How to test a monitor's color transition smoothness

A sky that should fade smoothly from blue to white can instead look like a set of colored stripes. That effect is called banding. It can come from the image, the software, or the display, so one test image is not enough to identify the cause.

The Display Test checks screen colors and can help you look for uneven color areas. It does not measure every possible color transition or prove a monitor's color depth. Use it alongside a smooth gradient image to narrow down what you are seeing.

Check the monitor's color transitions

1. Open the Display Test on the monitor you want to check, then run its color checks. Look for patches, tint changes, or areas that look different from the rest of the screen.
2. Show a smooth gradient image on the same monitor. A simple blue-to-white sky or a grayscale fade from black to white can work. Use an image saved locally in a lossless format, such as PNG, if you have one. Avoid judging the display from a small, compressed picture or a video stream.
3. View the gradient at its intended size, without zooming in. Look for long, distinct steps where the color should change gradually. Check both light and dark parts, since banding can be easier to see in one part of a gradient.
4. If you have another monitor, show the same image on it. Keep the image, app, and viewing conditions the same, then compare whether the bands appear in the same places.
5. Repeat the check after changing one display setting at a time. This helps you see whether the result follows the monitor setting or stays tied to the image.

The Display Test's color checks use known screen colors to help spot visible inconsistencies. For a smooth gradient, use a separate image as well. The exact appearance depends on the image and your display settings, so treat the comparison as a way to narrow down the cause, not as a lab measurement.

What the result means

The test colors look even and the gradient looks smooth

You did not find an obvious color or banding problem in this check. That does not certify professional color accuracy or rule out problems that appear only in a particular app, video, or brightness range. If a problem occurs in one program, check that program's image or video settings next.

The test colors look uneven across the screen

A patch, tint, or brightness difference that remains visible on several test colors may point to panel uniformity, a screen setting, or a display connection problem. Repeat the test at normal brightness and check whether the same area looks different in other images.

The gradient has visible steps on one monitor

If the steps are visible with a reliable image on one screen but not another, that monitor's settings, connection, or panel may be limiting how smoothly it displays the gradient. Compare the settings and connection before deciding the screen is faulty.

The bands appear on every screen in the same places

The image is a more likely cause. A gradient saved with limited color precision, compressed, or altered by an app can contain bands before it reaches the monitor. Try a different, high-quality gradient image before changing hardware.

The bands appear only in a video or one app

Streaming compression, an app's color handling, or an image effect may be responsible. If a still image looks smooth but a video does not, the monitor may be fine. Check another source in the same app, then view the original file in a different app.

How to fix visible banding or uneven color

1. Check the source image. Try a different gradient, preferably a local PNG rather than a streamed or compressed image. If the banding changes or disappears, the first image or its playback path was the likely cause.
2. Set the screen to its native resolution. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display and choose the option marked Recommended under Display resolution. On macOS, open System Settings › Displays and choose the display's default or recommended resolution if available.
3. Turn off picture adjustments temporarily. Features such as vivid color modes, dynamic contrast, night color filters, or a monitor's built-in enhancement settings can change gradients. Turn them off one at a time, then repeat the same check. Restore any setting that does not affect the issue.
4. Check HDR and color settings. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display › HDR if that option appears, and compare the image with HDR on and off. On macOS, check System Settings › Displays for available color profile and display options. Names and choices depend on the computer and monitor, so do not select an unfamiliar profile just to see if it looks brighter.
5. Reconnect the display. Unplug and firmly reconnect the video cable at both ends. If possible, try another compatible cable or port. A dock, adapter, or cable can affect the display mode the computer can send.
6. Restart and retest. A restart can clear a temporary graphics or display-setting problem. Repeat the test with the same image and settings before making another change.

When it may be a monitor problem

Suspect the monitor if the same uneven patch or strong banding remains with multiple reliable images and sources, while another screen looks normal under comparable conditions. Check the monitor's own picture settings and test it with a different cable or computer if possible. A browser test cannot measure the panel's exact color depth, calibration, or internal processing.

If the defect is persistent, photograph it only as supporting evidence, since a phone camera can add its own color and exposure errors. If the monitor is under warranty, share the repeatable test conditions with the manufacturer. For an older or inexpensive screen, replacement may cost less than panel repair.

Banding is not the same as slow pixel response

Banding means a gradual color change looks like separate steps. Pixel response time describes how quickly a pixel changes when the image moves or changes, and slow response can leave blur or trails. The Display Test's color checks can help you inspect static colors, but they do not measure the monitor's exact response time. If the issue happens only during motion, check moving content rather than judging a still gradient.