A dying or cracked display doesn’t mean your laptop is a paperweight. For most laptops, a screen replacement takes $80 and an hour of your time at most. If you’re a DIYer, replacing a broken laptop screen yourself is a great way to save cash, as most computer repair shops will quote you $150 to $300 for the job.

Before doing anything, give your laptop a full look-over and inspection to ensure the screen really needs replacement. If the graphics card on the motherboard is dead, for instance, you may be wasting your time and effort on replacing a perfectly good screen. Additionally, if the laptop has been recently dropped or otherwise possibly physically harmed, you’ll want to double-check for other damage as well.

To ensure the graphics card is functioning, you can plug a desktop monitor or TV into the laptop, as most have a standard blue VGA monitor and/or a HDMI output. If the picture looks good on an external display, your graphics card is likely good and the screen is at fault. If you don’t get any picture, keep in mind some laptops require you to press certain function keys on the laptop to activate external display output. If you do that and video still doesn’t display, your graphics card and/or motherboard is likely broken, rather than your screen.

If the laptop outputs to another display successfully, use the computer for a while to ensure the keyboard and other laptop components appear to be functioning normally.

Before you replace your laptop’s LCD, here are the caveats to the general steps that follow. This is not meant to be a guide for ultrabooks, two-in-ones, tablets, Macbooks, or other, more specialized notebooks, however. It’s more for average, run-of-the-mill laptops. But even then the general steps I discuss do not work for all such laptops. Some will require a different process and/or more work to replace the screen, such as accessing the motherboard by opening the main case of the laptop.

Because of that crucial caveat, before buying a new LCD, it may be a good idea to try to remove the damaged screen first, to ensure you can perform the replacement. If, after following the first few steps the process looks different for your laptop, I recommend scouring Google and YouTube or finding a repair professional for further help on your exact laptop brand and model.

Finding a replacement LCD is typically easy—and you don’t have to pay the crazy prices the manufacturer usually wants. Just search eBay, Amazon, or Google with your laptop model number and the words LCD screen. You’ll find most regular screens can be had for as low as $50 to $80. If you aren’t finding anything, try other identification numbers from the laptop label or documentation. Some vendors have one or two different sets of identification numbers that could serve as your model number.

When shopping for the LCD, most sellers will alert you to compare the specs and placement of the video cable on the back of their screen to your current screen. This is another reason to crack open the laptop bezel before ordering a replacement. However from my own experience, if the seller says the screen is compatible with your exact laptop model, it usually works.

Table or other flat working area: You’ll need a spot to sit (or stand, if that’s your thing) with a flat area to work on your laptop. This gives you a reason to clean off that messy dining-room table or desk.

Small-head magnetic philips screwdriver: Not small like a mini screwdriver from an eyeglass repair kit, but I’d say between that size and a mid-sized screwdriver would work. If you don’t have a magnetic-head screwdriver, try to find a magnet big enough to magnetize the driver head. This helps the screws stick to the head, making it much easier to remove and replace the screws without cursing as they fall all over the place.

Plastic putty knife or other thin object: This is optional, to aid in prying apart the screen bezel from the case. Personally, my finger nails usually do the trick. If you do use another object, ensure it’s thin enough but not so sharp that it will leave scrapes or other evidence of prying.

Find the round cover stickers that are hiding the screws on the screen bezel, the case surrounding the screen. These stickers are usually on the bottom of the bezel, near the screen hinges, when you have the screen opened. You should find one on each side of the screen.

Use a sharp, pointy object—like an opened safety pin or needle—to help remove the cover stickers without damaging them. Stick it between the edge of the cover and bezel, and then pry the sticker away. Once removed, place the covers in a safe spot, with the sticky side up to help ensure there’s enough stickiness when you place them back on.

Use your screwdriver to remove the now-exposed screws. Remember: righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. Some screws are easy to remove; others, not so much. But moving the screen into just the right position usually exposes the screws enough for removal.

Carefully start prying the screen bezel away from the back side of the screen case. Work a fingernail or other thin, prying object into the crack around the outside of the screen. The bezel is usually secured to the back case with plastic snaps, so give it some force while prying—but not too brutish. You’ll hear the unsnapping of the fasteners when prying.

