What Is a Bullseye Chip in a Windshield?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
A bullseye chip is a round, cone-shaped impact break with a dark circle and a lighter ring around it, like a target. It forms when a stone hits squarely and punches a small crater into the outer glass layer. It is usually the most repairable chip type because the damage stays contained.
What a bullseye looks like and how it forms
A bullseye gets its name from its target shape. A hard object, usually a stone kicked up by traffic, strikes the windshield nearly dead-on and removes a small cone of the outer glass layer, leaving a dark center ringed by a lighter crushed zone. The shape is distinctive: a clear circle with a darker dot in the middle.
Because the impact is straight in, the force spreads in a circle rather than sending legs across the glass. That contained shape is what makes a bullseye the most predictable chip to repair — the resin has a clean, defined cavity to fill, with no narrow legs to chase.
The chip sits in the outer layer of the laminated windshield. The inner layer and the plastic interlayer usually stay intact, which is why a bullseye rarely spreads on its own the way a star break can. Even so, it is still an open fracture, and repairing it early keeps dirt and water out.
Bullseye chip at a glance
| Feature | What you see |
|---|---|
| Shape | Round, target-like with a dark center |
| Cause | A stone striking squarely on the outer layer |
| Layers hit | Usually the outer glass layer only |
| Tends to spread? | Less often than star or combination breaks |
| Usually repairable? | Yes, when under about quarter size |
Repair it while it is clean
A fresh bullseye fills cleanly because the cone is open and dry. Once dirt, water, or washer fluid gets in, the resin bonds less well and the mark shows more after the repair. Cover a fresh chip with clear tape and book a repair within a day or two.
What to do right after a bullseye
- Cover the chip with clear tape to keep dirt and water out.
- Note the date you noticed it, since even a bullseye can spread.
- Avoid slamming doors and driving on rough roads.
- Book a chip repair within a day or two while the break is clean.
- Skip the car wash until the repair is done.
More questions about bullseye chips
Can a bullseye chip be repaired?
Yes. A bullseye is usually the most repairable chip type because the damage stays in a contained circle. Chips up to about quarter size repair well when they are fresh and clean.
What is a bullseye crack?
It is the round, target-shaped impact break itself. If legs run out from it, it becomes a combination break, which is harder to repair.
Will a bullseye chip spread?
Less often than other chip types, but it can. Temperature swings and body flex push on the cone. Repairing it early removes the starting point for a crack.
Related guides
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