Samsung improves burn-in protection for Galaxy smartphones with One UI 6.1

As Reddit users noticed a few months ago, the update to One UI 6.0 deactivated Pixel Shift in the status bar, but this feature appears to have been reactivated just in time for the launch of the Galaxy S24. As a test by Toranji shows, Pixel Shift is once again active in the status bar after One UI 6.1 is installed on devices such as the Galaxy S23, the Galaxy Z Fold5 or the Galaxy Z Flip5.

Pixel Shift shifts the icons in the status bar by a few pixels at regular intervals instead of always keeping them fixed in exactly the same position. Since these icons are usually displayed in white, they put a lot of strain on the OLED panel, which can result in burn-in after prolonged use, especially when screen brightness is high. Once these icons are burned into the panel, they remain visible even when other content is displayed, such as photos or games in full-screen mode.

Pixel Shift changes screen content relatively slowly, so users are unlikely to notice this function during operation. Samsung has not confirmed why this feature was deactivated in One UI 6.0. There are currently many indications that this was simply an oversight, as Pixel Shift was still active for other elements on the screen, such as the optional navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen. Pixel Shift is just one of many features designed to protect the OLED display of a smartphone from permanent damage, although most functions are programmed to dim bright, static content after certain periods of time.