Once you’ve unsnapped the screen bezel, it may or may not be easy to remove. If not, it’s likely stuck around the screen hinges. Moving the screen position up or down, with some gentle force if necessary, should free it fully.

Once the bezel is fully removed, you’ll find the LCD secured to a metal trim frame on the left and right sides. Remove the two screws (one on each side, on the top) holding the trim frame pieces to the back screen case. Now, you should be able to lift the LCD (with the trim frame pieces attached) slightly away from the back screen case.

On each of the trim frames’ sides, remove any screws that are securing it to the LCD. Most laptops have three screws on each side; however, the smaller laptop I photographed here doesn’t have these screws—the LCD is actually secured to the trim frame pieces by tape on each side.

Now you should be able to set the LCD face-down onto the keyboard. Be careful not to put excessive force on the video cable attached to the back of the LCD.

Disconnect the video cable from the back of the LCD. Though the laptop I photographed here has the connector on the very bottom, most laptops have the connector near the center. If so, keep in mind that the portion of the cable running down the screen is usually stuck on the back of the screen with some mild adhesive. Just gently pull the cables away from the screen. You usually must remove tape that’s securing the video connector to the back of the screen as well. When you get to the point of actually pulling the video cable out of the screen connector, it should unplug with little force.

Once you’ve fully removed the broken LCD, simply place the new one face-down like you did the old one. Reattach the video cable to the connector and place the cables and any tape just like they were for the old one.

Set the new screen up in the side trim frame pieces, then re-secure it like the old one was: usually three screws in each side of the trim frame pieces, and then a screw on top of each to secure it to the back screen case.

When you get to the point of putting the bezel back on, just line it up and push/squeeze the bezel back into the snaps of the rear screen case. Before replacing the bezel screws, ensure the bezel is fully snapped in place and no crack exists around the edges of the screen case. Lastly, use that safely pin or needle to reattach the sticky screw covers.

Whether you are working on a document, watching a video, or gaming, a functioning monitor or screen is important. Find information about how to set up multiple monitors or connecting a laptop to a Dell docking station.

Does the screen remain black after turning on the computer? If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, the suggested quick steps might help.The screen does not turn on or the screen is blank or black.

NOTE: For Dell laptops that have a nonremovable battery, learn How to Reset Real Time Clock (RTC) to Recover Your Dell Laptop. For Dell laptops with removable batteries, see the user guide of your Dell laptop for step-by-step instructions to safely remove the battery.

Running the Built-in Self-Test (BIST) also called Built-In Diagnostics (BID) on Dell monitorsDell monitors are equipped with an integrated diagnostic tool that helps determine if the screen abnormality is an inherent problem with the Dell monitor.Identify your Dell monitorEnter the model number or Service Tag of the monitor, and then click Search.

Running the LCD Built-in Self-Test on Dell laptopsDell laptops have a built-in diagnostic tool that helps determine if the screen abnormality is an inherent problem with the LCD screen of the Dell laptop.

Press and hold the D key and turn on the computer to enter LCD built-in self-test (BIST) mode. Continue to hold the D key, until you see color bars on the LCD screen.

If the screen abnormality is present in the diagnostics, contact Dell Technical Support for repair options.If these quick steps did not resolve the display-related issue, see the Other Resources section below. You can also search for content related to the issue using the search bar at the top of this page.

Just like televisions, laptop displays start to flicker too after a few years. You may sometimes also notice the display turning blank even when the laptop is on. Alternatively, you might find some white lines running down the display.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an issue with the motherboard. If your laptop keeps turning off every few minutes and doesn’t turn on, there is a high chance that the AC adapter has malfunctioned. You can get help from a professional to confirm and get the AC adapter replaced, if required. There is also a possibility that the DC power jack may have broken. A DC connector (or DC plug) is an electrical connector that supplies steady power to the device.

If you ever notice multi-coloured or single-coloured vertical lines on your laptop screen, it may be a result of a hardware failure or due to damage to the screen. To try fixing it yourself, first unplug your laptop, hold the power button for 30 seconds and restart the laptop. If you continue to see coloured lines, the issue is probably with the LCD screen, which will need to be replaced from the brand’s service center. To be sure about the LCD screen problem, try connecting your laptop to another monitor and see if the issue persists. If it does, the issue is certainly in the LCD panel.

