Monitor shows ghosting or motion blur

Symptoms

• Faint trailing image behind moving objects, especially in games or fast video
• Trails are more visible on dark backgrounds
• Problem is worse at higher refresh rates
• Text or cursor leaves a faint smear when moved quickly

Likely causes

• CommonResponse time (overdrive) setting too lowMost monitors have an adjustable pixel response setting that reduces ghosting when raised.
• CommonRefresh rate set below the monitor's capabilityRunning at a lower refresh rate than the panel supports can make motion look blurrier.
• PossibleVSync or adaptive sync misconfiguredSync settings interacting poorly with the game or app can cause visible ghosting or judder.
• PossiblePanel technology limitationSome budget VA panels naturally have more ghosting than IPS or TN panels, which is a hardware trait, not a fault.

What to do

1. Open the monitor's on-screen menu and find the Response Time or Overdrive setting, then try raising it one level at a time.
2. Confirm the display is running at its maximum supported refresh rate in Display Settings.
3. In the graphics driver's control panel, enable or disable VSync/G-Sync/FreeSync and compare which setting reduces ghosting for your use case.
4. Test with a dedicated motion test website (search 'UFO test ghosting') to compare settings side by side.
5. If overdrive is already high and ghosting looks like a bright trailing halo instead of a faint smear, lower the overdrive setting one notch, since too-high overdrive causes its own artifact called 'inverse ghosting.'
6. Accept that some panel types (typically budget VA panels) have inherently more ghosting; if this is unacceptable, an IPS or TN panel of similar size will generally show less.

Tools and parts

• None

When to call a pro

This is a settings and panel-technology issue rather than something to repair; if ghosting is unacceptable after tuning settings, a different monitor with a faster panel type would be the practical fix.

Safety