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Think of your digital signage like a car. You wouldn’t skip oil changes and tire rotations, would you? The same goes for your digital displays—they need regular attention to keep running smoothly.
You’ll need to inspect your hardware components—such as displays and media players—and ensure your software is up to date.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through a practical checklist for digital signage maintenance. From daily tasks to quarterly inspections, we’ll show you exactly how to keep your system running efficiently and avoid disruptions that can affect your business.
The Importance of Digital Signage Maintenance
It’s clear that keeping your digital signage running smoothly is critical. But why is regular maintenance so important?
Ensures Consistent Performance
Broken or malfunctioning displays are a common issue across various industries. Screens might be blank, touchscreens may not work, or they might display a normal desktop, potentially allowing mischievous individuals to cause damage. Regular maintenance ensures that your digital signage consistently displays content as intended, without glitches or interruptions.
Extends the Lifespan of Your Equipment
With proper maintenance, updates, and minor repairs, digital signage screens can last between 5 and 7 years. Or even longer with regular upgrades and proper care. A few simple steps—like cleaning and inspecting the hardware—can prevent wear and tear, reducing the need for costly replacements.
Improves Customer Engagement
No one wants to look at a flickering screen, outdated information, or a blank screen. Regular maintenance ensures that your digital signage is always at its best. When everything works as it should—content plays without interruptions, screens stay sharp, and visuals remain clear—you can deliver a more professional, reliable experience.
Key Components of a Digital Signage Maintenance Checklist
A well-rounded digital signage maintenance checklist should address several critical areas, including hardware, software, network connectivity, power systems, and environmental conditions.
1. Display Hardware Maintenance
Your screens are the most visible, and they need regular care. Start by cleaning them. Dust, smudges, and fingerprints quickly accumulate on the surface. Use a soft, lint-free cloth dampened with water or a mild detergent solution to gently wipe down the screens and avoid damaging the display.
You should also inspect for physical damage. Look for issues like cracked screens, dead pixels, or lines that could affect the clarity of your display.
2. Software and Content Updates
Keeping your digital signage software and content management system (CMS) up-to-date is just as important as maintaining the hardware. New software updates come with essential bug fixes, improved performance, and security patches. Take the time to verify that the CMS is running the latest version, especially after updates from the software provider.
3. Network and Connectivity Checks
Your digital signs might have the best hardware and the freshest content, but they're pretty much useless if they’re not connected to a stable network. Poor or intermittent connectivity will cause:
- Delays
- Content playback issues
- Complete failure of the displays
Test your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connections regularly to ensure they are stable and reliable. If you experience network disruptions, troubleshoot them immediately.
4. Power System Inspections
Check the power supply units (PSUs) regularly for signs of wear or malfunction. Also, make sure that you have a backup power system, like an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), in place. The UPS should be tested periodically to confirm it can support your system during a power outage.
5. Environmental Factors
Displays should be kept in well-ventilated spaces, as overheating can cause the system to slow down or shut off.
Also, avoid placing screens in areas exposed to direct sunlight for long periods, as UV rays cause the display to degrade faster. A study on OLED displays exposed to 500 hours of UV light revealed that unprotected OLEDs experienced a 5% decrease in luminance. Reduction in luminance decreases readability in bright light conditions for OLED displays.
Temperature extremes also affect performance. For example, cold environments cause mechanical components, such as fans, to freeze, leading to malfunctions in thermal management systems. This results in damage to critical components like LCD panels.
Read also on the Look Blog: Outdoor Displays: Engaging Solutions for Any Environment
Preventative Maintenance Best Practices
Preventative maintenance is staying ahead of potential issues before they disrupt your system. Here are some best practices that will help you maintain your digital signage system more effectively:
Set a Regular Maintenance Schedule
Don't wait for something to break before you start thinking about maintenance. Establish a timeline for daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks to make sure you're addressing all areas of the system regularly. For a practical, easy-to-follow maintenance schedule, check out the template at the end of this article.
Conduct Routine Visual Inspections
Make it a habit to conduct regular visual inspections of all your screens and hardware. Look for things like:
- Cracks or scratches on the screen
- Loose cables or connectors
- Any unusual flickering or image quality issues
These visual checks can help identify problems early on, preventing them from escalating into major repairs.
Train Staff to Report Problems
Your staff is often the first line of defense. Make sure your team knows what to look for and how to report problems. Encourage them to flag anything unusual — a screen flickering, content not playing, or a display not turning on.
Test Displays During Off-Hours
Testing displays and performing updates during busy times will disrupt the customer experience, so plan to carry out these tasks when your store or business is quieter.
Common Digital Signage Issues and How to Fix Them
Even with the best maintenance plan, things can still go wrong from time to time. Knowing how to identify and fix most regular digital signage problems will save you from major disruptions. Here are some of the most frequent issues businesses face:
1. Blank or Flickering Screens
A blank screen is a big red flag. Start by checking the power cord and connections to ensure everything is properly plugged in. If that's not the problem, make sure your media player is on and the display is set to the correct input.
