How to check full-screen color on a chosen monitor

Want to check one monitor without confusing it with the others? A full-screen color test makes it easier to notice uneven color, dim areas, or a display that looks different from its neighbors.

The Screens tool lists connected displays and lets you run a color test on any of them. You can choose the monitor you want to inspect and view the test on that screen, in your browser.

Run the color test on the monitor you choose

1. Open Screens on the computer connected to the monitor you want to check.
2. Find the display you want in the list. Use its position, resolution, or scale to distinguish it from the other displays.
3. Choose that display's color test and follow the on-screen steps to show it on the monitor. Look at the screen straight on, from your usual viewing distance.
4. Check the whole visible area for color changes, patches, lines, or pixels that look different from the surrounding image. If you have another display, run its test separately for comparison.
5. Leave the test with Esc if it is in browser full-screen mode. If that does not close it, use the on-screen way to leave the test.

For a useful check, keep the room lighting steady and avoid viewing the screen from a sharp angle. If you are comparing two monitors, compare the same color test on each, not different content or desktop wallpapers.

What the result means

The color looks even across the screen

The monitor shows the test image consistently at a glance. This does not prove that its colors are perfectly accurate, but it makes a large uneven patch or obvious discoloration less likely. For a closer check of individual pixels, see how to check a monitor for dead pixels.

One area looks warmer, cooler, brighter, or darker

The display may have uneven backlighting, a viewing-angle effect, or a setting that changes color across the screen. Move your head slightly and check whether the difference shifts. If it does, the viewing angle may be affecting what you see. If the area stays in the same place, compare it under steady lighting and check the display settings.

The whole screen looks tinted or washed out

A color mode, night-light setting, color filter, or display profile may be changing the image. Compare the test with the monitor's on-screen menu and with another display, if available. A browser test shows what the current display chain produces, not the unaltered color values sent by the test.

The test appears on the wrong monitor

The computer may be mirroring displays, or the selected display may not match the physical screen you expected. Check the display arrangement in your operating system and identify screens by their position or by briefly changing the selected display. Avoid changing color settings until you know which screen is selected.

How to fix a display that looks wrong

1. Check the monitor's own picture settings. Use its physical buttons or on-screen menu to check brightness, contrast, color temperature, and picture mode. A mode such as vivid or low blue light can make the test look unlike other screens.
2. Turn off temporary color changes. On Windows 11, check Settings › System › Display for Night light and color filters. On macOS, check System Settings › Displays for display options such as Night Shift. Turn these off briefly, then run the test again.
3. Confirm the screen layout. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display, select the display, and check the arrangement and multiple-display mode. Choose an extended desktop if you need each monitor to show a different test. On macOS, open System Settings › Displays and check whether displays are extended or mirrored.
4. Check the color profile. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display, select the monitor, and look for its color profile options. On macOS, open System Settings › Displays, select the display, and review the color profile. If you changed a profile, note the original setting so you can restore it.
5. Reconnect the display. Check that the video cable is seated at both ends. If possible, test another port or cable, then run the color test again. A poor connection can cause flicker, artifacts, or intermittent color changes.
6. Restart and test again. Close display utilities, restart the computer, and repeat the test before changing more settings. This helps rule out a temporary software or connection problem.

When the monitor may be faulty

If a patch, line, or color shift stays in exactly the same place across different test colors and apps, check whether it also appears in the monitor's own menu. If it does, the issue is likely inside the display rather than in the browser or computer. Try a different cable and input first. If the fault remains, check the warranty or ask a repair shop whether the panel is worth repairing.

A browser color test is a visual check, not a color calibration measurement. It can help you spot obvious differences and identify which monitor needs attention, but it cannot certify color accuracy for photo or print work.