OVERSCAN IS EVIL

Updated November 2026. By Robert Heron.

If your TV cuts off subtitles, game menus, or the edges of a computer desktop, overscan may be the problem.

Overscan enlarges the picture slightly, pushing its outer edges off-screen. You lose part of the image, and the extra resizing can soften what remains.

The fix is often a picture-size setting. Unfortunately, manufacturers give it different names.

How to turn off overscan

Start with the input or source where you notice the problem, then open your TV's picture settings.

1. Find Picture Size, Aspect Ratio, Screen, or a similarly named menu.

2. Look for an option such as Just Scan, Screen Fit, Full Pixel, Dot-by-Dot, or 1:1. If there is a separate Overscan control, turn it off.

3. Turn off Zoom or other settings that enlarge the picture.

4. Check that the full image is visible without stretching it.

Do not assume a setting called 16:9 or Auto shows the complete picture. On some TVs, it still crops the edges.

Names and availability vary by model and signal format. If the options are unclear, check your TV's manual for "overscan," "picture size," or "display area."

The menu photo below shows Screen Fit selected on an older TV. Your model may use a different name.

Check whether the fix worked

Use a source with clearly visible edges, such as a game menu, computer desktop, or a suitable picture-size test pattern.

Look for:

• Menus and text that are no longer cut off.

• The complete outer border of a test pattern.

• An image that retains its original shape.

A familiar movie scene can help you compare settings, but it may not make missing edges obvious.

If the TV's settings do not solve the problem, check the connected device for its own zoom, screen-size, or display-area adjustment. Cropping can happen before the picture reaches the TV.

Check your other sources, too

A fix on one HDMI input may not apply to another. Picture-size settings can also differ between apps and video formats.

Check the sources you actually use, including streaming devices, television receivers, game consoles, and computers. Older TVs may need separate adjustments for standard-definition, 720p, and 1080i/p signals.

What overscan looks like

The comparison images below show the lower-right corner of an older 1080p television.

The left half of each image shows the TV's overscanned picture. The right half shows the same video frame with overscan disabled. Yellow highlights identify details hidden by the overscanned setting.

These are older examples, but they demonstrate the problem clearly: part of the original picture disappears beyond the screen's edge.

Use the carousel controls to view all three comparisons.

Overscan is not the same as normal scaling

A TV often needs to resize video to match its screen resolution. A 4K TV displaying a full-screen 1080p picture, for example, needs to upscale it.

The goal is not to eliminate all scaling. It is to show the complete picture without unnecessary cropping or stretching.

Likewise, a setting labeled 1:1 is not a universal choice for every source. Check the result: you want the full image, the correct shape, and an appropriate picture size.

Black bars are not a problem to fix

Black bars usually mean the program's shape differs from your screen's shape.

An older 4:3 program should have bars at the sides of a widescreen TV. A wider movie may have bars above and below it. Zooming to remove those bars cuts away part of the picture. Stretching distorts it.

Keep the original shape rather than filling the screen at the expense of the image.

Keep the whole picture

Overscan is an unnecessary compromise when your TV and source can display the full image correctly. Before changing sharpness or other picture controls, make sure you are seeing everything the source sends.

For help with picture modes, brightness, HDR, and gaming settings, see the TV Picture Setup Guide.