Why You Should Be Using a Monitor Hood for Editing

A monitor hood is a useful addition to screens where the environment is less than perfect for graphic design. Not only can a monitor hood reduce glare and distraction, but it can even have a startling effect on perceived color accuracy in certain environments. Such a simple accessory can be a game-changer.

Read on to find out if a monitor hood could step up your design game. If you’d like to learn about our range of color-accurate monitors, click here.

If you’ve ever used a computer in a well-lit room, you’ve most certainly faced this problem. It usually involves jostling your screen about every which way until the glare is gone.

For photo and video editors, this problem can be much more limiting since it can affect the quality of our work. Fortunately, there is a solution.

Today, we’ll outline all of the reasons why you should be using a monitor hood and how your editing will turn out better as a result!

Key Points: Why Use a Monitor Hood for Editing?

• Reduces glare from sunlight and indoor lighting, improving screen visibility.
• Blocks reflections caused by bright clothing, furniture, or décor.
• Improves color accuracy by minimizing external light interference.
• Enhances brightness uniformity across the screen.
• Supports focus by reducing visual distractions in your environment.
• Essential for photo and video editors working in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

Should I Use a Monitor Hood?

If you’ve never seen one before, you may be asking yourself, “What even is a monitor hood?” It’s a computer screen cover that helps block out external ambient light.

So why would you need to use one?

For professional image editing, accurate color and contrast make all the difference in ensuring the quality of your work. Unfortunately, the surrounding elements in your editing workspace can impact how you perceive color on your display. More specifically, if you’re working in an environment with multiple light sources—like windows or ceiling lights—it’s essential to block them out without having to sit in total darkness.

Because of this, monitor hoods are considered a key part of a solid color management workflow and should be used by any editor who takes the quality of their work seriously. After all, there’s no point in investing in a high-quality IPS monitor if you’re not seeing your screen clearly and accurately.

To fully understand why a monitor hood is so valuable, let’s dig into the issues that can arise without one.

Screen Glare

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, chances are you have some type of ambient lighting in your editing workspace. External light sources, direct or indirect, can and will cause varying degrees of screen glare. Read on below to find out the main sources that cause glare on your computer screen.

Sunlight: The Main Offender

Sunlight creates a harsh contrast with your screen, making it harder to see what you’re working on. And it’s not just direct sunlight—ambient sunlight can bounce off nearby surfaces like:

• Your desk or monitor stand
• White walls
• Windows across the room (or even next door)

This kind of glare can creep in without you noticing—until your eyes start to feel the strain.

Interior Lighting: The Sneaky Secondary Source

Think ceiling lights, desk lamps, and even decorative fixtures. These reflect off metallic surfaces and glass in your workspace, adding more glare into the mix. And the issue isn’t just visual.

At first, you might not think much of it. But over time, glare causes your eyes to work overtime, leading to:

• Headaches
• Ocular damage
• Dry eyes
• Fatigue.

If you are trying to concentrate on your work, then this is not a desirable turn of events, as such pain can quickly begin to affect productivity.

What Can You Do?

You can try:

• Adjusting your screen’s angle
• Turning on auto-brightness
• Even working in near-darkness

But these are temporary fixes at best.

If you want a long-term solution, a monitor hood is your best bet. It blocks ambient light at the source, helping you maintain a clear, consistent screen without the distractions—or the eye strain.

Reflections

Just as with glare, reflections occur when working in an overly or improperly lit area. While glare manifests as a bright spot on the screen, reflections refer to annoyances concerning the screen’s mirror-like qualities. This may be especially notable if there are many bright colors and different types of furniture in your surrounding area.

Some examples of reflection causes include:

• Bright clothing
• Conspicuously colored furniture
• Chrome-colored office accessories
• Vibrant paintings
• Flowers

Minimizing Screen Reflections

Reflections on your screen can quietly sabotage your productivity and distort how you see color. But don’t worry—there are several easy ways to fight back:

• Reposition your setup: Adjust the angle of your screen or change your seating position to reduce light hitting the display.
• Tweak your hardware: Clean your screen to minimize reflective buildup and adjust brightness settings as needed.
• Upgrade your monitor: Consider a screen with a matte finish, which helps diffuse ambient light.
• Add a monitor hood: For a reliable, all-in-one solution, monitor hoods block out incoming light and offer the best protection against reflections.

