Troubleshooting Light Leakage on Your Dell Laptop Screen

You notice light appearing around the edges or corners of your laptop screen, (also known as light leakage or light bleeding) especially when:

• Viewing dark images or videos
• Using your laptop in a dimly lit room
• Displaying black or very dark backgrounds

This light may appear as bright spots, glowing edges, or uneven brightness in certain areas of your screen.

Light leakage (also called backlight bleeding) happens because of how laptop screens are built. Here's what you need to know:

How laptop screens work

Your laptop screen uses a backlight that shines through layers to create the image you see. Sometimes, small amounts of this backlight can escape around the edges or through certain areas. This is common across all laptop brands and screen types.

Why it looks worse in the dark

When you use your laptop in a dark room, your eyes become more sensitive to light. This makes any light leakage much more noticeable than it would be in normal lighting.

Understanding the difference: Proper lighting vs. dark room viewing

Image 1: LCD Panel in normal office lighting conditions (150-200 lux, correct lighting environment)

Image 2: LCD Panel inspected in dark room (Incorrect inspection environment)

Important: Both images show the same screen that meets Dell's quality standards. Notice how much more visible the light leakage appears in the dark room compared to normal lighting. This is why checking your screen in proper lighting gives you a more accurate picture of whether there's an actual issue.

Industry standards for testing

Dell and other laptop makers test screens in normal office lighting (similar to what you'd find in a typical home or workplace during the day). Some light leakage that you can see in complete darkness may still be within normal ranges when viewed in proper lighting conditions.

Types of light leakage you might see

Hot Spots and Light Bars

You may notice certain areas of your screen appear brighter than others. These are commonly called "hot spots" or "light bars." They can appear as:

• Bright patches in specific areas of the screen
• Lighter bands along edges
• Uneven brightness across the screen

Examples of screens outside normal range:

Image 3: LCD Panels with abnormal hot spots

Image 4: LCD Panels with abnormal hot spots

These two examples show hot spots that are clearly visible even in normal room lighting. Screens with this level of hot spotting are outside Dell's specifications and should be evaluated by support.

Example of normal light leakage:

Image 5: Example of multiple light leaks along the bottom edge of the panel

This example shows light leakage that was photographed in a dark room. While it appears significant in the photo, this type of edge lighting is within normal range because it's only clearly visible in darkness, not in regular room lighting.

About Dell Gaming and Alienware displays

If you have a Dell Gaming laptop or Alienware system, you might notice some light leakage or backlight bleeding when using your laptop in a dark environment. This is not unique to Dell Gaming or Alienware screens, it's something that can happen with high-performance gaming displays from any manufacturer.

Gaming and Alienware laptops often feature high-refresh-rate screens and advanced display technology. These screens are tested using the same industry standards as all Dell laptops. If the light leakage is only visible in very dark conditions, your screen is working as designed.

Follow these steps to determine if your screen needs service or if what you're seeing is within normal range.

Step 1: Check your screen in proper lighting

1. Move to a room with normal lighting (like your office or living room during daytime).
2. Open your laptop and turn on the screen.
3. Look at the screen from your normal viewing position.

Result: Can you still see the light leakage clearly in normal room lighting?

• No, I can barely see it or not at all: This is normal behavior. Your screen is working as designed. Skip to the tips section below for better viewing experience.
• Yes, I can still see it clearly: Continue to Step 2.

Step 2: Test with different brightness levels

1. Open any white or bright application (like a web browser or document).
2. Adjust your screen brightness using your laptop's brightness keys.
   • Press the brightness down key several times.
   • Press the brightness up key several times.
3. Observe whether the light leakage changes as you adjust brightness.

Result: Does the light leakage change when you adjust brightness?

• Yes, it changes: Your screen is responding normally. Try adjusting your brightness setting to a comfortable level where the leakage is less noticeable.
• No, it stays the same: Continue to Step 3.

Step 3: Test with bright content

1. Open a program with a bright, white background (like a blank document or white webpage).
2. Look at your screen in normal room lighting.
3. Take a photo with your phone if you want to document what you're seeing.

Result: Can you see the light leakage issue with bright content?

• No: The issue may only be noticeable with very dark content, which is within normal range.
• Yes, and it's very noticeable: Continue to Step 4.

Step 4: Compare with another laptop (if available)

If you have access to another Dell laptop of the same model:

1. Place both laptops side by side.
2. Display the same image on both screens (use a regular photo or document, not a completely black image).
3. Set both screens to the same brightness level.
4. View both screens in normal room lighting.

Important: Make sure both laptops have the same type of screen. A standard screen and a high-definition screen may look different from each other naturally.

Result: Is your screen significantly different from the comparison laptop?

• No, they look similar: Your screen is performing normally.
• Yes, mine is noticeably worse: Continue to the contact support section below.

When to contact Dell Support

Reach out to Dell Technical Support for repair options if:

• The light leakage is clearly visible in normal room lighting (not just in the dark)
• The bright spots or uneven areas don't change with brightness adjustments
• Your screen looks significantly worse than another laptop of the same model
• The leakage affects your ability to work comfortably

Before you contact support:

• Take a photo of your screen showing the issue (in normal room lighting, not in the dark)
• Note your laptop's Service Tag or Express Service Code number (found on the bottom of your laptop)

Tips for better viewing experience

Even if your screen is working normally, here are ways to make your viewing experience more comfortable:

• Use your laptop in well-lit rooms rather than complete darkness
• Adjust your screen brightness to a moderate level that's comfortable for your eyes
• Avoid displaying completely black backgrounds for extended periods if light leakage bothers you
• Position your laptop so that room lights don't reflect directly on your screen

Get more help

• Laptop screen not working: Start here for common symptoms (blank/black screen, flicker, lines, color/tint, light leakage) and step‑by‑step troubleshooting
• Monitor not working: Common desktop‑monitor issues, basic checks and setup guidance.
• Touchscreen not working: Start here for unresponsive/erratic touch, ghost touches, calibration, and driver basics.
• Multiple monitors not detected / black screen: Common troubleshooting for detection, cabling, Windows display settings, and driver/BIOS updates.