On turning on the laptop when you see the lights blinking and hear the fan working but if the laptop screen is blank and doesn’t display anything, this is again an indication of a faulty motherboard. The first thing to do is to transfer all the data to another drive to make sure your data is safe. Before going ahead and getting the motherboard repaired or replaced, you could try performing a hard reset (also known as a factory reset), which can mostly help in resolving the blank display issue.

Firstly, check if your laptop’s brightness level is set to maximum. If the display is still dim, try restarting the device. This could just be a system error that can be resolved by restarting the device. Also, check if the AC adapter cord is loose and firmly connect it to the outlet and laptop. If the issue still persists, it is mostly due to a failure of the LCD. Behind the LCD, there is an inverter board and backlight bulb which control the picture.

The inverter board converts the low voltage your laptop uses, into higher voltage required by the long bulb that lights up the LCD screen. If the inverter board or bulb fail, you will experience the problem of a dimmed display. Even if one of these two components fail, the screen will need to be replaced, unless the service center can help by just replacing the bulb. We wouldn’t recommend you try resolving it yourself, as this is more complex and you could end up damaging the circuit board and the backlight lamp. So, it’s best to leave this job to an expert.

Laptops are fragile and can easily break, especially with more and more thinner and lighter models being launched now. Some of the most common ways how a laptop is damaged include: when it accidentally falls and the screen cracks, when it’s held at an awkward angle or if you unknowingly placed something heavy on the laptop. Remember, a cracked laptop screen can affect the overall functioning of the device in some cases.

Since brands do not cover the laptop screen, it’s best to get your device covered with a protection plan in advance. Screen replacements are expensive and can cost you anywhere up to Rs. 15,000 but if you have the

Need an expert to take a look at your laptop? Book Onsitego’s on-demand repair service. Besides taking care of common laptop problems like battery draining or laptop hanging, we can help with issues like setting up the operating system or removing malware/virus from your device. Our service engineers are qualified and use only good-quality spare parts while repairing. The best part is that our service is backed with a 90-day post-service warranty.

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When a laptop screen breaks, you’ll see various visual defects depending on precisely what broke. You may notice stuck, or incorrectly colored pixels, lines of color, bleeding colors, chunks of the screen appear black, or the screen may not turn on at all.

When a laptop screen is physically broken (such as a cracked screen), it’s usually due to physical damage. You may have dropped the laptop or dropped something on it. A laptop screen can even break if there is something as small as a bit of sand between it and the keyboard.

To fix your broken laptop screen, you’ll have to try each of these fixes. If the screen starts working, or you see enough improvement to begin using the laptop again, you can stop. If it stops working again in the future, return to the list and try the rest of the fixes.

If your screen is physically cracked and the underlying panel is damaged, these fixes won"t work. To fix a physically cracked or broken screen, the only option is to replace the screen.

Restart your laptop. The screen not appearing to work may be caused by an operating system issue, or some other conflict will be cleared by simply restarting the computer. Since restarting is so easy, it should be the first thing you try.

Close the laptop and reopen it. Examine your keyboard and screen areas for any debris, and clean them thoroughly. If your laptop uses a visible latch, clean the latch mechanism. Carefully close the laptop, ensure it is completely closed, and open it back up. If the screen sometimes turns on and sometimes doesn’t, you probably have a bad lid sensor.

Plug in an external monitor. If your screen is entirely black, try plugging in an external monitor. If the external monitor doesn’t work, your laptop may not be on, or it may be asleep or in hibernation mode. Plug it in, and make sure it"s on.

Update your video drivers. If your screen isn’t completely black, but you see visual defects on the screen, try updating your video drivers. You may have a malfunctioning or glitchy driver.

Try to fix your burn-in. If it looks more like you have ghosts of old images stuck on your screen, then you can try a white screen saver or a few other potential fixes to remove the burn-in.

Check your screen and backlight connections. If you have experience with disassembling laptops, you can remove the bezel around your screen, hinge covers, or other case components to reveal the screen and backlight wires and connectors. Make sure everything is fully seated and the cables aren’t crimped or broken.

Replace the screen. If nothing else works, then your screen probably has to be replaced. Screens with large black or colored bars, black holes, or colors that seem to run are typically beyond repair. If it"s a cracked screen, that’s also a clue you’ll have to replace it.

