There are thousands of pixels on the display of a phone.
These pixels are responsible for the wide range of colors on your mobile screen.
Pixels that fail to show the actual image colors are considered “dead pixels”, which generally occurs when someone drops their phone in a manner that impacts the screen.
However, is it normal to get dead pixels after dropping your phone?
The Answer: Yes, dead pixels are a common consequence after dropping a phone!
However that’s just one side of the coin, and there may be another reason as to why you’re seeing black dots on the screen.
We’ll get to those potential causes throughout the course of this article!
Before diving into the details about dead pixels, let’s first discuss how to identify whether you are suffering from dead pixels or not.
How To Know If You Have Dead Pixels After Dropping Your Phone
When you open any image, pixels generally show you the actual color of the picture.
When a pixel fails to showcase the color and appears as a black dot, it is what you would call a “dead pixel”.
You can identify this by opening an image from your phone’s gallery and zooming into the suspected area.
Zooming will help make the dead pixel more visible to the naked eye!
Aside from this, it’s also possible to use a Dead Pixel detector app, which will help you to identify what kind of issue you are trying to resolve.
The mobile screen will appear incredibly bright in a dead pixel test, while the black dots will be clearly visible.
In addition to dead pixels, there is another related problem called “stuck pixels”. People generally get confused when deciphering whether their issue is a stuck or dead pixel!
If the pixel consistently shows green, blue, red, or any other color, it is a stuck pixel.
On the contrary, a dead pixel remains dark and appears as a black dot on the screen.
Unlike dead pixels, stuck pixels don’t pose much of a problem.
Once identified as such, it’s much easier to deal with stuck pixels efficiently- whereas dead pixels are a much more troublesome threat!
How Are Dead Pixels Caused?
While it is already known that dropping your phone is the most common way to get a dead pixel, there are also other factors that can cause you to run into this issue!
A manufacturing defect is one such example.
Below, we will discuss everything you need to know about the causes of dead pixels- as well as how to deal with them!
Dead Pixels Due To Manufacturing Defect
A manufacturing defect is one of the main reasons why you might face an issue of dead pixels.
The problem here lies with the transistor that supplies power to pixels.
People who buy mobile phones from flea markets or an unknown manufacturer are more susceptible to this issue.
The simplest way to avoid this cause then is to always purchase a mobile phone from a reputable company or retailer!
If you did in fact purchase your phone from a reliable source and still encounter this problem, it’s time to put that sweet warranty to good use.
Once you’ve ensured that you are eligible to use the warranty, don’t hesitate to put in a claim ASAP!
Dead Pixels After Dropping Phone
Dead pixels may arise after accidentally dropping your phone.
When you drop your device, the power transmission is disturbed (similar to a manufacturing defect), leading to the “death” of some pixels.
The same thing can happen if you apply too much pressure on the screen, such as unintentionally sitting on the phone or accidentally hitting the screen with something else.
Now that you know some of the causes for dead pixels, there are a few essentials to be aware of before attempting to fix the issue.
Can A Dead Pixel Fix Itself?
You might have heard from somewhere that dead pixels can fix themselves, and you may subsequently wonder if this statement carries any weight.
Unfortunately, this is a myth.
There is not much a pixel can do to repair itself. Thus, you must be proactive in fixing the issue yourself.
To help you with this, we’ve outlined some methods you can try in one of the sections below.
The same cannot be said, however, for stuck pixels!
Sometimes, patiently waiting can revert stuck pixels back to a normal state.
However, this is not assured, and when it does occur the waiting can take anywhere from a week to a few months to fully recover.
Do Dead Pixels Get Worse?
The good news is that a dead pixel is not a virus, and it does not spread!
However, if the power transmission problem is not properly addressed, you may see more dead pixels soon.
This is not directly caused by the existing dead pixels, but by the transistor’s inefficiency in transmitting sufficient power.
Therefore, it’s vital to start taking steps to stop the situation from escalating. To tackle the issue of dead pixels, it’s important to first know exactly how many there are.
One or two pixels will not usually affect the overall visual integrity of a phone’s display (though seeing even one dead pixel on the screen can be irritating for some).
It can certainly be annoying enough to take early actions to address the issue!
Most people can usually tolerate up to three dead pixels; however, any more than that will start to affect user experience pretty significantly.
All this is to say: These black dots all over the screen are definitely not desirable for anyone.
