Android phone black screen but still on? 7 fixes

A black screen on a phone that still buzzes, rings or plays notification sounds means the phone is running, and something is stopping the picture from showing. It might be frozen software, a brightness or sensor problem, a crashing app or a damaged display. The fixes below go from the quickest to the most involved, and none of the first five delete anything.

Black screen: which kind is it?

• Rings, vibrates or makes sounds: the phone is on. Software or the display is the cause. Keep reading.
• No sound, no vibration, no charging light: the phone is really off. See our guide to a phone that will not turn on.
• Very faint picture when you shine a flashlight on it: the backlight or display has failed; the phone is working.
• Lines, flicker or colors before it went black: the display or its cable is damaged.

How to fix an Android phone black screen

Screen very dark, not fully black?

Check Extra dim, an accessibility feature that makes the screen darker than the lowest brightness. On Pixel it is in Settings › Accessibility › Extra dim, and on Samsung in Settings › Accessibility › Visibility enhancements › Extra dim. Someone may have turned it on, or it may be scheduled for the evening. Color inversion, grayscale and high contrast settings in the same menus can also make the screen hard to read.

Screen turns black too quickly

• Screen timeout may be set to 15 seconds. Change it in Settings › Display › Screen timeout.
• On Pixel, turn on Screen attention so the screen stays on while you look at it. On Samsung, look for Keep screen on while viewing in the display settings.
• Power saving modes shorten the timeout. Turn them off in Settings › Battery if the screen keeps switching off.
• If the Always On Display shows but the screen will not wake, press the power button, and turn on double tap to wake or lift to wake in the display or gestures settings.

Lines or flicker before it went black

Green, pink or white lines, a flickering picture or a patch of dead pixels before the screen went black point to a failing display panel or a loose connector, often after a drop or pressure in a pocket. Software fixes will not help. Back up while any picture remains, and book a screen repair.

Screen black during or after calls

Every phone turns the screen off when you hold it to your ear, using a proximity sensor near the top of the screen. If the screen stays black after a call, or goes black when you are not holding it to your ear, dirt, a dark screen protector or a case can be covering the sensor. Clean the top edge, remove the protector to test, and on Samsung turn off Accidental touch protection in Settings › Display.

Black screen after a system update

If the screen went black during or right after an update, the phone may still be installing. Leave it on the wall charger for 15 minutes without touching it or pressing any buttons, since interrupting an update can cause more problems. Then force restart using the buttons for your brand. If it vibrates at startup but stays black, try safe mode; an app that is not compatible with the new version can crash the screen at startup. Check for a follow-up update once it is working again.

After a drop or water

A fall can crack the display inside or loosen its cable even when the glass looks fine. Water can short the display or its connector. In both cases the phone often still rings and vibrates. Do not keep charging a wet phone. Turn it off, let it dry for at least a day, and if the screen is still black, book a repair quickly, before corrosion spreads.

Get your data off a black-screen phone

• Check photos.google.com and your Google account on a computer. If backup was on, photos, contacts and texts are already safe.
• Many Samsung Galaxy phones support Samsung DeX: connect a USB-C to HDMI adapter and a monitor to see the screen and back up with a mouse.
• Some Pixel and other phones can show their screen on a monitor with a USB-C video adapter, depending on the model.
• If the computer detects the phone and you had allowed file transfer before, you may be able to copy photos straight away.
• Otherwise, a repair shop can usually back up the data during a screen repair. Tell them it matters.

Too hot or too cold?

Phones switch the screen off, or shut down completely, to protect themselves when they overheat, for example on a car dashboard or while gaming and charging at once. In freezing weather the battery can drop suddenly and the screen goes dark. Let the phone return to room temperature for 30 minutes, away from direct heat, before trying again.

Repair or replace?

A display replacement is usually the most expensive common repair on an Android phone, especially on Samsung’s flagship and foldable models. Check Samsung Care+, carrier insurance or credit card phone protection first, since they cover screens for a deductible. On a budget phone more than three years old, a new screen can cost nearly as much as a new phone, so get a quote before deciding.