Make use of your broken laptop by salvaging the hard drive as an external hard drive and selling any other parts that still work. If the display still works, use it as a standalone monitor. If you decide to sell your laptop, perform a factory reset to wipe your personal files.

Getting your screen professionally repaired will likely cost $200 or more. You may be able to find a screen and replace it yourself for less than $100. Before you spend money on repairs, consider upgrading to a new laptop.

Summary: Are you facing stretched, pixelated, color lines and other display distortion issues on desktop monitor or laptop? This post shares the methods to fix distorted, flashing, or skewed images on your computer.

Flashing, stretched, pixelated, weird color lines and other distortions don’t let you work. Especially, if you are a designer or professional, you cannot work with such a display screen.

Distorted images on laptop or desktop monitor can occur if the cables are damaged, broken, burnt, or loose. So, begin by checking the cables and connections of your computer.

With continuous usage over the time, the screen settings may get changed. Reset the monitor to its default settings. Press the menu or settings button on the desktop or LCD monitor. This opens the main menu. Now, select ‘Restore Factory Settings’ option.

Note: If you don’t find any reset option, turn off your monitor by pushing the ‘Power’ button. Next, disconnect the monitor from the computer. This should reset the monitor settings to default.

Steps to fix distorted image in Toshiba laptop Open your computer desktop. Right-click and click on Displaysetting. You can also type ‘Display Settings’ in the search bar.

You can visit the manufacturer’s website and check your computer’s manual for right resolution of your CRT, LCD, or laptop. Typically, the below resolutions are recommended for respective screen sizes: Monitor sizeRecommended resolution

You can also download the drivers directly from the manufacturer’s site. Make a note of the make and model of your desktop monitor. Visit the support page of the manufacturer’s website and follow their instructions.

If updating graphic cards don’t help, reinstall them. Reinstalling fixes most of the video cards related problems such as distorted image, overlapping, or corrupt display screen.

If the screen problem continues, it’s a hardware issue that needs repair by a professional. Contact the manufacturer or the authorized service center of your computer or monitor.

You have discovered a black spot on your laptop screen, and you are not alone! Finding a black mark on your LCD can be disheartening, but there are steps you can take to get rid of it. So, if you are here to know how to fix black spots on a laptop, do not skip any part of this article and read until the end.

The black spots are just surface blemishes that appear when dirt or other particles lie on the glass of your screen or due to some defects with the LCD pixels. They are not cracks or tears that may cause the display to fail in the near future, and it’s certainly not an indication of broken glass. Although these can easily be fixed, it is crucial to have a proper understanding of what causes the spots so you can take measures to prevent them from appearing again in the future.

A laptop or LCD monitor’s screen is like a mirror, and it reflects the light from your computer’s display back at you. Black spots on display occur when small amounts of dirt and dust or smudges gather and are stuck to the surface.

Sometimes, dirt or debris may accumulate on your laptop screen, which leads to black spots that become visible to the naked eye and grow larger over time and can cause problems with screen resolution if left untreated.

These spots are typically easy to remove without damaging the monitor. However, failing to clean the dirt or debris on a regular basis, more of them will appear and gradually obscure more of your laptop’s screen, making the rest of the screen appear duller by comparison.

Though such black marks will not reduce the quality of the display of your LCD screen and cause any damage to the internal circuit of the monitor, they are very annoying.

The easy solution to get rid of these spots is to clean your screen with a moderately dampened microfiber cloth or soft eraser. Make sure you do not apply pressure while rubbing the display; instead, wipe it with gentle and circular strokes to avoid scratches and leftover marks.

Different types of pixel defects happen on LCD screens, including dead pixels and stuck pixels. Identifying the problem correctly will help you to choose the right methods to fix it that will not result in damaging the screen any further.

Most laptops have some pixel problems in them. The number of defective pixels you see depends on the screen resolution – the smaller the resolution, the larger they seem. In most cases, they are not noticeable during regular use as they are not bright spots, and if your laptop is free from pixel issues when you buy it, consider yourself lucky.

LCD manufacturing technology has improved dramatically over the years, and today’s panels almost don’t come with any such problem. However, as earlier as a few years back, there were times when defective pixels or vertical/horizontal lines would be let out into the market for lower-cost models.

