You might have seen some lights coming on the sides of your monitor or your TV screen which you can notice when you view the black color screen.
If you want to know about the differences between IPS Glow vs Backlight Bleed, then this is the right post for you.
It is really essential to know if it is a monitor defect or is it natural to have that on your display.
This post would help you to identify the glow or light leaks in your display as an IPS glow or a backlight bleed.

Contents of The Article
IPS Glow vs Backlight Bleed
IPS Glow | Backlight Bleed | |
Monitor Defect | Not a monitor defect. | Yes, it is a monitor defect. |
Screen Location | Monitor Corners | Monitor Edges |
Is it Normal | Yes | No |
What is IPS Glow?
If you have an IPS display then you may have already seen some glow around the corners which does not represent accurate colors like other parts of the screen.
This is known as IPS Glow.
The IPS Glow can be seen by the human eye as a faint light coming from either corner of the screen.
It does not affect your ability to see accurate colors, only that there may be some IPS Glow present on the display which could cause eye strain if you are sensitive to seeing it for long periods of time.
So, Is IPS Glow a defect? IPS glow is not a defect rather it comes from the normal process during the manufacture of the IPS display.
IPS monitors have built-in IPS glow because they use In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology which spreads out lights horizontally instead of vertically like other types of displays such as cathode ray tubes (CRT).
This gives IPS screens more vibrant and detailed color reproduction with wide viewing angles so these types of displays are usually preferred.
You can check in detail about IPS Glow in this post.
What is Backlight Bleed?
Backlight bleed refers to any leakage from the backlighting system onto either side of the LCD panel within an LED-backlit LCD display device causing uniformity issues along those edges of the screen which should be completely black or otherwise very dark.
In monitors whether Full HD or HD, you would find that the edges of the monitor emit a glow.
This is more noticeable for dark colored pictures.
You would be clearly able to see the backlight of the monitor is spreading across the edges of the monitor.
This type of flaw is majorly seen in the case of cheap monitors and also rarely happens in some good monitors also because of manufacturing defects.
Backlight bleed can impact the color accuracy of IPS displays and IPS screens.
Generally, you can avoid backlight bleed problems if you choose a high-quality display initially.
You can check in detail about backlight bleed here.
To test Backlit bleed you need a pitch-black color image on the screen.
Here is the video below. This will make your screen black and you would get to see if there is any backlit bleeding in your monitor.
Backlight Bleed Reasons
IPS monitors are made by superimposing multiple layers.
During that process, the pressure applied to the display displaces the molecules of the liquid crystals underneath and causes a display issue known as Backlight bleed.
Hence, the backlight bleed can be considered a manufacturing defect.
How much IPS Glow is acceptable?
IPS Glow on the monitors can be distracting to your eyes during gaming or when you use your monitor.
After you get your monitor you need to test dimming lights in a dark room to check the IPS glow if it is distracting you.
If you are using a high-quality display then the IPS glow would be minimal and of no issues.
Does backlight bleed get worse?
Generally, the backlight bleed does not get worse with time.
It is a manufacturing defect and stays long unless repaired.
If the backlight bleed bothers you it’s time to replace or repair the display panel.
Does backlight bleed affect the picture quality?
Backlight bleed does not affect the picture quality. The backlight bleed happens around the edges of the Monitors which has the issue.
However, with backlight bleed the central part of the monitor remains unaffected.
Is Blacklight bleeding normal on laptops with an IPS display panel?
Laptops with an IPS display can have a slight backlight bleeding on their edges. This is normal.
You can check, a great guide to choose best vertical monitor.
Conclusion
Whether you have an IPS glow or backlight bleeding, you need to identify it properly to take the next steps to rectify it.
If you have backlight bleeding then you can go with the warranty claim and get your monitor replaced or repaired.
If your monitor is still in the replacement period then it is better to check in the initial days after purchasing the monitor itself.
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I’m Anirban Saha, Founder & Editor of TechBullish. With a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, and 5+ years of experience as a software developer, I have expertise in electronics, software development, gadgets, and computer peripherals. I love sharing my knowledge through informational articles, how-to guides, and troubleshooting tips for Peripherals, Smart TVs, Streaming Solutions, and more here.