%PDF-1.4 %âãÏÓ 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 2 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Count 6 /Kids [5 0 R 7 0 R 9 0 R 11 0 R 13 0 R 15 0 R] >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /BaseFont /Helvetica >> endobj 4 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold >> endobj 5 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595.28 841.89] /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R /F2 4 0 R >> >> /Contents 6 0 R >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Length 5290 >> stream BT /F2 22 Tf 0.06 0.08 0.12 rg 1 0 0 1 46 789.89 Tm (My Laptop Screen Has a Shadow - Here's What's) Tj ET BT /F2 22 Tf 0.06 0.08 0.12 rg 1 0 0 1 46 762.89 Tm (Really Causing It and How to Fix It) Tj ET BT /F2 11 Tf 0.72 0.14 0.18 rg 1 0 0 1 46 725.89 Tm (TechRounder PDF Edition) Tj ET BT /F1 9.5 Tf 0.36 0.39 0.46 rg 1 0 0 1 46 709.89 Tm (Live article:) Tj ET BT /F1 9.5 Tf 0.36 0.39 0.46 rg 1 0 0 1 46 697.39 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/how-to/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fi) Tj ET BT /F1 9.5 Tf 0.36 0.39 0.46 rg 1 0 0 1 46 684.89 Tm (x-it/) Tj ET q 0.82 0.85 0.9 RG 1 w 46 666.39 m 549.28 666.39 l S Q BT /F1 10 Tf 0.24 0.27 0.32 rg 1 0 0 1 46 654.39 Tm (By Vipin PG | Published June 11, 2026 | Updated June 11, 2026 | Format: Guide | 11 min read) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.72 0.14 0.18 rg 1 0 0 1 46 631.39 Tm (Quick answer) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 611.39 Tm (This article provides a detailed guide to diagnosing and fixing "shadows" on laptop screens, explaining) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 596.39 Tm (that these visual anomalies can range from simple software glitches and panel limitations like ghosting) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 581.39 Tm (and backlight bleed to serious hardware failures such as dead LEDs, damaged display cables, or) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 566.39 Tm (physical pressure damage.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 541.39 Tm (A few weeks ago, I noticed a dark patch near the bottom corner of my laptop screen. At first I thought) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 526.39 Tm (it was just a smudge on the glass. Wiped it. Nothing changed. That's when I realised the shadow was) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 511.39 Tm (coming from inside the screen - and that sent me down a rabbit hole trying to figure out exactly what) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 496.39 Tm (was happening and what I could do about it.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 474.39 Tm (After digging through a lot of technical material on how laptop displays actually work, I've put together) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 459.39 Tm (everything I found in one place. If your laptop screen is showing a shadow - whether it's a dark patch,) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 444.39 Tm (a trailing blur behind moving things, a cloudy corner, or a flickering dark zone - this article will help) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 429.39 Tm (you understand why it's happening and what to do about it.) Tj ET BT /F2 15 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 401.39 Tm (First, Let's Understand What's Inside Your Screen) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 377.39 Tm (Before you can fix a problem, it helps to know what you're dealing with. A laptop screen isn't just a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 362.39 Tm (piece of glass - it's actually a stack of several layers working together.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 340.39 Tm (At the very back, there's a row of tiny LEDs that produce the light. That light passes through a light) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 325.39 Tm (guide plate which spreads it evenly across the whole screen. Then it goes through diffuser films that) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 310.39 Tm (scatter the light to eliminate bright spots directly above the LEDs. After that, the light passes through a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 295.39 Tm (rear polarizing filter, then through the liquid crystal layer - the actual image-forming part - then) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 280.39 Tm (through colour filters \(red, green, blue\), and finally through a front polarizing filter before it reaches) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 265.39 Tm (your eyes.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 243.39 Tm (A shadow can appear whenever any part of this chain gets interrupted, distorted, or damaged. That's) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 228.39 Tm (why there's no single answer to "why is there a shadow on my screen" - it depends entirely on) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 213.39 Tm (where in that stack the problem is.) Tj ET BT /F2 15 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 185.39 Tm (The Most Common Causes of Laptop Screen Shadows) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 155.39 Tm (1. Ghosting - The Shadow That Moves With the Image) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 133.39 Tm (If the shadow only appears when something is moving on your screen - like when you scroll a page) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 118.39 Tm (quickly or play a game - you're most likely dealing with ghosting. This isn't a defect or damage. It's a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 103.39 Tm (limitation of how liquid crystals physically work.) Tj ET q 0.86 0.88 0.92 RG 1 w 46 42 m 549.28 42 l S Q BT /F1 8.4 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 30 Tm (TechRounder | Page 1 of 6) Tj ET BT /F1 7.2 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 19 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/pdf/blog/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it.pdf) Tj ET endstream endobj 7 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595.28 841.89] /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R /F2 4 0 R >> >> /Contents 8 0 R >> endobj 8 0 obj << /Length 5661 >> stream BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 789.89 Tm (The liquid crystals in your screen need a small amount of time to switch from one state to another.