I first learned the difference between a stuck pixel and a dead pixel the hard way, staring at a phone screen late at night in a quiet flat in North London. There was a tiny green dot near the top edge that refused to disappear. Some days it looked brighter, other days I barely noticed it. That inconsistency was the clue. If you’ve ever spotted a strange dot on your display and wondered whether it’s dead, stuck, or something else entirely, you’re not alone.
This confusion comes up constantly among UK users, especially when resale, warranty claims, or screen replacement costs are on the line. The difference between stuck and dead pixels isn’t just technical. It affects whether the problem can improve, stay the same, or get worse.
A pixel is the smallest controllable unit of your display. On modern smartphone screens, millions of pixels work together to form images.
Each pixel has sub-pixels:
By controlling these sub-pixels, the display produces colour and brightness. When something goes wrong at this level, you end up with either a stuck pixel or a dead pixel.
A stuck pixel is a pixel (or sub-pixel) that is permanently turned on.
It usually appears as:
The key characteristic: it still emits light.
I’ve seen users in Manchester describe stuck pixels as “neon dots” that stand out when watching videos or using dark mode.
A dead pixel is completely inactive. It emits no light at all.
It appears as:
Dead pixels are electrically failed. There is no signal reaching that pixel anymore.
Once a pixel is truly dead, it does not recover.
Display solid colours one at a time: white, black, red, green, and blue.
You don’t need special tools. Even full-screen images work.
I tested this method repeatedly while travelling between Reading and London on O2, and it remains the most reliable identification technique.
Some stuck pixels are present from day one. Minor electrical inconsistencies during panel production can leave a sub-pixel permanently active.
Pixels can get “stuck” after long periods showing static content.
This is more common on OLED displays and often reported by users in Nottingham who keep brightness high indoors.
Extended fast charging, hotspot use, or gaming on networks like EE or Vodafone UK can stress pixels electrically.
This doesn’t kill them, but it can lock a sub-pixel into an active state.
Drops, pressure, or bending can sever microscopic connections.
I’ve seen dead pixels appear immediately after minor drops on pavements in Birmingham, even when the glass survived.
Some dead pixels are present from the factory. These usually show up early and never change.
Rare, but possible. Repeated overheating accelerates failure.
Users in Bristol using navigation daily on Three have reported isolated dead pixels after years of use.
Stuck pixels themselves do not spread.
However, the underlying conditions that caused one stuck pixel can affect others.
This leads to confusion, especially when multiple stuck pixels appear over time in nearby areas.
No.
A dead pixel does not infect or grow. But additional pixels can fail nearby due to the same stress.
From a user’s perspective, it feels like spreading, even though it’s technically separate failures.
Stuck pixels are the only pixel issue that has a chance of improvement.
Methods that occasionally help:
I’ve personally seen a green stuck pixel fade after a week of normal use.
That said, success is not guaranteed.
No.
If a pixel is electrically dead, software cannot revive it.
Pixel fix apps do nothing for dead pixels. I tested several while travelling between Oxford and Reading. Zero effect.
Bright spots are areas, not points. Pixels are precise dots.
Coloured dots are almost always stuck pixels, not dead ones.
Always test on multiple backgrounds. Dark mode hides dead pixels and highlights stuck ones.
Manufacturers often allow a certain number of dead pixels before approving replacement.
Stuck pixels, especially if intermittent, are harder to argue.
However, under UK consumer protections, early-onset defects that affect reasonable use can still be challenged.
I’ve seen users in Leicester successfully argue replacement for a single stuck pixel that appeared within weeks.
UK buyers are detail-oriented.
Dead pixels:
Stuck pixels:
This difference alone influences many AvNexo users when deciding on screen replacement.
It depends.
On older devices, replacement only makes sense if resale value matters.
These habits don’t guarantee protection, but they reduce stress on pixel circuitry.
The difference between stuck and dead pixels is subtle but important.
Stuck pixels are annoying, unpredictable, and sometimes recoverable. Dead pixels are final.
From long-term device observation and user feedback reviewed for AvNexo, the biggest mistake users make is assuming all pixel flaws are the same. They’re not.
Identify the issue correctly first. Only then can you decide whether patience, replacement, or acceptance makes the most sense.
Meta description: Stuck pixels vs dead pixels explained. Learn how to tell the difference, UK user experiences, and which issues can actually be fixed.
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