A formula giving the correction for counting losses due to the dead‐time effect in single‐crystal X‐ray diffractometry has been obtained by least‐squares fit of theoretical formulae with either a Gaussian or a Lorentzian doublet taken as the shape of the diffraction peaks. The fit has been achieved with corrected data obtained for three different crystal types by step scanning. It is shown that this correction, easily applicable during the data reduction, is quantitatively satisfying and is necessary for any study in accurate X‐ray crysta