Monitor Color Test
Ten full-screen patterns that check how your screen shows color. Solid colors catch faulty pixels and tint, and the gradients show banding and lost shadow detail.
Ten full-screen colors. Click, tap or press an arrow key to move to the next one.
What should each color look like?
Each pattern should look clean and even across the whole screen. This is what to check on each one.
Why can I not see every gray step?
If the darkest or lightest bands merge, your screen is losing detail in shadows or highlights. Lower the contrast or try another picture mode, then run the test again.
What is color banding?
Banding shows as visible stripes where a gradient should be smooth. Low color depth and some picture settings cause it, so reset the picture mode before you blame the panel.
Can a browser test calibrate my monitor?
No. True calibration needs a hardware sensor called a colorimeter. A test like this still shows faults and tint by eye, which is what you need before a return window closes.
How do I check for color tint?
Use the white and gray patterns, and compare the middle of the screen with each edge. A warm, yellow or pink side, or a cool, blue or green one, is a tint. Look from straight in front, because angle shifts color on many LCDs.
How do I calibrate my monitor without a sensor?
Your computer has a free tool that gets you most of the way. It walks you through gamma, brightness, contrast and color balance with test images, then saves the result.
- Windows: search the Start menu for Calibrate display color.
- Mac: open System Settings, then Displays, and choose Customize in the Color profile menu to reach the calibrator.
Run this color test again afterwards. The gray steps should all be visible, with no tint on white.
Can I test 10-bit color or sRGB in a browser?
Not fully. Browsers draw most web pages with 8-bit color, so a web test cannot prove a 10-bit signal. On Windows 11, Advanced display settings show the bit depth and color format your screen is running at.
sRGB is the color range most web pages, photos and apps are made for. A wide color monitor without an sRGB mode can make those colors look too strong. If skin tones and reds on this test look neon, switch the monitor to its sRGB mode.
How do I test the colors on a phone screen?
Open this page on the phone and tap through the patterns. On an iPhone, turn off True Tone first, since it shifts white to match the room light. Many Android phones offer a natural and a vivid screen mode, and natural is closer to standard color.
Will two monitors side by side match?
Rarely out of the box, even when they are the same model. Set both to the same picture mode, color temperature and brightness, then compare them on white. Small differences that remain need a colorimeter to fix.
Why do colors look different on my phone and monitor?
Screens cover different ranges of color and use different color temperatures. Phones often use vivid settings by default, so the same photo can look richer there. A standard or sRGB mode brings the two closer.
Questions
Should I turn off night mode first?
Yes. Night mode and blue light filters warm every color on purpose, which hides a real tint. Turn them off for the test.
Which picture mode should I use?
Test in the mode you actually use. If colors look wrong, try a standard or sRGB mode and run the test again.
When should I run a color test?
When the screen is new, and again before the return window ends. After that, run it whenever colors start to look off.