If you still see nothing, try restarting your media player and display. If the problem continues, try connecting the display to another device to rule out hardware failure. If the screen still flickers or stays blank, it may be time for a replacement.
2. Content Playback Errors
Your content might fail to play correctly or show an error message. This happens due to software glitches, file corruption, or a synchronization issue between your content management system (CMS) and the display.
To fix this, ensure your CMS is up-to-date, and that content has been properly scheduled for playback. Verify that there are no conflicts or expired files in the system. Also, if you suspect the file is corrupted, delete and re-upload the content.
3. Connectivity Problems
If your digital signage can't connect to the network, start by checking all the physical connections. Check that your Ethernet cable is connected securely and that your Wi-Fi is enabled, or connected to your network correctly.
Check your router, modem, or network settings. If you’re using a wireless connection, ensure that no obstructions are preventing your devices from connecting. Sometimes, rebooting your router or modem can resolve these connectivity problems.
Tools and Services for Digital Signage Maintenance
So you've got a maintenance checklist, know what to look for, and how to troubleshoot some of the most common issues.
But what about the actual tools and services that can make your maintenance process easier and more effective?
1. Content Management System (CMS)
Look Digital Signage CMS comes with Proof of Play, a feature that lets you easily check that your content is actually displaying correctly. If a screen goes offline or there’s an issue, the system alerts you right away so you can fix the issue before it interrupts your operations.
2. Third-Party Maintenance Services
When your digital signage system requires more attention than you can provide in-house, third-party maintenance services may be the best solution. These services provide routine maintenance checks, troubleshooting, and emergency repairs. They also keep your hardware up to date, ensure everything functions properly, and proactively work to keep your system running as intended.
Popular Maintenance Service Providers:
- Mimo Monitors (offers extended warranties and repairs)
- VGI Digital (specializes in installation and maintenance of digital signage systems)
3. Built-In Diagnostic Features
Many digital signage hardware have built-in diagnostic features that help you monitor and maintain the system’s health. These built-in tools monitor hardware health and performance without relying on external software.Popular Brands with Diagnostic Features:
- Samsung Smart Signage
- LG SuperSign
- NEC Displays
How Look Digital Signage Simplifies Maintenance
With Look Digital Signage, you can streamline the entire process of digital signage maintenance. Our software solution allows you to focus on delivering high-quality content rather than worrying about constant upkeep.
Here’s how Look makes maintenance easier for you:
1. Real-Time Monitoring with the Screenshot Feature
With the Screenshot feature, you can capture a real-time image of what's being displayed. If something’s off, such as incorrect content or a screen malfunction, you can check it anytime. You can even schedule these screenshots to happen automatically. It’s a quick way to catch issues before they affect your audience.
2. Automatic Content and Software Updates
One of the most tedious parts of managing digital signage is ensuring that all the content and software are up to date. Look Digital Signage simplifies this by automating content updates and software patches. You can easily upload new content, create playlists, and schedule content to display at specific times. This eliminates having to upload new content to every device manually. You can also update content remotely and keep your audience engaged and informed with fresh, up-to-date messaging.
Read also: Digital Signage Scheduling: the Best Tools, Tips & Tricks
3. Scalable Solutions for Multi-Location Networks
If you manage digital signage across multiple locations, Look makes it incredibly easy to keep everything under control. With our cloud-based platform, you can manage all your screens from a single dashboard, no matter where they’re located.
You can make changes to content, run diagnostics, and troubleshoot issues from the same place. Plus, as your business grows, Look’s system scales effortlessly to accommodate more displays, making it a flexible and long-term solution for businesses of any size.
Maintenance Checklist Template
Use this checklist template to keep your system in top shape, with tasks divided into daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly categories.
Daily Tasks
☐ Verify Displays Are Running Properly
☐ Check Content Scheduling and Playback
☐ Monitor for Errors or Warnings
Weekly Tasks
☐ Inspect Physical Screens for Damage
☐ Clean Screens and Surrounding Areas
☐ Test Connectivity
Monthly Tasks
☐ Test Network Connections and Backup Systems
☐ Update Software and Firmware
☐ Review Content Strategy for Relevance
Quarterly Tasks
☐ Perform Deep Cleaning of Hardware
☐ Inspect and Test Power Systems
☐ Review Maintenance Logs and Troubleshoot
You can also customize this checklist to fit your specific needs.
Conclusion: Maximize ROI with Regular Digital Signage Maintenance
A well-maintained system means fewer disruptions, longer-lasting equipment, and a better experience for your audience. Sticking to a solid maintenance routine ensures your displays are always performing at their peak, so you can focus on driving results rather than dealing with unexpected issues.
Use the checklist above, adopt a proactive mindset, and utilize the right tools and services.
If you want to simplify the process, Look Digital Signage offers an intuitive, cloud-based platform that lets you monitor performance in real-time. Try Look free for 14 days today!
