Symptoms

Affected Platforms: All Dell Laptops Light leak or backlight bleeding is often noticeable around the edges or the sides of a screen. Especially while it is displaying a dark background or is in a dark environment. Ideally, light leakage must not be inspected in a dark room. All Dell LCD panels are inspected as per the industry standard. The correct inspection environment is: Under normal office lighting conditions, it is 150 to 200 luminous lux per-unit area (lux). Any visual inspection must be done in the same manner to help with the troubleshooting process. This article provides information about common issues that are seen on LCD screens. It is not something specific to a particular Dell laptop. It is something that can be seen on any LCD screen by any manufacturer. See the Additional Information section below to find other helpful resources.

Cause

These issues can be seen on Laptop LCD screens: Standard DisplaysGaming Displays Standard Displays: Note: Both images are of the same in-specification panel.Some light leakage is to be expected when viewing images with dark backgrounds in dark rooms. This LCD is working as designed and is within Dell specifications. Hot Spots: You may notice that some areas of the screen are brighter than others. This is known as Hot Spots or Light Bars. The examples in the two hot spot images are abnormal as the hot spots can be seen in normal lighting conditions (150-200 lux). This LCD is out-of-specification.The example in the last hot spot image was taken in a dark room and is not an example of how to inspect for hot spots. Gaming Displays: Some Dell Gaming or Alienware panels may have some light leakage or backlight bleeding when used in a dark environment. This is NOT specific to Dell Gaming or Alienware LCD panels but is a common issue that is seen on panels from any manufacturer. The following is an example of light leakage. Dell inspects its gaming LCD panels for light leakage. (Normal ambient light levels in a home are around 150 to 200 Lux.) If the panels are used in a dark environment with ambient light, some light leakage may be seen.

Resolution

To troubleshoot a light leak or light bleed issue with your Dell laptop screen: If you change the brightness level of the screen, does it change what is happening on the screen? If it does, then it could be a settings issue with how you have configured the screen. If it does not, go to the next step. Check the screen with a bright application (such as Microsoft Office) open, something with a bright background. Do you see the same issue? (take an image that you can use to illustrate what the issue looks like to another person.) If you cannot, it could be an issue with the brightness level in your screen settings.If you can, take an image using your mobile phone and go to the next step. Compare the screen to other screens of the same model of laptop. Put a similar image on both screens (preferably not a dark or mostly black image). Is one screen notably worse than the other? Note: Ensure that the panels on the laptops are like-for-like. There is no benefit from comparing an LCD screen to an upgraded Full High-Definition (FHD) or Quad High-Definition (QHD) screen. If the screens do not show any appreciable difference, then the issue is more likely to be with your perception than any real technical issue. If the screens do show that your screen is appreciably worse than another similar screen, then contact Dell Technical Support. If possible, provide an image of the fault, so that the Dell technician can further assist you. Note: Some light leakage is to be expected when viewing images with dark backgrounds in dark rooms. These panels are working as designed and are within specifications. Other Resources: Troubleshooting Common Issues with Video on Dell Laptop LCD ScreensHow to Troubleshoot Display or Video Issues on a Dell MonitorHow to Troubleshoot Display or Video Issues on a Dell LaptopHow to Troubleshoot Touch-Screen or Touch-Panel Issues

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