How to Get Rid of a Thin Green Line on an LCD

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Your LCD produces specific colors and images by altering the colors of the thousands of tiny pixels in the screen. Three subpixels – colored red, green and blue – make up each pixel, and tiny transistors inside the screen electronically trigger the correct color. Various factors can cause these pixels to become stuck on a particular color, including damage to the screen itself or manufacturing defects. Stuck pixels can appear as single tiny dots on your screen, or as entire green lines on your monitor that run the length of it.

Verify the Problem

Three components are required to properly display an image on the LCD screen – the graphics card, the monitor and the cables that connect them – and you need to investigate these individually if you're wondering "why does my monitor have green lines?" A problem with any one of these components could cause undesirable lines, each requiring a different method of repair. Plug a second monitor into your computer to see if the lines appear on the new screen. If they do, the issue originates with the computer's graphics card.

Examine your video cables for signs of damage or wear, and replace if necessary. Check your monitor's display settings and change them for optimum performance. Once you've ascertained that the issue does indeed lie with the LCD, you can address the stuck pixels accordingly.

Gently Massage the Pixels

Pixels stuck in the “on” position may revert to normal operation with a little pressure, according to Geekflare. Use a small piece of tape to show where the line runs and turn your screen off. Slightly dampen a soft cloth and apply gentle pressure to the stuck pixel line. Don't press too hard or you may make the problem worse. The idea is to gently flex the screen material and encourage the pixels inside to shift out of the permanent “on” position. Work slowly, applying gentle pressure along the whole line. Turn the screen back on when you've finished to see the line's response. Repeat as necessary until all pixels are back to normal.

Update Your Drivers

Using out-of-date drivers can cause various display issues, and your green line may be evidence of this. Check the driver versions for your graphics card and monitor to ensure you're using the latest releases. Visit the website of your computer or monitor manufacturer to search for updates for your devices. Keep your operating system updated as well, to encourage proper communication between all components.

Try Color Cycling

Stuck pixels sometime respond to quick cycling of the colors, which essentially works the “kinks” out of the subpixels and allows them to work the way they should. You can find various “pixel fixer” programs online as free downloads, including Jscreen Fix, Undead Pixel and Stuck Pixel Fixer. (See Resources.) These programs cycle your screen through different colors to unstick the stuck pixel line, and can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more to run. DigitalTrends points out that Jscreen Fix also works on mobile, so if you have a green line on an iPhone screen, you can use this fix.

Seek Professional Assistance

If your attempts to revive your stuck pixel line are unsuccessful, you may have to seek more professional guidance for a solution. Depending on the age of your monitor or laptop, you can contact the manufacturer or an experienced repair technician for help. Check your warranty, as some manufacturers replace LCDs with more than a few dead pixels within a certain time frame. For those LCDs out of warranty, you'll have to decide whether repair or replacement is a better option.