What to try if your Surface screen is flickering, distorted, or has other display issues

For enhanced help and support, we recommend using the Surface app.

The Surface app knows your device, detects the most common issues, and provides you with simple, personalized solutions.

Open the Surface app

If you are unable to use the app on your Surface device, you can still follow the basic support solutions below.

If the screen on your Surface looks distorted, has static, is flickering, or has lines running through the screen, you can try a few things to get it working again. For help with external displays, please view Troubleshoot connecting Surface to an external display

Troubleshooting options

Select a link below for the troubleshooting or service options for the screen issue you're seeing.

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Screen that's flickering

Garbled or distorted picture

Shows small bright white spots on Surface screen.

Screen discoloration, brightness or dimming

Shows out-of-focus Surface screen (scrambled).

Screen scramble

Shows vertical and horizontal lines running through a Surface screen.

Screen with lines through it

Shows blue spots on Surface screen that should have a plain grey background.

Screen with artifacts (mura)

Shows a bright dead pixel on a screen.

Screen with a dead or stuck pixel

Shows a yellow or brown at the edges of the Surface screen.

Screen with yellow or brown banding

Note: If the screen brightness is changing unexpectedly as the content being displayed changes, see Adaptive brightness and contrast on Surface devices.

What to try if your Surface screen is flickering, distorted, or has other display issues

Troubleshooting options

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