Phones are an essential part of our day-to-day life, and so are their screens! We literally spent hours and hours of our days in front of these screens, from gaming to social media to do our work. If these screens are not working properly that can halt our entire day. Think for movement, what will happen if your iPhone screen is not working suddenly? Don’t panic, we may guide you through a few steps which can help you sort out the issue by yourself.
Screens are one of the most sensitive parts of your phone. They can be damaged very quickly even with nimble accidents. I personally had an experience when my iPhone 6 fell to the floor while talking to someone. The screen didn’t have any scratches on the exterior but just after I powered it on, I saw a few pixel lines across my screen. Followed by the screen dimming the display light across the screen to complete the display going dark. I took the phone to Apple Care and the screen was replaced with a newer one.
Although in my case, it was not fixable without screen replacement, maybe the following steps can help you sort out your issue. Especially when there were no prior accidents that have happened to your device. There are different cases of touchscreen issues faced by iPhone customers such as flickering, grey, or pixelated lines on top of the display or troubles with the different iPhone gestures.
If your device hasn’t fallen from your hands, undergone any accidents, or been wet from being immersed in any form of liquids, then the reason for this issue might be either a hardware or a software issue or as simple as dirt accumulated near your screen. And there are good chances of solving your issue.
The following are the different ways you can try to check if this issue is easily solvable.
Cleaning your screen
Before doing any troubleshooting, try cleaning the screen of your device thoroughly with a soft tissue or a cloth. And ensure that no dust or any tiny particles have been deposited anywhere near the screen. Because these dust or other particles can tamper with the sensitivity of your touch sensor. And might fail to recognize and respond to your touch feedback on the device’s screen. Therefore it is essential to maintain your screen clean and protected from dust.
One further step you can take is to ensure your hands are not wet or oily. Which could also potentially damage your device’s sensitivity toward tactile feedback. This is a simple step but can be very crucial in some scenarios.
Force restart your device
Another easy fix you can try before moving on to the complex ones is to try restarting your phone. You can do this by turning off your device and turning it on again after waiting for a few minutes. If your device’s screen has completely stopped working, you should try force restarting your phone. But don’t worry. You can follow by pressing some simple combinations of power and volume buttons on both sides of your devices.
How to do that?
Method 1: If it’s an iPhone model 8 or later models
Press and release the volume up button from the side > Do the same with the volume down button. > Now press and hold the power button on the other side
If an Apple logo appears on the screen, hurray! Your phone is starting up and probably your issue would have been solved.
Method 2: For iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus models
Press and hold the power button > While pressing and holding the volume down button. > Hold these buttons together for at least 10 seconds > Apple logo appears.
Method 3: For models iPhone 6s and earlier ones
Press and hold the power button > While simultaneously pressing down the home button. > Hold it for about 10 seconds > Until the Apple logo appears, then the issue is solved.
Method 4: Charge your device
If the force restart didn’t seem to work on your device, try putting it on for 1-2 hours. And try again, hopefully, it restarts, or try the upcoming steps
Did your iPhone stop working while using an app?
If so, it might be mostly due to software issues related to an app you opened, if the iPhone stopped working while you were using a specific app. Or might be due to other general issues in your device like insufficient storage.
How to fix this issue?
Method 1: Updating the iOS
This step is the basic fix you can try to check whether the phone’s software is causing the problem.
How to do this: Open settings app > General > Software update > click Download and install > Enter the password.
Method 2: Updating the application
If the issue of the frozen display is associated with a particular application, try looking for updates for the application and installing them on your device.
How to do this: Open AppStore > search for the app > Look for any updates > click update.
Method 3: Try re-installing the app
Maybe trying to delete and re-installing the app can solve this temporary issue with its software.
How to do this :
Home screen > Long press the app icon > Remove app > Delete app > go to AppStore > search the app > Install the application
Method 4: Deleting the app and reporting it.
If still your screen’s display is not lighting up, and this happens with one particular application, try deleting it and check whether the issue still prevails. yes, you can report this issue to the app developer to see whether something is wrong with the application, like a bug in code, etc. If it’s a third-party application, you can also try replacing it with other alternatives in the App Store.
Did your iPhone stop working while accessing a specific file?
If you encountered the issue while downloading or viewing any files such as images, videos, email attachments, links, etc, that file might have probably caused the issue. These files must have contained any bugs or codes that might have uncompromised your device’s performance.
How to fix this? Delete these files immediately and try restarting your device.
Deleting unnecessary and old applications from your device.
Deleting these old and no more used applications can not just prevent any bugs in them from harming your device. But it also helps you find more storage in your device which is always good for better performance.
Go to the home screen of your device. > Choose the old and unused apps. > Touch and hold for about a few seconds. > Icons start to wiggle > Tap delete to confirm.
Another way to go about: Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Iphone storage
Was your phone connected to any peripherals?
