Applies To
Other Surface Devices

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

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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.