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 774.89 Tm (This is called response time, measured in milliseconds. If your screen refreshes faster than the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 759.89 Tm (crystals can switch, the old frame's colour lingers briefly while the new frame is already being) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 744.89 Tm (drawn. The result is a dark, smeared shadow trailing behind whatever is moving.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 722.89 Tm (Some screen types are worse than others for this. VA panels \(Vertical Alignment\) are the most prone) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 707.89 Tm (to ghosting - especially when moving from dark to light colours. IPS panels are generally faster and) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 692.89 Tm (better. TN panels are fastest but have poor viewing angles. So if you have a budget or mid-range) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 677.89 Tm (laptop from the last few years, there's a reasonable chance it uses a VA panel, and ghosting might just) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 662.89 Tm (be a known characteristic of that screen.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 634.89 Tm (2. Backlight Bleeding - Cloudy Patches, Usually Near the Edges) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 612.89 Tm (This is one of the most commonly reported screen issues and is almost always a hardware limitation) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 597.89 Tm (rather than a defect you can fix easily. Backlight bleeding happens when the light from the LEDs leaks) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 582.89 Tm (out unevenly from the edges or corners of the display, instead of being fully controlled and directed) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 567.89 Tm (through the optical layers.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 545.89 Tm (The result is a cloudy, bright, or dark patch - typically in the corners or along one edge of the screen.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 530.89 Tm (It's most visible when the screen is showing a very dark image. If you put a pure black screen in a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 515.89 Tm (dark room and see glowing patches or light clouds, that's backlight bleeding.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 493.89 Tm (A certain amount of this is completely normal - no LCD laptop has a perfectly uniform backlight. But if) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 478.89 Tm (it's severe enough to be distracting during normal use, that's a problem.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 450.89 Tm (3. A Dead or Failing Backlight LED) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 428.89 Tm (Your screen's backlight isn't one big light - it's a row or grid of individual LEDs. When one or more) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 413.89 Tm (of those LEDs fails, you get a defined dark zone in a fixed location. The shadow doesn't move, doesn't) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 398.89 Tm (change with the image, and stays in the same spot no matter what's displayed.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 376.89 Tm (This is strictly a hardware failure and becomes more common in older laptops or units that have been) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 361.89 Tm (heavily used. There's no software fix for this.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 333.89 Tm (4. A Corrupted or Outdated Graphics Driver) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 311.89 Tm (This one surprised me when I first came across it - a software problem can actually cause what) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 296.89 Tm (looks like a screen shadow. Your GPU \(graphics card\) sends signals to the display controller many) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 281.89 Tm (times per second. If the driver software is corrupted, outdated, or has a bug, those signals can be) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 266.89 Tm (wrong - causing pixels to not respond correctly, resulting in persistent dark areas, flickering patches,) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 251.89 Tm (or smearing.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 229.89 Tm (The key giveaway here: if the shadow appears only after Windows or macOS has loaded \(but not in the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 214.89 Tm (BIOS screen\), software is likely involved.