A few simple adjustments—or one smart accessory—can make all the difference in maintaining color accuracy and staying focused.

Color Variance and Uniformity

Light can do some sneaky things to your screen. Without a monitor hood, even the most professional displays can fall victim to visual inconsistencies, caused by everything from glare to reflections to natural light pouring in at the wrong angle. While there are quick fixes, some issues really call for a more reliable solution.

Let’s break down two of the biggest culprits:

Color Variance

This is all about how consistent your colors look on screen. On a calibrated monitor under ideal conditions, dark blues stay dark blue, light yellows stay light yellow—no surprises.

But when light hits your screen from an awkward angle, that consistency disappears. Suddenly, colors might appear off due to something called simultaneous contrast, where surrounding hues—or even reflections—change the way your eyes interpret what you’re seeing.

Brightness Uniformity

Ideally, your screen’s brightness should be even from edge to edge. But in uncontrolled lighting environments, that balance can shift. Parts of the screen may start to look brighter or dimmer than others, making it harder to judge shadows, highlights, and subtle gradations accurately.

Bottom Line

If you work in the visual arts—or any field where color and clarity matter—a stable, trustworthy display isn’t a luxury. It’s a must. We cover this more in-depth in our guide on how to choose the best monitor for editing, but here’s the takeaway:

A monitor hood is a simple, effective way to protect your display from interference, giving you greater control over your workspace and your results.

Distracting Elements

Sometimes, it isn’t just screen issues that necessitate the use of a monitor hood. If you work in a bustling environment, monitor hoods can assist in blocking out external distractions and help you focus on your work.

Windows with views to the outside are a common type of distraction. Believe it or not, even having a brightly colored wall in your line of sight can impact the way you perceive colors on your screen!

The result of using a monitor hood here is a win-win situation. You’re able to keep distractions at bay while also helping you focus on work. Personally, I’ve found that when I use a monitor hood, I’m able to really zero in on my project to meet any sort of upcoming deadlines I have coming up.

Choosing the Right Monitor Hood for You

If you’ve decided that you’re in need of a monitor hood, the next step is to choose the right one for you. Some people opt for the DIY monitor hood route; however, quality is not guaranteed and will vary from person to person. In some cases, you may even be left with nothing more than a partially functional monitor ornament!

Luckily, you don’t have to DIY your way to better screen accuracy. Professional monitors—like the ViewSonic ColorPro lineup—come in a range of sizes and are built with features that make a real difference. With a light-absorbing black velvet interior and an integrated calibrator slot, they’re designed to deliver top-notch color precision right out of the box.

Want to dive deeper into what makes a monitor color-accurate? Check out this guide.

Glossary

Ambient Light

Light present in the surrounding environment can affect how a screen is viewed. Includes natural sunlight and artificial lighting, like ceiling lights and lamps.

Brightness Uniformity

The consistency of brightness levels across a screen, from center to edge. Poor uniformity can result in some areas appearing dimmer or brighter than others.

Color Accuracy

The degree to which displayed colors match real-world or intended values. Critical for professionals working in photography, video, or design. Learn all about color accuracy and how it’s measured here.

Color Management Workflow

A process involving tools and techniques to maintain consistent color appearance across devices and lighting environments. A monitor hood supports this by minimizing external lighting interference. Read all about it here.

Color Variance

Unwanted changes in how colors appear on a screen due to lighting conditions, reflections, or screen quality. A monitor hood helps minimize this.

IPS Monitor

A type of screen technology known for accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles. Ideal for editing, but still affected by glare without a monitor hood. Get a deep dive into IPS monitors here.

Monitor Glare

Bright or harsh light that reflects off a monitor screen, making it difficult to see and causing eye strain. Often caused by direct or indirect ambient light. Read more about minimizing monitor glare here.

Monitor Hood

A physical accessory that attaches to a monitor to block out ambient light and reduce glare and reflections. Used to improve color accuracy and reduce distractions.

Simultaneous Contrast

A visual phenomenon where the perception of color in one area is affected by the surrounding colors, leading to inaccurate perception. Can be worsened by reflections or distractions.

Visual Fatigue

Eye strain and tiredness from prolonged exposure to glare, reflections, or excessive brightness. A monitor hood helps mitigate this. Read more about visual eye strain here.