Everything You Need to Know About Monitor Ghosting

PDF download Download Article
Plus, we answer some monitor ghosting FAQs
PDF download Download Article

Monitor ghosting is a phenomenon where moving images look blurry or smeared as they move across your computer screen. It's most often encountered in video games, but you might see it when watching a movie or TV show as well. In this article we dive into what ghosting is, how it's caused, and how you can fix or reduce ghosting on your screen. Keep reading to learn more.

Monitor Ghosting Overview

Monitor ghosting is when an image moving across your screen leaves a "ghostly" trail behind it. Sometimes it looks blurry or like the image is smearing, and you may see duplicate copies of the image behind it as it moves. It's caused by low-refresh rate monitors, especially those with a VA LCD panel.

Section 1 of 3:

Monitor Ghosting Definition & Causes

PDF download Download Article
  1. Ghosting can make these images look blurry or like they're smearing across the screen, but it can also be a little difficult to detect. When watching a movie or playing a game, ghosting might just look like motion blur. [1] However, it tends to be easier to see in darker scenes.
    • You can test ghosting on your monitors by going to the BLUR BUSTERS Motion Test online. If the moving image looks like it's blurry or smearing across the screen as it moves, you're likely experiencing some monitor ghosting.
  2. It occurs most often with low-refresh rate LCD screen monitors, especially those that use VA (vertical alignment) LCD panels. [2] If your monitor uses a VA panel and doesn't have G-Sync or FreeSync, you can try to reduce ghosting but it will likely always be there to some degree.
    • Rarely, GPUs and display cables (like HDMI and DisplayPort) can also cause ghosting. However, it's more likely that your monitor is the culprit.
    3. Advertisement
Section 2 of 3:

