Although they offer great quality, the best OLED TVs you can buy are delicate and there are some things you should never do with them. The technology used in these screens has been designed to make what you are looking at sharper, but at the same time, it also requires special care. That’s why owning OLED can look a little different, especially for anyone coming from an LCD or LED screen.
OLED technology is fundamentally different from previous display types that used a separate layer for lighting. Your new OLED TV has millions of pixels that can each create their own light, but their ability to do so may degrade the more you use them, which could cause individual pixels to dim. This wear and tear is unfortunately natural and will happen with any panel using this technology, but the process can be sped up or slowed down depending on how you use your TV, meaning some habits are worse than others.
The good news is that you don’t need to be a tech wizard or pay extra to keep your OLED TV secure: it’s just a matter of adjusting a few behaviors. There are some things you should absolutely never do on an OLED TV, and others you can do but should avoid.
Leaving static images on your OLED TV for hours
Burn-in is one of the biggest problems of any OLED display and also a nightmare for many users, as modern OLED displays still suffer from burn-in even after many improvements. Image retention can occur over time, since each pixel generates its own light and not all pixels degrade equally over time. So if you play the same game for too long, or anything else whose interface elements are fixed and appear in the same place, burn-in is more likely to occur.
The best thing to do is to avoid leaving the same channel or game on for hours, as this increases the risk of damaging your OLED TV’s pixels. It’s also important to enable any screen protection technology your TV may have: features like Screen Shift, which shifts the image slightly at regular intervals to help maintain quality, and Pixel Refresher, which helps redistribute pixel wear and reduce the risk of permanent marks appearing on the screen.
Handle the television by pinching its thin screen
In addition to better image quality, OLED panels are also much thinner than other types of screens, especially at the top. This is possible because displays with this technology do not use a backlight layer like LED TVs do – only organic pixels on a flexible substrate. While this gives these screens a sleek design, it also makes them more susceptible to damage.
For this reason, when moving the TV for cleaning or moving it around the home, never place it with the screen down on uneven or rough surfaces. Also avoid pressing on the glass with your fingers in a pinching motion to lift the device, as these pressure points can damage the pixels. Ideally, always hold the TV by its base or thicker edges.
If possible, it is also recommended to keep the TV box and its foam packaging material. Although it takes up space, the foam has been molded to fit the shape of the panel, making the original packaging ideal for transporting the device long distances. If you no longer have the box, it is best to wrap the screen in a soft cloth or bubble wrap before placing it on a flat surface to avoid internal damage, which may take time to appear.
Unplug the TV
Interrupting power to the TV often, whether by unplugging it from the outlet or turning it off via a power strip, prevents the pixel compensation cycles mentioned in the burn-in section above from completing. These processes continue to operate during sleep and play an important role in helping the TV even out pixel wear and reduce the chance of long-term burn-in.
Although many users do this to save money, the money saved by unplugging the TV in these situations is negligible. Energy Star certified TV models consume no more than 1 W in standby, compared to a consumption of between 120 and 170 W when operating. Ultimately, this habit could save just a few cents on the bill at the end of the month. Even models with higher standby consumption are only a few extra dollars per year.
In other words, the savings from unplugging your TV probably aren’t worth the risk of damaging your screen, even considering that users say OLED TVs are reliable when properly maintained. The best choice is to leave it in standby mode and only use the remote control to turn it on or off, allowing the automatic cycles to work without interruption and retaining the image for longer.
Keep screen brightness at maximum all the time
It’s tempting to have an OLED TV and want to enjoy everything it has to offer at all times, especially since the maximum brightness helps make the images look even better. However, just like static images, brightness can be another factor that greatly affects how long it takes for your TV to start showing burn-in. So, if you want to keep your screen looking good for longer, reducing the brightness is one of the easiest ways to avoid OLED burn-in.
This is because peak brightness demands more from each pixel, with organic light emitters requiring more power and generating more heat to operate at full capacity. These two elements, when combined for extended periods of time, further contribute to screen degradation, reducing the useful life of a TV and increasing the chances of problems appearing sooner. So, only using maximum brightness when truly necessary is a precaution every OLED owner should take with their TV.
The ideal option is to adjust the brightness based on the lighting in the room, reducing it at night or in darker rooms where higher brightness levels do not translate into a better experience. Depending on your model, it may also be worth activating the TV’s automatic light sensor.
Using your OLED TV in a room that is too bright
The biggest advantage of an OLED TV is its almost infinite contrast, as each individual pixel can be completely turned off to produce true black, which is excellent in movies and games. But in very bright rooms, this advantage disappears, because outside light can mix with the displayed image, increasing the perceived black level and making the scene look grayish, with less depth and definition between light and dark areas.
Additionally, most OLED panels have a slightly reflective finish, even with anti-reflective layers, which can also degrade contrast quality in high ambient light. In a bright room, reflections from windows, lamps, and even light-colored walls can appear on the screen and compete with the content. This leads to a washed-out image, with less saturated colors and a lower sense of depth, even for well-calibrated scenes.
The best way to get the most out of an OLED TV is to use it in a room with controlled lighting, not a room with direct sunlight on the screen during the day. Blackout curtains, blinds and indirect lighting are a big help. If you can’t control the lighting in the room, look into some of the best TVs for bright rooms, as other technologies are better suited to this type of environment.
