What is Screen Burn

In this blog we take a look at the very common issue of Screen Burn or Burn-In which is predominately found throughout the Samsung range of mobile phones. Screen burn is also very common in TV’s and other technology using modern displays.

What is Screen Burn?

Screen burn is a permanent mark that is left on the LCD screen that remains visible all the time. This is caused by the regular use of certain colours and certain pixels which leaves an impression on the display.

What does Screen Burn Look Like?

Screen burn can take different forms and often makes the display look a different colour which is mainly pink.

The most common images we see on Samsung phones sent to us for recycling are keyboards and apps that are visible on white backgrounds such as the dialling screen as can be seen in the picture below.

What Causes Screen Burn?

There are different factors why your Samsung Galaxy mobile phone may suffer from Screen Burn. These can vary from the time spent on certain apps or pages, the brightness of the screen and general wear over time. The more time spent on certain pages or Apps will weaken the pixels within the LCD and thus causing discolouration or ghost images.

How to Tell if my Samsung Phone has Screen Burn

Many people do not realise their Samsung has got Screen Burn, so it can come as a shock when they send their device to us to trade in, and they then receive a revaluation email stating their perfectly good phone has been reduced in value for screen burn.

To check if your handset is suffering from this common issue, open a page with a white background such as the dialling screen and carefully check for any ghost images around the screen.

How to Prevent Screen Burn

To help prevent burn-in on your LCD screen, it is always a good idea to lower the screen brightness, continually rotate position of Apps, and avoid the use of screensavers or the use of always on feature. All these methods will prolong the life of the pixels within the screen and help prevent the pesky screen burn problem.

How to fix Screen Burn on my Samsung

Although there are no full remedies to remove Burn-In, there are a couple of things to try.

• The first and easiest method, is to power the mobile phone off for a short period. This will then help the pixels and screen recover.
• Although not always effective, try to play some colourful videos. This may help with colour changes and bring the pixels back to life.
• There are some Apps available to download that will help with burn in and many of these apps are free to download from the Google Play Store. Please note, there are some reports that these apps may cause damage to the screen, so always check the apps credentials prior to trying.
• Replacing the screen is a sure way to fixing your screen burn issue. This is an expensive option, but it will ensure the screen is in perfect order.

Is Screen Burn covered under Samsung warranty?

Samsung Galaxy phones that are under 2 years old, may be covered under warranty and it would be worth contacting Samsung directly to confirm this. Should this be covered under warranty, Samsung will usually either replace the screen or replace the full handset free of charge.

If your handset is older than 2 years old, we would still always recommend contacting Samsung as in some cases they may still be able to assist with a claim for Screen Burn.

Will Screen Burn affect the price of my Samsung Galaxy Trade In?

Unfortunately, if your Samsung phone does have screen burn then this will affect the price. Depending on the severity of the burn-in will depend on the value your handset will be worth. The more severe cases will need to be classed as faulty as the screen will need to be replaced, whereas if there are only light signs of burn-in, then there will be a smaller deduction from the Good price offered.

If you are trading in your device such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 mobile phone with us at WeBuyTek, once we have received it, one of our tests will include checking for Screen Burn. Should your device be suffering from this, we will then revalue the handset to reflect the burn-in. You can then either choose to accept the revalued price, or decline the offer, where we will then return the device back to you free of charge.