Do you want to make sure your display is properly calibrated and color-optimized? Today’s HDR features help a lot, but not every device is compatible with HDR (high dynamic range) technology, and many people prefer to make their own custom adjustments.


Enter test screens, the digital color swatches that you can use to dial in your color settings (such as the hue, saturation, contrast, and temperature). More advanced test screens can help you match your color decisions to your current framerate and resolution so that you don’t miss anything.

However, finding multipurpose test screens like these can prove surprisingly challenging in the modern entertainment world. Still, Netflix has a solution. Here’s how to use it.


What do you need for Netflix screen testing?

First, you need a display with color and performance settings you can adjust. That adds some limitations. Android phones, for example, may have a few color modes to choose from but may not offer much more. Your PC or Chromebook display has more options to work with, especially if you use a dedicated GPU on a desktop. Your TV has plenty of color settings, but you need to know how to use them. A little bit of research may be in order.

Second, know the max resolution and framerate of your screen. That can help you dial in the right adjustments.

Third, have an available Netflix account you can access on your display. Netflix restricts access to 4K and higher resolutions through higher-tier accounts. However, these restrictions do not appear to affect the test screens, which are available at UHD resolutions, so you can still test your 4L TV without worrying if resolution makes a difference.

How to calibrate using Netflix screen tests

When you’re ready, turn on your device, log in to Netflix, and get your fingers ready to tweak your settings!

  1. Head to the test screen page on Netflix. Log in to Netflix on your computer, and head to this web page to access the test patterns. If you don’t see this page, use the search function to look for “test patterns.”
    The Netflix test pattern page.

  2. Select the pattern that most closely matches your display resolution and fps. Then select Add to My List. Now you can consult your Netflix list on any device, and you should be able to access that test pattern.
  3. Open the test pattern and let it run. They’re all a couple of hours long, so you have plenty of time. But you may want to mute the sound while you’re using it. You’ll hear why.
  4. Start with your brightness/black balance controls. Look at the four dark patches on the left side of the test pattern. Each has varying sections of black and gray that form a basic pattern (if you only want to focus on one, choose the upper-left patch). Adjust the brightness until you can easily see the dark and light gray parts of the pattern. They shouldn’t blend into the black background, including the vertical dark gray bars on the sides.
    Squares of shade in Netflix test pattern.

  5. Now it’s time to do the same with your contrast/white balance setting. Look at the white patch in the upper-right corner of the screen. Do the same thing here, except you’ll look at different colors of light gray. You want all the shades to stand out instead of merging into each other.
  6. Check if your display has a setting for color depth or bit depth. You can also use saturation settings for this part if you have them. Now look at the three colored patches on the right side. Adjust your color depth until you see the lighter and darker shades for the three primary colors. If you are color-blind, you may want to grab a partner for this part to make sure all adjustments are as accurate as possible.
  7. Look for the sharpness setting or a similar option on your display. For this part, you’ll want to get up close and peer at the number bar cutting horizontally across the middle of the screen like a ruler, marked with small measurements. Adjust the sharpness until those measurement numbers are distinct, not fuzzy. The outer circles at the corners can also help a bit with this.

You can make other slight adjustments to different color settings, but these are the primary steps to help your image look its best. If necessary, save these primary settings as a profile that you can return to for that display. If you like, you can stop now and test the new settings on your favorite show to see if you notice a difference.

Now your image is ready

Features like HDR will yank around your settings depending on the instructions written into the format. That’s not a bad thing, but it affects your experience between different content and displays. However, it’s also important to have a baseline that’s always ready, regardless of whether you use HDR or not. That’s where the Netflix test pattern can help out.

If your display doesn’t have any color settings, you may be able to switch color formats on your connected devices. The latest Apple TVs, for example, allow you to adjust the color balance. However, your best options will always come from the display settings.