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 186.89 Tm (5. A Damaged Display Cable) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 164.89 Tm (Your screen is connected to your laptop's motherboard by a thin ribbon cable - usually an eDP cable) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 149.89 Tm (\(embedded DisplayPort\). Every time you open and close your laptop lid, this cable flexes slightly at the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 134.89 Tm (hinge point. Over thousands of lid openings, micro-fractures can develop in the cable, disrupting the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 119.89 Tm (data signal going to the screen.) Tj ET q 0.86 0.88 0.92 RG 1 w 46 42 m 549.28 42 l S Q BT /F1 8.4 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 30 Tm (TechRounder | Page 2 of 6) Tj ET BT /F1 7.2 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 19 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/pdf/blog/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it.pdf) Tj ET endstream endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595.28 841.89] /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R /F2 4 0 R >> >> /Contents 10 0 R >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Length 5499 >> stream BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 789.89 Tm (The result is typically a flickering or shifting dark shadow - one that might get worse at certain) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 774.89 Tm (angles, or come and go depending on how far you have the lid open. On newer MacBooks, Apple used) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 759.89 Tm (an even shorter cable design that made this failure particularly common - they called it "Flexgate.") Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 737.89 Tm (If your shadow flickers, shifts depending on the lid angle, or started after the laptop had a long period) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 722.89 Tm (of heavy daily use, a damaged display cable is worth suspecting.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 694.89 Tm (6. Physical Pressure Damage \(Mura Effect\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 672.89 Tm (If something pressed hard against your laptop screen - even briefly - it can permanently deform the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 657.89 Tm (liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystals are contained between two glass substrates with tiny spacer) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 642.89 Tm (beads keeping them at a precise, uniform gap. If that gap is disturbed by pressure, the light passing) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 627.89 Tm (through behaves differently in that area, creating a permanent dark or discoloured patch.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 605.89 Tm (This is called the Mura effect in the display industry. You can sometimes identify it because the dark) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 590.89 Tm (area has a faint irregular shape - not a clean rectangle or circle, but more of an organic blotch where) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 575.89 Tm (the pressure happened.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 547.89 Tm (7. Water or Liquid Damage) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 525.89 Tm (If liquid got onto your screen or inside your laptop, it can find its way between the display layers.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 510.89 Tm (Water trapped between the optical films creates a shifting, cloudy shadow that often looks like an oily) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 495.89 Tm (smear or water stain. The shape may change slightly over time as the liquid moves around.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 473.89 Tm (If this is what happened, the fix approach is very different from other causes - and acting quickly) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 458.89 Tm (matters a lot.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 430.89 Tm (8. Burn-in / Image Persistence) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 408.89 Tm (If you've left the same image on your screen for very long periods - like a static taskbar, a logo, or a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 393.89 Tm (UI element - the liquid crystals in those areas can get "stuck" in that state. The result is a faint ghost) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 378.89 Tm (image that lingers even when the screen content changes. This is more common on OLED screens but) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 363.89 Tm (can happen on LCD panels too, usually as a softer, temporary version called image persistence.) Tj ET BT /F2 15 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 335.89 Tm (How to Diagnose Which Problem You Actually Have) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 311.89 Tm (Before spending money or opening up your laptop, run these four tests in order. They'll narrow down) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 296.89 Tm (the cause quickly.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 268.89 Tm (Test 1 - Connect an External Monitor) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 246.89 Tm (Plug your laptop into a TV or external monitor via HDMI or USB-C. Use it normally and check: does the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 231.89 Tm (shadow appear on the external screen too?) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 209.89 Tm (- Shadow appears on external screen -> The problem is in your GPU or graphics driver, not the panel itself.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 193.09 Tm (- External screen is fine -> The problem is inside the laptop's screen, cable, or display controller.