Are you noticing faint marks from your old wallpaper, any image or an app that you use frequently? These are clear signs of a screen burn. But what is a screen burn on a phone, you may ask? That's what we will help you understand in this guide and answer: what causes it and how to prevent it from happening, along with a few fixes to help you get rid of screen burn on your Android and iPhone.
What Is a Screen Burn on a Phone?
Screen burn, or screen burn-in, occurs over time when the same image is viewed repeatedly on the screen, permanently damaging the pixels in that area and resulting in a faint imprint on the panel. This issue is typically seen on AMOLED display phones, as they contain individual pixels which can degrade over time.
Screen Burn vs Image Retention: What's the Difference?
It is easy to confuse image retention with screen burn, but the two are distinct. Screen burn is permanent damage, meaning that the damaged pixels cannot be fixed on a phone. Meanwhile, image retention is temporary and might get fixed over time with careful prevention.
Both may appear as a white dot or horizontal lines on your iPhone or Android device, so it is difficult to tell the two apart. Only after using the phone for a few days can you determine whether you have screen burn on your phone or if the issue is image retention.
Which Devices Are Affected By Screen Burn
Screen burn only affects AMOLED, OLED and p-OLED screens since they use individual pixels that can degrade at different rates. So, here is a list of all Apple iPhones that can get screen burn over time:
- iPhone X, iPhone XS, XS Max
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16e, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 17, 17e, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max
- iPhone Air
Any Android phone with an AMOLED, OLED or p-OLED panel, including most mid-range and flagship phones from Samsung, OnePlus, Nothing, Google Pixel, Oppo, Vivo, iQOO, Realme, Motorola and others, can be prone to the screen-burn issue.
What Causes Screen Burn on a Phone?
Now that we have answered the question of what a screen burn on a phone is, let us take a look at some reasons behind what causes it.
- Static images at high brightness: Leaving the same image on screen at full brightness for extended periods is the most common cause of screen burn on a phone. It imprints the wallpapers, app icons, and any interface element that stays fixed.
- Navigation bars and status bars: Status bar icons like battery, network, and Wi-Fi at the top and bottom and navigation buttons are other common causes of screen burns.
- Gaming HUDs and app interfaces: If you game a lot on your phone, like BGMI or Call of Duty, or use a certain app, then their interface may get burnt on the phone's display.
- Always-On Display: Always-on display is a key feature seen on most AMOLED phones, but it can also cause screen burn-in by keeping the clock active even when the rest of the screen is off.
- High screen brightness: Using the phone at maximum brightness accelerates damage to the OLED pixels faster, which is why auto-brightness is genuinely useful for more than just battery life.
How to Prevent Screen Burn on Your Phone
If you are seeing screen burn on your phone's display, like the outline of a photo or app you use often, then you can try out these fixes. This may help you lower the damage and prevent it from getting worse.
Turn On Auto Brightness
Turning on auto-brightness on your iPhone or Android device ensures that the display is not set to the highest brightness all the time, mitigating the effects of screen burn-in.
Enable Auto Brightness on Android
Here's how you can turn on auto brightness on your Android phone.
- Open the Settings app on your Android device and go to Display & Touch.
- Here, turn on the Adaptive Brightness toggle.
Enable Auto-Brightness on iPhone
Here's how you can activate auto brightness on your iPhone.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone and select Accessibility.
- Here, go to Display & Text Size and turn on the Auto-Brightness toggle.
Set Lock Screen Timer
The longer your lock screen stays on, the higher the chances are of a screen burn on a phone's display. So, it is advised to set a lock screen timer of 30 seconds to 1 minute to prevent these issues from appearing.
Change Lock Screen Timer on Android
Here's how you can change the timer for your Android lock screen.
- Go to the Settings app on your Android device and tap on Display & Touch.
- Then, tap on Screen timeout and change the time to 30 seconds or 1 minute.
Change Lock Screen Timer on iPhone
Here's how you can set the lock screen timer on your iPhone.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone and select Display & Brightness.
- Here, tap on Auto-Lock and select 30 seconds or 1 minute.
Disable Always-On Display
Always-on display is one of the biggest culprits that causes screen burn on a phone. That is why turning it off can help mitigate any damage to your phone's display.
Turn Off Always-On Display on Android
Follow these steps to disable Always-On display on your Android phone.
- Launch the Settings app on your Android device and tap on Display & Touch.
- Then, turn off the Always-on Display toggle.
Turn Off Always-On Display on iPhone
To disable Always-On display on your iPhone, follow these steps.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone and select Display & Brightness.
- Next, tap on Always On Display.
- Here, turn off the Always On Display toggle as shown below.
Enable Dark Mode
Dark mode is a blessing on AMOLED-screen phones, as it turns off unused pixels, lowering the risk of screen burn-in. It also makes the brightness even lower on iPhones and Android devices, making it easier on the eyes to use the phone at night.
Apply Dark Mode on Android
You can activate Dark Mode on your Android phone by following these steps.
- Launch the Settings app on your Android device and open Display & Touch.
- Here, turn on the Dark theme toggle.
Apply Dark Mode on iPhone
Here's how you can enable Dark theme on your iPhone.
- On iPhones, open Settings and tap on Appearance.
- Select Dark to apply the dark theme on iPhone.
What to Do If Your Phone Already Has Screen Burn
If you already know what a screen burn on a phone is and are looking for ways to fix it, I highly recommend trying the methods above. They might not reverse the problem but can curb further damage.
If that does not help, a screen replacement is the only fix since the pixel damage cannot be reversed. On iPhone, this can be booked through the Apple Support app. For Android phones, contact the manufacturer's service centre near you.
You should check the warranty status on your iPhone, as Apple may provide a screen replacement if screen burn appears within a month or two after you bought the phone.
Similarly, check the warranty of your Android phone, as some manufacturers cover screen damage under warranty, like OnePlus, who offer lifetime screen replacement for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does screen burn go away on its own?
No. True burn-in does not go away since it involves permanent pixel damage. However, image retention, which looks identical but is a temporary version of the same issue, often fades on its own.
Q. Does Apple cover screen burn under warranty?
Apple does not cover burn-in under its standard one-year warranty, since the company classifies display degradation from normal use as expected over time. However, cases where burn-in appears unusually early can sometimes be resolved through Apple Support on a case-by-case basis.
Q. Which phones are most prone to screen burn?
Any phone with an OLED or AMOLED display is susceptible to screen burn-in. Older OLED panels from the iPhone X and Galaxy S8 era are more prone to burn-in than modern displays.
That wraps up this guide on what is a screen burn on a phone, and I hope I was able to cover this topic thoroughly enough. Burn-in is a concerning problem for many smartphone users, and you don't want it to appear on your device. Hopefully. The methods I have explained above can help prevent it from showing up on your device.
