Image retention is a residual or ghost image that is viewable on the display and is more noticeable on light gray backgrounds.

The image retention is caused by leaving the flat panel monitor on with a static image (an image that does not move) to remain on the screen for an excessive amount of time (several hours).

• Good - Set a dynamically changing screensaver to activate within 15 to 20 minutes of no activity. A screensaver protects the screen from image retention but does not save energy.
  
  
• Better - Enable the power save or power management mode on the computer to turn off the monitor when not in use within 15-20 minutes of inactivity. Turning on the power save mode  prevents image retention and extends the life of the display, allowing energy use to drop by 99.5%.
  
  
• Best - Turn off the flat panel when it is not being used. Turning off the display extends the life of the display, saves energy, and prevents image retention.

"Stuck" images can be removed by exercising the LCD pixels to bleed off the residual capacitive charge. This can most easily be accomplished by using a random pattern screen saver that changes the screen image repeatedly. The time required to clear the stuck image can vary widely (minutes, hours, days) depending on the panel technology and the severity of the stuck image.

	Note:
	Turning the LCD monitor off for an extended period of time does not clear the image. The charge must be bled off by exercising the pixels with random images.