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 170.29 Tm (Test 2 - Check the BIOS Screen) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 148.29 Tm (Restart your laptop and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings \(usually by pressing Del, F2, or F10 on startup -) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 133.29 Tm (check your laptop brand's key\). Look carefully at the BIOS screen. Does the shadow appear here?) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 111.29 Tm (- Shadow visible in BIOS -> 100% hardware problem. No driver or OS software is involved at this stage.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 94.49 Tm (- Shadow only appears in Windows/macOS -> Software \(driver or OS configuration\) is the likely cause.) Tj ET q 0.86 0.88 0.92 RG 1 w 46 42 m 549.28 42 l S Q BT /F1 8.4 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 30 Tm (TechRounder | Page 3 of 6) Tj ET BT /F1 7.2 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 19 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/pdf/blog/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it.pdf) Tj ET endstream endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595.28 841.89] /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R /F2 4 0 R >> >> /Contents 12 0 R >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Length 5312 >> stream BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 789.89 Tm (Test 3 - Full Black Screen in a Dark Room) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 767.89 Tm (In a darkened room, open your browser and search for "pure black screen" - there are websites that) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 752.89 Tm (display a completely black full-screen page. Look at your display carefully.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 730.89 Tm (- Cloudy or glowing patches -> Backlight bleeding.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 714.09 Tm (- A defined dark spot -> Dead LED or Mura pressure damage.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 697.29 Tm (- Nothing unusual -> The shadow may be motion-dependent \(ghosting\).) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 674.49 Tm (Test 4 - The Motion Test) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 652.49 Tm (Open a webpage with dark text on a white background and scroll very fast. Watch carefully.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 630.49 Tm (- Shadow appears only while scrolling and disappears when still -> This is ghosting - a pixel response speed) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 616.69 Tm (issue.) Tj ET BT /F1 10.5 Tf 0.2 0.23 0.28 rg 1 0 0 1 46 599.89 Tm (- Shadow is present whether the screen is moving or still -> Hardware damage is the more likely cause.) Tj ET BT /F2 15 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 577.09 Tm (How to Fix It - From Easiest to Most Complex) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 547.09 Tm (Fix 1 - Update or Roll Back Your Graphics Driver \(Free, Easy\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 525.09 Tm (If your tests pointed toward a software cause, this is the first thing to try. On Windows, open Device) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 510.09 Tm (Manager, expand Display Adapters, right-click your GPU, and choose Update Driver. Alternatively,) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 495.09 Tm (download the latest driver directly from Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD's website for a clean install.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 473.09 Tm (If the shadow started after a recent Windows update or driver update, try rolling back instead. In) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 458.09 Tm (Device Manager, right-click your GPU and look for the "Roll Back Driver" option. This is often) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 443.09 Tm (overlooked but works surprisingly well.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 415.09 Tm (Fix 2 - Adjust the Refresh Rate and Overdrive Setting \(Free, Easy\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 393.09 Tm (For ghosting issues, make sure your screen is running at its native refresh rate. On Windows, go to) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 378.09 Tm (Settings -> System -> Display -> Advanced Display, and confirm the refresh rate matches your screen's) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 363.09 Tm (spec \(60Hz, 120Hz, etc.\).) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 341.09 Tm (Some laptops also let you adjust "Overdrive" or "Response Time" settings through a manufacturer) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 326.09 Tm (utility \(common on gaming laptops\). If you're seeing bright halos around moving objects instead of dark) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 311.09 Tm (shadows, your overdrive is set too high - reduce it by one level. That halo effect is called inverse) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 296.09 Tm (ghosting and is a sign of too much overdrive compensation.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 268.09 Tm (Fix 3 - Run a Pixel Fixer Tool \(Free, Easy - For Burn-in Only\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 246.09 Tm (If your shadow looks like a faint residual image of something that was on your screen for a long time,) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 231.09 Tm (there are free tools like JScreenFix and PixelHealer that rapidly flash colours at the affected pixels to) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 216.09 Tm (break the liquid crystal out of its stuck state. Let it run for 30 to 60 minutes over the affected area. It) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 201.09 Tm (won't help with physical damage, but for image persistence it can work well.