Do LCD monitors suffer from screen burn if left for a long time?

Q It seems to me that, since the advent of LCD monitors, there is no need to use a screensaver any more. I understand that with traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) displays, the image would be burned in to the screen if left for a long time, but this isn’t the case for LCD. Am I correct?

Dave Gale

A LCD displays do not suffer from image burn-in in the same ways as cathode-ray tube displays do, where a static image can be permanently burned into their phosphor coating by the beam of electrons that generate the image.

LCD displays can, however, suffer from ‘image persistence’. This too is caused by displaying a static image for long periods, such as leaving the Windows Desktop on screen for many nights in a row. The cause is not clear, though it is believed to be due to some change in the electrical property of the pixels that make up the display. Moreover, as with CRTs, the effect can be permanent.

So, a screensaver is still recommended for an LCD monitor – but that still isn’t the best option for preventing image persistence. As an idle display of any kind still uses power, it’s far better to set the PC’s power-saving options so the screen turns off when it hasn’t been used for a short period. This will prevent damage to the display and reduce electricity bills.