A method for aligning optical layers of a multi-layer display includes illuminating a display layer with a plurality of illumination sources of an illumination layer disposed behind the display layer. The display layer includes a plurality of transmissive pixel arrays. An illumination pattern is cast onto a screen layer disposed in front of the display layer. The illumination pattern includes bright regions due to overlapping illumination cast from adjacent ones of the transmissive pixel arrays. The bright regions of the illumination pattern cast onto the screen layer are analyzed to identify misalignments.