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 173.09 Tm (Fix 4 - Gentle Pressure Massage \(Last Resort, Risky - For Pressure Damage\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 151.09 Tm (I'll be honest - I approached this one with a lot of caution when I read about it. If the shadow is caused) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 136.09 Tm (by mild physical pressure that compressed the spacer beads in the LCD matrix, gently massaging the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 121.09 Tm (affected area with a soft cloth can sometimes encourage the liquid crystal fluid to redistribute.) Tj ET q 0.86 0.88 0.92 RG 1 w 46 42 m 549.28 42 l S Q BT /F1 8.4 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 30 Tm (TechRounder | Page 4 of 6) Tj ET BT /F1 7.2 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 19 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/pdf/blog/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it.pdf) Tj ET endstream endobj 13 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595.28 841.89] /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R /F2 4 0 R >> >> /Contents 14 0 R >> endobj 14 0 obj << /Length 5925 >> stream BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 789.89 Tm (Power off the laptop completely. Wrap your fingertip in a clean microfiber cloth. Apply very light) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 774.89 Tm (circular pressure over the shadowed area for about 30 seconds. The key word here is very light. If) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 759.89 Tm (you press too hard, you'll permanently shatter more cells and make the shadow much larger. This is) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 744.89 Tm (strictly a last-resort move for out-of-warranty devices where you have nothing to lose.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 716.89 Tm (Fix 5 - Passive Drying for Water Damage \(Careful and Slow\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 694.89 Tm (If liquid is the cause, power off immediately and disconnect the battery if you can. Place the laptop) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 679.89 Tm (open in a warm, dry room with gentle air circulation. Leave it for several days. Do not use a hair) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 664.89 Tm (dryer or any direct heat source - the polarizing films inside the display will melt and the damage will) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 649.89 Tm (become permanent.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 627.89 Tm (If the shadow changes from a shifting, fluid shape into a permanent white cloudy patch, the water has) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 612.89 Tm (evaporated but left behind mineral deposits. At that point, the panel likely needs replacement.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 584.89 Tm (Fix 6 - Replace the Display Cable \(Moderate - Service Centre or DIY\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 562.89 Tm (If your shadow flickers, shifts at different hinge angles, or came on gradually with heavy daily use,) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 547.89 Tm (the eDP ribbon cable is a strong suspect. On standard PC laptops, this is one of the cheaper repairs -) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 532.89 Tm (often in the range of a few hundred rupees for the part, plus labour if you go to a service centre.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 517.89 Tm (Some laptops make this relatively accessible to replace yourself if you're comfortable opening) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 502.89 Tm (devices.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 480.89 Tm (On MacBooks or thin ultrabooks with bonded displays, this gets more expensive - often the entire) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 465.89 Tm (display assembly needs replacement.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 443.89 Tm (One safety note: always discharge your laptop's capacitors before opening it. After unplugging from) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 428.89 Tm (the wall, hold the power button for 10 seconds. The capacitors inside store charge even after) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 413.89 Tm (disconnection, and contact with an exposed board can be dangerous.) Tj ET BT /F2 13 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 385.89 Tm (Fix 7 - Replace the Panel \(Professional Repair or Warranty Claim\)) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 363.89 Tm (Dead backlight LEDs, severe Mura damage, and water-stained panels that didn't recover all have one) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 348.89 Tm (solution: a new panel. This is the definitive fix and not as expensive as most people assume -) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 333.89 Tm (replacement panels are available for most laptop models, and a good service centre can usually do) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 318.89 Tm (this.