Looking at the evolution of TVs from dumb boxes to smart TVs, we’ve come a long way. We have also come a long way from the bulky CRT TVs to the standard backlight LCDs. Today, OLED TVs are the absolute standard and holy grail of home entertainment (there is a catch, though). It eliminates the use of backlight and utilizes self-illuminating pixels that deliver incredibly vibrant colors and deep blacks. But the looming threat of burn-in and panel degradation can make one feel like walking on eggshells.
I had an OLED TV, which just couldn’t stand the test of time, and within a couple of years, showed signs of burn-in. After researching and wanting my other TVs (a total of six) to last as long as possible, I’ve found some amazing tips. By adjusting a few settings, you can nearly double the lifespan of your OLED TV without compromising picture quality.
OLED Burn-In Hits Laptops Hard—Here’s How to Avoid It
Your gorgeous laptop display is at risk of losing its shine.
Dial down the OLED pixel brightness
The higher the brightness, the higher the chances of display burn-in
Almost all TVs are, out of the box, set to “Standard” or “Vivid” picture mode. These settings make the content appear punchier because the brightness levels are set to high or to maximum. While this setting is quite general for TVs put up in a well-lit showroom floor, it isn’t the best setting when the TV has arrived at your living room.
Cranking the brightness to the max level is not only blinding for the eyes but also one of the fastest ways to wear out the compounds of your OLED display. To save your OLED TV, you need to drop the OLED peak brightness to somewhere around 50 to 60 for everyday viewing.
Dialing down the peak brightness prevents heat from building up in the OLED panel, giving it more life. Now, what is the 100-level brightness for? You can dial up the brightness when viewing HDR content or movies.
Enable the Screen Shift or Pixel Shift feature
Let your TV move the image periodically to protect itself
Display burn-in is a major issue, and TV brands are also aware of it. This is why most major smart TV brands, be it Samsung, Sony, or LG, include a feature in their OLED TVs called Screen Shift or Pixel Shift.
Pixel Shift minimizes the risk of screen burn-in or image retention by automatically refreshing and moving the pixels on the OLED screen. All you need to do is turn on this feature on your OLED TV, and you are good to go.
On my Samsung OLED TV, I have to navigate to Settings -> All Settings -> General & Privacy -> Panel Care, and simply turn on the toggle for Pixel Shift. The same can be done on a Sony OLED TV by heading over to Settings -> Display -> Expert Panel Settings -> Panel Refresh. However, Sony advises against using this feature more than once a year and highlights that it takes around an hour to complete.
When this is enabled, you will notice that the edges of the images will move slightly beyond the screen borders. While it may look odd, it is a feature intentionally added to protect your OLED display and increase its lifespan.
Turn on logo dimming
Lifesaver if you watch a lot of sports or news channels
TV channels and broadcasters love planting their bright channel logos in any corner of your screen. It is what makes them instantly recognizable. Modern TV channels use a palette of bright colors to catch the attention of viewers, but that is not good for the health of your OLED TV display.
Thankfully, modern smart TVs are just smart because they let you run a few apps. There are several nifty features that are in place to enhance the lifespan of the display and protect it from damage.
Most brands’ OLED TVs come with a feature known as Logo Dimming or Logo Luminance Adjustment. Dialing this setting to high will make the TV processor automatically locate the static logo on the screen and subtly dim that specific area.
On my Samsung TV, I have to navigate to Settings -> All Settings -> General & Privacy -> Panel Care -> Auto Logo Brightness and choose High.
Extend Your Smart TV’s Lifespan with These Simple Maintenance Tips
It’s worth taking a moment to keep your smart TV in tip-top condition.
Set a screensaver
Go the old-school way and protect your display
Remember setting the screensaver on our computers? While that was there for decorative purposes, that habit can be a good one to safeguard your OLED display panel on your TV. A screensaver takes the place of the content that you were watching when you pause a movie to answer the door.
Leaving a static bright image for a prolonged time poses a massive burn-in or image retention risk on an OLED display. I saw this issue on my friend’s TV when he simply left the YouTube interface paused on the screen while checking up on his daughter. By the time he came back (almost an hour later), the screen was pasted with the YouTube interface even after turning it off.
Turn on the screensaver and let an image kick in after a short interval of time, maybe 30 seconds or a minute of inactivity. If your TV has it, you can also turn on the Auto Power Off feature, which turns off the TV if there is no input for a specific time.
Let the ambient sensor take control
Your smart TV is smarter in ways you cannot imagine
The ambient light sensor on your TV is not there just to make the list of features long. It has its own purpose; more importantly, it can add life to your OLED display.
There is a built-in sensor inside your smart TV, known as the ambient light sensor. This detects how bright the environment is and adjusts the screen brightness accordingly. If you have your living room with open windows, basically a sunlit room, then it bumps up the brightness to ensure that you can clearly see the content.
However, at night, when the light is usually dim, the sensor automatically lowers the screen brightness to match the dark environment. This not only prevents the OLED display from several issues but also protects your eyes from strain.
Turn on Pixel Refresh
Your smart TV comes with a built-in maintenance feature
There is a built-in feature known as Pixel Refresh, which is a maintenance routine available on multiple smart TVs. Once you enable this feature, it runs in the background silently after you turn off the TV.
According to Samsung, Pixel Refresh “adjusts pixels to provide a clearer screen. Some features, such as reservation, recording, and voice recognition, do not work during Pixel Refresh.” It detects uneven pixel degradation on your OLED display.
On a Samsung TV, you need to head over to Settings -> All Settings -> General & Privacy -> Panel Care, and select Pixel Refresh.
Make your OLED smart TV last longer
A typical OLED panel can last somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 hours. However, certain habits bring the lifespan down by several thousand hours. You don’t have to take care of your OLED TV like a baby to the point of ruining the viewing experience. Making a few quick adjustments that take less than five minutes is more than sufficient. Lastly, make sure to clean your TV with a microfiber cloth to avoid dust settling on top of the display. These tweaks ensure that you have the best possible entertainment for more time and total peace of mind.