If you were wondering how to fix dead pixels on your phone, continue reading below as we detail all of the possible solutions in the next section!
How Do You Fix Dead Pixels After Dropping Your Phone?
Seeing dead pixels on your screen can be visually displeasing- if not downright unsightly!
Therefore, it would be best to do something to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Before you get your hopes up, the disappointing reality is that in most cases fixing dead pixels isn’t possible.
You may have to prepare yourself for the eventuality that you’ll have to purchase a new screen- or even a new phone.
However, before you rush to the repair lab and spend your hard-earned money, it wouldn’t hurt to first try to fix the defective pixels yourself.
If you’re lucky, one of these steps might work for you as it has for many others!
Restart Your Cell Phone
If you notice any dead pixels after dropping a phone, the first thing you should do is to restart your device.
Sometimes, your mobile simply needs to refresh internally to work correctly once more!
If the problem persists even after restarting your smartphone, move on to the next solution.
Wipe the Screen With a Lint-Free Cloth
Sometimes what you might be experiencing isn’t actually a dead pixel, but a blemish or particle of dust instead!
In these cases, simply spray a cleaning solution and then gently wipe the screen with a soft cloth.
Repair The Dead Pixel With “Apps”
People have mixed feelings about this dead pixel fixing solution.
It is a viable solution for some, while others see it as a waste of time.
However, you have virtually nothing to lose by trying an app yourself and seeing if it resolves the issue!
Start by going to your Google Play Store or your phone’s built-in app store.
Type “dead pixel fixer” in the search bar and look for the highest-rated app that suits your needs. Then proceed to do the following:
- Press the Download button and let the app download and install.
- After downloading, open the app and click on the “Scan for dead pixels” option (or something similar).
- Once the app locates dead pixels, it will offer the option to fix them. Select the option and let the app do the rest.
- Once the app is done, use the dead pixel detector app to confirm the repairs!
Apply Pressure Carefully
Proceed with caution before attempting this method.
With this method of removing dead pixels, you must make sure to apply precise pressure; otherwise, you may end up causing more harm than good!
This is why we don’t generally recommend this option.
However, some people still want to take on the risk to try to fix the issue and achieve the ultimate goal of recovering a flawless screen.
Here’s how to do it:
- First, look for a narrow object to apply pressure. You can use something pointy, like the tip of a pen.
- To avoid scratches on the screen, cover the object with a lint-free cloth.
- Lightly mark the dead pixel area and switch off the screen. After doing all of the above steps, carefully apply pressure for ten (10) seconds.
- Do this two to three times, and then turn the phone on again. Hopefully, the dead pixel will then be a thing of the past!
- To double-check, you can also run a pixel checker app (above) to detect any dead pixels that may be present.
Give Your Mobile To a Specialist (The Last Option)
If you still notice black pixels after trying all of the solutions above, it may be time to hand your mobile device over to a specialist to replace your old screen with a new one.
People often ask how much it costs to fix dead pixels on the phone, but unfortunately there is no specific answer to this question.
Prices will vary depending on the cellphone repair company, as well as the phone’s make and model.
Wait Patiently To Get Rid of Dead Pixels After Dropping a Phone
If nothing works and you don’t have the spare cash to buy a new screen right at this moment, the next best course of action would simply be to wait for the dead pixel to fix itself (which, again, doesn’t occur most of the time).
In extremely rare cases, a dead pixel may start working again after an unforeseeable length of time- potentially taking anywhere from a week to even months.
In most cases it will just remain dead, and you will have no choice but to save up enough money eventually for a new screen or phone.
In Conclusion
The most common cause of dead pixels is dropping your phone.
When you’ve done so, the transistor can begin to malfunction and the power distribution between pixels becomes disturbed.
Dead pixels are undoubtedly not a welcome sight, so it helps to take the time to put some effort into preventative measures to keep your mobile screen “spotless.”
To rectify the situation, you can try out several different solutions such as wiping the screen with a lint-free cloth, using a dead pixel fixer app, or applying calculated pressure.
However, these methods are not fully guaranteed to work, and this may mean that you will ultimately have to spend money to remedy this issue.
If everything fails, the last viable option is replacing the display or phone itself- which of course can be costly!
However, spending money may still be a better option to save you from the complications that might befall your phone’s screen due to the underlying causes of the dead pixels.
While we hope you won’t have to put any of the above solutions to use due to the presence of dead pixels, we also hope this article about the issue and possible ways proves to be helpful!