the screen

   Turn the screen off and wipe gently in circles with a soft microfiber cloth. Use a little water or an electronics screen cleaner on the cloth, never sprayed straight onto the screen. [1]

2. Check it's the screen, not the picture

   Plug in an external monitor (Windows key + P, then Duplicate). If the spot doesn't appear there, the problem is in the laptop's own screen. [2]

3. Run your laptop's built-in screen test

   On Dell laptops: turn off, hold D and press power. The screen cycles through solid colors. If the spot shows during the test, the screen itself is faulty. [2]

4. Adjust brightness and display settings

   Lowering brightness can make spots caused by the backlight less visible. [1]

5. Update or reinstall the display driver

   In Device Manager, open Display adapters, right-click your adapter and choose Update driver, then restart. [1]

6. Try pixel-fixing software for a stuck pixel

   ⚠ Risky: only try this if you are comfortable, and not on a device still under warranty.

   These tools flash colors rapidly over the dot to try to unstick it, and can take 30 minutes to several hours. Don't use them if flashing light could affect you, and don't press on the screen. [1]

Is it worth fixing?

If cleaning, settings and drivers don't help, the spot is a hardware fault. Check your warranty first, since a new screen with a manufacturing defect may be repaired or replaced free. Out of warranty, get a repair quote and compare it with the price of a replacement.

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

Common questions

Can a white spot on a laptop screen spread?

It can. Acer notes that physical damage to the screen may spread over time, causing more spots.

Is a white spot covered by warranty?

Manufacturing defects on a new device under warranty may be repaired or replaced free of charge. Check your manufacturer's terms.