iPhone screen flickering? 9 fixes before you pay for a repair

A flickering screen is hard to ignore. It might flash a few times when you unlock the phone, pulse at low brightness, flicker only in one app or show lines and colors across the display. The cause ranges from a simple brightness setting to a broken display cable, and the fix changes with it.

The key is to sort the problem into software or hardware. Use the table of signs below, then work through the fixes in order. The software steps cost nothing and take a few minutes. If you reach the repair step, you will also know what to say at the repair counter.

Software or hardware? Signs to look for

• More likely software: flicker that came after an update, flicker in one app only, flicker that changes with brightness or Low Power Mode, and flicker that stops after a restart.
• More likely hardware: flicker that began after a drop, a bend, water or heat, and flicker with colored lines, a green or pink tint, black patches or a screen that goes dark.
• In between: flicker that comes and goes when you press on the screen or the frame. This often points to a loose display connector.

Fix 1: Raise the brightness and test Auto-Brightness

OLED iPhones, which means the iPhone X and later except the iPhone XR and the LCD iPhone 11 and SE models, control brightness by turning pixels on and off very quickly. At low brightness some people notice flicker. Auto-Brightness can also make the screen jump between levels when the light sensor is covered or the light changes.

Fix 2: Check the frame rate and Low Power Mode

On models with a ProMotion display, the screen changes its refresh rate on the fly. In Low Power Mode, the maximum is limited. A change between rates can look like a flicker. Turn off Low Power Mode in Settings › Battery, and look at Settings › Accessibility › Motion › Limit Frame Rate. If it is on, the screen is limited to 60 frames per second. Switch it and see whether the flicker changes. If the phone also feels hot or slow, read why an iPhone gets hot.

Fix 3: Find the app that causes it

If the screen flickers only in Instagram, a game, a video or a browser, the app is the cause. Close it from the app switcher, open the App Store and install any update. Test again. If it still flickers, delete the app and reinstall it. A flicker in a video is often a player bug, and turning off hardware acceleration or HDR in the app settings can help. Try the same video in another app to compare.

Fix 4: Restart or force restart

Fix 5: Update iOS

Open Settings › General › Software Update and install any update. A flicker that appears after one release is often fixed in the next. If the screen is too glitchy to use, you can update from a Mac or a Windows PC with a cable. For other bugs that start with a new version, see problems after an iPhone update.

Fix 6: Remove the case, protector and pressure

A tight case, a thick glass protector or a cracked glass layer can press on the display and cause a flicker, especially if the flicker changes when you squeeze the phone. Remove the case and the protector and test. If the flicker stops, replace the case or the protector with a better fit. If the glass is cracked, the damage may reach the display layer, so get it looked at. For cracks, read about what an iPhone screen repair costs.

Fix 7: Reset all settings

Open Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Reset › Reset All Settings. Your photos, apps and data stay, but settings return to the default, including display options, Wi-Fi passwords and Face ID preferences. If the flicker stops after the reset, a setting was the cause. Turn your preferences back on one at a time to find which one.

Fix 8: Back up and restore with a computer

If all of the above fail and you still suspect software, a clean restore rules it out. First, make a backup of the iPhone. Then connect the phone to a Mac or a PC, choose the iPhone in Finder or in the Apple Devices app, and click Restore iPhone. Set it up as new, without restoring the backup, and watch the screen for a day. If the flicker is gone, restore the backup. If it comes back after the restore, an app or a setting in the backup is the cause. If the flicker shows on the new, clean install, the screen is the problem.

Fix 9: Get the display repaired

A flicker that survives a clean restore is hardware. Common causes are a damaged display panel, a loose or damaged display cable, a failing logic board or water damage. Lines in green, pink or white, black spots that grow and a screen that flashes or goes dark often start after a drop and get worse over time.

• Check your coverage. A hardware defect inside the limited warranty is covered. AppleCare+ covers screen damage for a fee per incident. Our guide to AppleCare+ costs and coverage explains the costs.
• Get a quote at Apple and at an independent shop. A screen replacement is often cheaper than a new phone, but prices change by model. See this repair cost guide for typical ranges.
• Ask about parts and warranty on the repair. A repair with a poor panel can bring back the flicker or lose True Tone and other features.
• If the iPhone shows a liquid warning, read about the liquid detected alert before you charge it.

Flicker at night, in the dark or with Always On Display

Some flicker only appears in a dark room at the lowest brightness. This is the normal behavior of the OLED panel dimming, and it varies from person to person. Raise the brightness a little, use a dark mode wallpaper, try Reduce White Point and avoid very low brightness for long reading. If you have a Pro model with the Always On display, turn it off in Settings › Display & Brightness › Always On Display for a day and see whether the flicker changes. If your eyes hurt or you get headaches from the screen, take breaks and talk with a doctor.

If the touch screen also acts up

A flickering display and ghost touches often come from the same cause, such as a damaged display or a bent frame. If the screen flickers and the touch also misbehaves, read our guide to an iPhone touch screen that is not working, and be ready for a repair.