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 296.89 Tm (If your laptop is still under warranty and the shadow appeared without any physical accident, push for) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 281.89 Tm (a warranty repair or replacement. A screen shadow from a manufacturing defect or normal use is a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 266.89 Tm (valid warranty claim. Don't let it slide.) Tj ET BT /F2 15 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 238.89 Tm (Quick Reference - Shadow Type and What It Likely Means) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 214.89 Tm (What you see: Shadow only behind moving content | Most likely cause: Ghosting \(slow pixel response\) | Fix path:) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 201.89 Tm (Adjust refresh rate / overdrive settings) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 184.89 Tm (What you see: Cloudy glow in corners on dark screen | Most likely cause: Backlight bleeding | Fix path: Minor:) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 171.89 Tm (bezel adjustment. Severe: panel replacement) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 154.89 Tm (What you see: Fixed dark zone, same spot always | Most likely cause: Dead backlight LED or Mura damage | Fix) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 141.89 Tm (path: Panel replacement) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 124.89 Tm (What you see: Shadow appears in BIOS too | Most likely cause: Hardware - panel or cable | Fix path: Cable) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 111.89 Tm (replacement or panel replacement) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 94.89 Tm (What you see: Shadow only after OS loads | Most likely cause: GPU driver issue | Fix path: Driver update or) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 81.89 Tm (rollback) Tj ET q 0.86 0.88 0.92 RG 1 w 46 42 m 549.28 42 l S Q BT /F1 8.4 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 30 Tm (TechRounder | Page 5 of 6) Tj ET BT /F1 7.2 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 19 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/pdf/blog/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it.pdf) Tj ET endstream endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 595.28 841.89] /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R /F2 4 0 R >> >> /Contents 16 0 R >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Length 3019 >> stream BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 789.89 Tm (What you see: Shadow flickers or shifts with lid angle | Most likely cause: Damaged display cable | Fix path: eDP) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 776.89 Tm (cable replacement) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 759.89 Tm (What you see: Fluid, shifting stain shape | Most likely cause: Water / liquid between display layers | Fix path:) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 746.89 Tm (Passive drying; panel replacement if it sets) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 729.89 Tm (What you see: Faint ghost of a past image | Most likely cause: Burn-in / image persistence | Fix path: Pixel fixer) Tj ET BT /F1 10 Tf 0.18 0.2 0.24 rg 1 0 0 1 46 716.89 Tm (tool \(JScreenFix, PixelHealer\)) Tj ET BT /F2 15 Tf 0.08 0.1 0.14 rg 1 0 0 1 46 693.89 Tm (My Final Thoughts) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 669.89 Tm (Going through all of this research changed how I think about laptop screen issues. A "shadow" sounds) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 654.89 Tm (like one problem, but it's really a whole family of different problems that look similar from the) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 639.89 Tm (outside. The good news is that with a few quick tests, you can usually narrow it down to the real cause) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 624.89 Tm (in under 15 minutes - without needing any tools or technical knowledge.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 602.89 Tm (Start with the external monitor test and the BIOS check. Those two alone will tell you whether you're) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 587.89 Tm (dealing with a software issue you can fix yourself or a hardware issue that needs a service centre.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 572.89 Tm (From there, the path becomes a lot clearer.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 550.89 Tm (If your laptop is still under warranty and the shadow isn't from obvious physical damage - push for a) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 535.89 Tm (warranty claim. You're entitled to a working screen. If it's out of warranty, a display cable or panel) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 520.89 Tm (replacement is usually not as expensive as you'd fear, and most local service centres can handle it.) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 498.89 Tm (Hope this helped. If you figured out what was causing yours, or if you tried something that worked \(or) Tj ET BT /F1 11 Tf 0.14 0.16 0.2 rg 1 0 0 1 46 483.89 Tm (didn't\), feel free to share it in the comments below - it might help someone else in the same situation.) Tj ET q 0.86 0.88 0.92 RG 1 w 46 42 m 549.28 42 l S Q BT /F1 8.4 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 30 Tm (TechRounder | Page 6 of 6) Tj ET BT /F1 7.2 Tf 0.42 0.45 0.5 rg 1 0 0 1 46 19 Tm (https://www.techrounder.com/pdf/blog/my-laptop-screen-has-a-shadow-heres-whats-really-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it.pdf) Tj ET endstream endobj xref 0 17 0000000000 65535 f 0000000015 00000 n 0000000064 00000 n 0000000154 00000 n 0000000224 00000 n 0000000299 00000 n 0000000441 00000 n 0000005782 00000 n 0000005924 00000 n 0000011636 00000 n 0000011779 00000 n 0000017330 00000 n 0000017474 00000 n 0000022838 00000 n 0000022982 00000 n 0000028959 00000 n 0000029103 00000 n trailer << /Size 17 /Root 1 0 R >> startxref 32174 %%EOF