How to use the black screen
- Press Full-screen black. The whole display goes pure black (#000000).
- Press Esc or tap to exit. Switch colours to look for other faults.
Uses for a black screen
A black screen helps you check for problems that are hard to see in normal use. In a dark room, turn brightness up and look at the edges of the display: patches of light leaking in are backlight bleed, common on LCD monitors, and cloudy glow in corners is "IPS glow". Bright dots that stay lit on black are stuck pixels, usually red, green or blue, which can sometimes be fixed with the stuck-pixel flasher.
On an OLED screen, black pixels are switched off completely, so a black screen uses almost no power and makes a good "screen off" look while keeping the device awake, for example during a presentation break or when you want your monitor to look off while a download finishes. It is also a simple way to rest your eyes, hide what is on screen, or create a dark backdrop for photos of reflections. Nothing is installed or stored.
FAQ
How do I check for backlight bleed?
Show the black screen in a dark room at high brightness and look for light at the edges.
Does a black screen save battery?
On OLED screens, yes; black pixels are turned off. On LCDs the backlight stays on.
Will it turn my monitor off?
No. It only fills the screen with black; press Esc to exit.