Any accessories plugged into your device’s lightning port could interfere with the proper functioning of your phone. These connected accessories such as a power bank, PC, and chargers might be the reason for your iPhone screen not working. Try disconnecting these externals from the lightning port of your device. If this solves your problem, it might be that they are not completely compatible with your iPhone. And you should avoid using them.
Does your phone have any screen protector or phone case?
As much as your phone is protected by a screen guard, it can also interfere with the proper functioning of your iPhone. For example, if your screen protector is thicker enough, it will make your phone unable to track your feedback. This is due to the sensors on-screen being unable to sense the electrical capacitance of your fingertips. And your screen functions improperly and causes various troubles.
If these bulkier screen protectors are stopping your screen, try removing anything on or around your screen. This includes the screen protectors as well as the phone cases. If that works, try using alternative accessories, this time something thinner and doesn’t interfere with your device’s sensors.
Resetting all settings on your device
The reason for your issue might be due to any recent updates or any manual customization. This might result in your iPhone screen not working properly and the screen being unresponsive. To try this method, reset all your settings on your phone to eliminate customized, invalid configurations. This would reset your device settings to original values.
Settings > General > Reset menu > Reset all settings > Enter pincode.
Your iPhone should now start by itself when the reset is completed and default options are loaded. You should re-enable those individual features which are disabled during the reset to continue using them. After these features are enabled, you can check if the problem reoccurs again.
Factory resetting your iPhone
If your iPhone’s screen is still not working properly, you can try to restore your iPhone to its original settings. Resetting your iPhone puts it back to the state it was when purchased new. This will delete all software updates, installed apps, and personal data. This will result in permanent loss of your images, videos, documents, and any such data since the last backup. Therefore, ensure your phone is backed up with all the necessary files before undergoing a factory reset.
How do back up?
Plug in your iPhone to a computer installed with iTunes or Finder application and transfer the files. Or you can also back up your files to iCloud, given that you have enough iCloud storage. Or otherwise, an iCloud extra storage plan is purchased. With your iPhone screen not working, You will need to use a computer for performing a factory reset.
Certain system errors are tough enough to withstand the initial steps during a factory reset. Therefore, I would recommend carrying out the reset in recovery mode or by putting your device in a DFU state. So that any major damages or data corruption could be solved through iTunes.
Method 1: Recovery Mode restore
Using this method enables your device to enter recovery mode, which allows iTunes to access your iPhone’s operating system. To perform this method, you will need a computer (preferably a Mac) with the latest version of iTunes installed. Follow these steps:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the supplied USB or Lightning cable.
- Press and release the Volume Up button on the side of your iPhone.
- Press and release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Power button until the “Connect to iTunes” screen appears, indicating that your iPhone is in recovery mode.
- In iTunes, you will be prompted to either “Update” or “Restore” your device.
- To update your device without deleting your data, select “Update”.
- To reset your device and restore it to a previous backup, select “Restore”.
- Keep your iPhone connected to your computer until the process is complete.
Please note that this process is for iPhones with a physical Home button. If you have an iPhone without a Home button (iPhone X and newer), you will need to press and hold the Power button and the Volume Down button together instead of just the Power button in Step 4.
Method 2: DFU ( Device firmware update)
If still your issues with the screen have not been resolved, try this mode of reset. In this mode, the computer can sync with the OS even without the bootloader being activated. This hence could repair any system component errors.
But make sure your phone hasn’t undergone any physical (or liquid ) damage. This then could result in your phone getting permanently damaged. Therefore, ensure your device is free of any hardware damage. If you are confident and willing to take the risks, follow the steps.
- Connect your device to a PC.
- Press and release your iPhone’s Volume Up button on the side.
- Now repeat the same with the Volume Down button.
- Then press and hold your power button till the screen turns black.
- Follow the on-screen commands.
Wait for iTunes to complete the restoration procedure. You can consider third-party iOS repair tools if this fails to fix your screen. Just make sure to use trusted software that is compatible with your phone and your current iOS version.
The MacGyver Solution
This method might or might not work out for you. Either way, if you are going through with it, be careful not to try too hard on your device. This method works if any tiny cable that connects to your iPhone’s logic board is dislodged. This could happen from a drop, even without physical damage. If that’s the case, you can try pressing down your phone’s screen where these cables connect. And this method should be done with caution and might be considered in a “Nothing to lose” scenario.
Contacting the App developer
If you are having trouble with your device while using a particular application, you can try reaching out to the app developer.
- Open the App Store on your device.
- Search for the app.
- Tap the app icon.
- Tap Developer Website.
- Try contacting their given contact form or email address.
Contact Apple support
If you couldn’t solve the issue with any of these methods, If still, your iPhone’s screen is not working, you should contact or take your device to your nearest iPhone repair center or contact apple support. It is recommended to approach an Apple-authorized service center and get your iPhone looked at by an iPhone technician. This is to ensure your device’s safety and privacy.
If your iPhone is under an Apple warranty, you should contact your iPhone provider or carrier for further recommendations.