When a pixel gets permanently damaged, it fails to receive power, resulting in a dark or black spot on your laptop display. This specific malfunction can occur during the manufacturing process of LCD monitors, and it is sort of permanent, which does not recover over time.

However, one can rarely experience such defects on their laptop screens out of the box since manufacturers strive to follow stringent quality control processes to make sure they deliver a flawless product. On the other hand, it’s quite normal to notice dead pixels appearing on the screen over time, depending on multiple usage factors.

Every modern laptop comes with a built-in LCD diagnostic mode that can successfully identify any pixel malfunction on your laptop’s screen. Follow the step-by-step method as below –

Now, turn the laptop on while pressing and holding the D key at the same time, and you will be taken to the self-test mode. Do not release the D key until the color bars appear on the LCD.

The monitor should display multiple color bars that constantly change from one color to another, which you want to inspect carefully in order to find out any distortion or irregular pixels.

However, it’s tricky to differentiate between dead and stuck pixels by naked eyes; therefore, you may want to look for other ways. If you are using a Windows laptop, install a free software named “InjuredPixels” – you can Google for its official website and download from there. Or if it’s a Mac, “LCD DeadPixel Test” is a browser-based tool (so nothing to download or install) that can help.

Spotting any defective pixel is relatively easy using these apps. They run single solid colors on your display so that you can quickly find out the malfunctioning pixel that doesn’t match the color of the rest of the screen real estate. You can further ensure whether it is a dead or stuck pixel before you attempt to fix it.

The common causes of an LCD monitor having a bad pixel are the following: extremely high or low temperature, a sudden drop in voltage, high levels of humidity, and static display over an extended period.

Keeping your laptop unprotected close to a heating source can force the pixels on the LCD to get solidified. Even lower temperatures below the allowed limit can lead to the same result.

Read the user manual for the ideal range of humidity levels within which you should operate your laptop. Keeping your LCD screen powered on in a high level of humidity may cause tiny droplets of moisture to enter the inside exposed areas of your display, resulting in a pixel malfunction.

Alternatively, you can let the laptop be turned off for about an hour and then turn it on. Repeat the process a few times and check for any changes in the pixels. This simple method is especially beneficial in case the stuck pixel shows when running a specific program and not other times.

If you find that your LCD panel display has dead pixels, there are a few things you can try. One of the simplest things to try is rubbing it gently, particularly if the dead pixel is on the edge of your screen where it is barely noticeable.

Before you try this technique, your LCD panel must be clean and free of dust and debris. Simply wiping with a soft cloth should remove most dirt and smudges. Also, using an object with a circular end, such as a smartphone stylus, and placing a soft microfiber cloth over the problem spot during the process will greatly reduce the risk of causing more harm to the screen.

JScreenFix is a website that can help you with your dead or stuck pixel issues. No expensive equipment or software is required as using the site is 100% free. All you need is just your laptop and an internet connection, and you are good to go. Below is a step-by-step guide that will walk you through the steps to solve the problem!

Once you have it on your laptop – open it up, move the red box to the area where you marked the dead pixel, set the timer, and click the “Start Flashing” button.

You would be in luck if your laptop was still under warranty period when you noticed the pixel defect. Take the unit to the official service center or the retailer you purchased it from and ask about the warranty claim process. In the majority of cases, any such pixel damages are considered manufacturing defects, and the company will simply replace the LCD.

It depends. If you are experiencing a stuck pixel problem on your screen, it will likely recover by itself after a while in the majority of cases, without any user input. On the other hand, a dead pixel is more or less a permanent condition.

For stuck pixels, you have little to worry about as they usually disappear over time. However, dead pixels are mostly not user repairable. With that’s being said, JScreenFix and PixelHealer are two incredibly effective software solutions that you can use to restore your stuck and dead pixels – experts found their success rates pretty high.

Before you start looking for how to fix black spots on a laptop, it’s crucial to figure out exactly what caused the condition. Typically the issues people face are minor, and the black spots on their screens are a result of dust and dirt accumulation, which can be fixed with a simple cleaning.

However, sometimes it might be a symptom of a larger problem, including dead and stuck pixels that may require professional help. Unless you know what you are doing, we recommend you take your laptop to an authorized repair shop or claim a replacement from the brand if it’s still under the warranty period.