Ways to Fix Monitor Ghosting

PDF download Download Article
  1. While it might seem like you want to make the response time as fast as possible, that may not work for your specific monitor. Test out each response time to see if any of the options fixes or minimizes your ghosting issue.
    • Open your monitor's OSD (on-screen display). You can do this by pressing the menu button on your monitor, which may be located on the back or bottom. You may have a dedicated button, or you may have a singular joystick-like button on the bottom of your monitor. Each monitor will be slightly different.
    • Search for the Response Time option. This may be in a menu called "Game Adjust," "Gaming," "Game," "Display," or "Other." The menu option may also be called something like Pixel Response , Overdrive , or something similar.
    • Change the response time. Test out different response times to see which one works best for you.
  2. If your monitor's refresh rate is set too low, you may notice more ghosting. However, if your monitor is using a VA panel and/or your monitor has a low refresh rate, you likely will still notice some ghosting even after adjusting the refresh rate.
    • In the taskbar search bar, type display settings and click Display settings in the menu.
    • Scroll down and click Advanced display .
    • Choose the monitor you want to adjust in the dropdown in the top-right of the window, if you have more than one monitor.
    • Change the refresh rate in the dropdown next to "Choose a refresh rate." For best results, try 144Hz or 120Hz.
      • If your monitor doesn't have an option for 120Hz or 144Hz, your monitor may not have a high enough refresh rate to avoid ghosting.
      • If you try a higher refresh rate and you're still experiencing ghosting, you will likely need to replace your monitor to get rid of the ghosting.
  3. G-SYNC and FreeSync are display technologies that synchronize your monitor's refresh rate with your GPU's frame rate, which can help reduce or eliminate ghosting. G-SYNC works with NVIDIA's GPUs, and FreeSync works with AMD's GPUs. Not all monitors have G-SYNC/FreeSync support, but if yours does, try enabling it to see if it fixes the problem.
    • G-SYNC : [3]
      • Open the NVIDIA Control Panel.
      • Click Set up G-SYNC under the "Display" heading.
      • Click Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible .
      • Choose whether to enable for full-screen mode only or windowed- and full-screen mode.
      • Choose the monitor you want to change (if you have more than one).
      • Check the box next to Enable settings for the selected display model . If you do not see this option, your monitor is not G-SYNC compatible.
    • FreeSync : [4]
      • Open the AMD Radeon Settings app.
      • Click Display at the top.
      • Choose the monitor at the top of the screen (if you have more than one).
      • Ensure that FreeSync is enabled for your display.
  4. You can adjust your monitor's settings to cover up the effect of ghosting. This won't fix the ghosting issue, but it can make the ghosting less annoying to see. These settings can be adjusted in your monitor's OSD (on-screen display).
    • Brightness and contrast : Since ghosting typically appears in darker scenes, adjusting the brightness and contrast of your monitor can reduce how bothersome ghosting is when it occurs.
    • Motion blur reduction : If your monitor has a motion blur reduction setting, try enabling it. It may help reduce ghosting.
  5. If you're only noticing ghosting in one game, you may want to adjust the settings within that game to fix or reduce it.
    • Try disabling or enabling motion blur, if your game has the option, to see if it affects ghosting.
    • Try disabling frame generation, which can sometimes cause ghosting artifacts. This might be called Frame Generation, Multi Frame Generation, Fluid Motion Frames, or AMD Fluid Motion Frames 1.
    • Increase the maximum frame rate. Try to match the frame rate to whatever your refresh rate is (144 or 120 are best).
  6. While it's rare that your GPU will be the cause of ghosting, it is possible. To eliminate that possibility, ensure your GPU's drivers are completely up to date, especially if you're noticing ghosting in a brand new game. NVIDIA and AMD will sometimes release driver updates the same day a new game comes out if updates are needed to play that new game.
  7. It's also rare for display cables to be the cause of ghosting, but you can easily eliminate them as a possibility by changing out your cables, especially if they're old or worn out. You might also want to try a different HDMI or DisplayPort port on your computer, or switch from HDMI to DisplayPort all together.
  8. Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of ghosting if you have a low-refresh rate and/or VA panel LCD monitor is to get a new monitor entirely.
    • IPS monitors can still experience ghosting, but it's much less noticeable than a VA monitor. Look for a monitor that has at least 144Hz refresh rate and supports G-SYNC/FreeSync.
    • To nearly eliminate ghosting, you can get an OLED monitor . However, this comes at a cost: OLED monitors are much more expensive than LCD monitors. Once again, look for a monitor that has at least 144Hz refresh rate and supports G-SYNC/FreeSync for the best visual experience possible.
    9. Advertisement
Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Is monitor ghosting permanent? Ghosting may or may not be permanent, and it can be fixed or reduced in a variety of ways. It depends on a few factors, such as your monitor's refresh rate, response time, and display technology. If your monitor has a low refresh rate or uses a VA LCD panel, the ghosting will likely never go away fully, even if you adjust your monitor settings.
  2. 2
    Will monitor ghosting damage my computer? In and of itself, ghosting is not considered damage and will not damage your computer. However, if you experience a lot of ghosting, it could strain your GPU or monitor and cause their lifespan to degrade slightly. [5]
  3. 3
    What's the difference between ghosting and burn-in? Ghosting is when you see a trail or smear behind an object when it moves across your screen. Burn-in (also called image retention or a ghost image) is when you can see an after-image of an element on your screen after you move or close it. Burn-in is considered damage to the screen, whereas ghosting is a result of certain monitor hardware or settings.
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Connect PC to TV with HDMI
      3 Easy Ways to Find the Publication Date of a Website
      How to
      Remove Write Protection from a USB Pen Drive
      How to
      Add the Google Play Store to an Amazon Fire Tablet
      How to
      Check Browsing History on a WiFi Router
      How to
      Bypass Your Screen Time Passcode: Reset, Remove, or Hack Screen Time
      Easy Ways to Read Crash Dump Files & Troubleshoot Crashes
      10 Genius Ways to Cheat a Step Counter on a Phone (No Walking Required)
      6 Ways to Pair Your JBL Earbuds: Guide & Troubleshooting Tips
      How to
      Create Desktop Shortcuts for Files & Websites
      How to
      Turn on Backlit Keyboard on Lenovo
      How to
      Format a Write–Protected Pen Drive
      How to
      Restart Your Computer Using the Keyboard
      How to
      Install Epson SmartScan Software: Step-By-Step Guide
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwfMtfBB07w
      2. ↑ https://www.corsair.com/us/en/explorer/gamer/monitors/what-is-monitor-ghosting-and-how-to-fix-it/
      3. ↑ https://www.nvidia.com/content/Control-Panel-Help/vLatest/en-us/mergedProjects/nvdsp/To_use_variable_refresh_rates.htm
      4. ↑ https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/faqs/DH-013.html
      5. ↑ https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/monitor-ghosting/

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 123 times.
      If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission .

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement