Noticing that your iPhone screen keeps going black? Or does your iPhone screen randomly blackout? Experiencing unexpected restarts, a frozen screen, or your device won’t turn on? If so, you are not alone in experiencing the iPhone black screen bug!
Some users are experiencing problems with black / frozen screens; after upgrading to the latest version of iOS. More specifically, your iPhone ( or iPad) screen may go black when you launch an app.
Users stated that this problem occurs when they launch an app for the first time. Some users also reported that this black screen problem starts happening after making a call with Voice Control.
Quick tips
Follow these quick tips when your iPhone is stuck on a black screen (works for iPads and iPods too!)
Ask Siri to turn up your iPhone’s brightness with “Hey Siri, turn up the brightness”
Change your screen’s orientation by physically turning your iPhone to landscape or portrait mode
Force restart your device
Charge your device on a wall outlet for at least one hour and then try a restart or force restart
Connect your device to a computer that has iTunes (Windows and macOS Mojave and below) or Finder app (macOS Catalina+) and launch recovery mode
For iPhone 8 models, see if your device qualifies for Apple’s repair program
For random issues, close apps, reset settings and check your battery health
One of the simplest fixes to get Siri to turn up your screen’s brightness. Since Siri brightens the screen in small increments–she usually responds with it’s a little brighter now, you often need to repeat this command a few times.
There are lots of ways to ask Siri to turn up the brightness. Try “Hey Siri, brighten the screen”
Is Landscape Mode Causing Your iPhone Screen To Go Black?
Change Your Screen Orientation
Some readers tell us they fixed this problem by changing their iPhone’s screen orientation–so if you see a black screen in portrait mode, switch to landscape or vice-versa.
Watch How Your Hold Your iPhone
Another potential cause is just how you handle your iPhone. If you are one of those iFolks that like to hold your phone near the top of the screen, this could be why your iPhone goes dark.
The proximity sensor is located at the top of your iPhone’s screen when holding it in portrait mode–you may block or otherwise obstruct the proximity reader. And hence, cause your iPhone to blacks out because your iPhone thinks you are on a call and placed the phone up to your ear.
Try to keep your hands holding the device by the sides or bottom–avoid the top of the screen and upper edges.
Force a Restart!
Connect your device to the charger and plug directly into a wall outlet (not a USB port on a computer), then force a restart
On an iPhone 8 or above model and iPad without a Home Button: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until the Apple Logo appears
On an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Side and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the Apple Logo
On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPads with a Home Button, or iPod touch: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until the Apple Logo appears
If Forced Restart Didn’t Help
Connect your device to the charger via a wall outlet (not a computer port) and let it charge for at least one hour. Then try to turn it on again or force a restart.
Connect to iTunes or Finder
If charging or forced restarting didn’t fix your black screen or unresponsive issue, let’s connect your device to a computer that has iTunes or Finder app for macOS Catalina+ installed, preferably the latest version.
If you don’t have a computer, ask a friend or family member to use theirs or visit an Apple Store or Apple Reseller and ask them to use one of their in-store Macs.
Using Finder or iTunes, follow these steps in strict order
Open iTunes/Finder on the computer. If Finder or iTunes is already open, close it first, then open it again
Connect the cable to the computer and then connect the cable to the device
Once you connect the device, force a restart on your device
On an iPhone 8 or higher or iPad with no Home Button: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen
On an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Side and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the recovery mode screen
On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad with a Home Button, or iPod touch: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the recovery mode screen
Make sure you see the recovery mode screen on your device before proceeding (see image below.) If you don’t see this screen, try another forced restart
When Finder or iTunes shows the message that there’s a problem with your device that requires a restore or update, choose Update. iTunes or Finder tries to reinstall iOS without erasing your data
If more than 15 minutes elapse, your device exits recovery mode automatically. Try to force restart again.
Black or Frozen Screens On iPhone 8?
In late 2018, Apple determined that a small percentage of iPhone 8 logic boards have a manufacturing defect. iPhone 8 Plus models are NOT impacted by this defect–only iPhone 8.
Symptoms include unexpected restarts, frozen screens, or the device won’t turn on.
For 3 years from your date of purchase (or first retail sale if you purchased a used device,) Apple will repair eligible iPhone 8s free of charge.
Experiencing this iPhone black screen bug randomly?
If you can access your iPhone at times, troubleshoot with these tips:
Sometimes enabling Siri fixes this problem. If Siri is disabled, go to Settings > Siri & Search and turn Siri on
Change the Date on your iPhone. Tap on Settings > General > Date & Time. Disable the ‘Set Automatically’ feature and manually set up a time for a date that was in the past. Then, restart your device. Once the reboot issue is resolved, change your date and time settings back to ‘Set Automatically.’
Change Display Zoom View from “Standard” to “Zoomed” or “Zoomed” to “Standard”; depending on your original setting
If the tip above did not solve this problem, try this: Tap Display Zoom View and choose Zoomed and tap “Set.”
A message will say “Changing Display Doom will restart iPhone” and tap “Use Zoomed.” After your iPhone restarts, now tap Standard > Set and Use Standard.
Reset your iDevice’s settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings.
This reset does not impact ANY data but does return to defaults things like your accessibility settings, wallpapers, and removes any stored WiFi passwords
Tap Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size (for older iOS, General > Accessibility > Display Accommodations or Settings >Display & Brightness) then disable “Auto-Brightness“
Restart your device by pressing and holding the on/off button.
Remove and reinstall any app(s) that you are having problems with
Tap and hold the app, then tap the (x) sign when it jiggles. Then go to the App Store and re-download the same app
If the black screen is occurring at random times, the problem is often caused by a badly behaving app–or runaway app.
Try and spot the problematic app!
Double press your home button or swipe up your home gesture bar and close all open apps by swiping the app preview up and off the top of your screen.
Once you close all apps, open the apps one by one and check if the problem returns.
Keep an eye on your battery usage
If you notice a sudden rapid depletion of your battery, take note of the app you just opened–it might be the problem
Close that particular app and continue opening other apps one-by-one
Go through all your apps and see if any apps are causing the problem(s)
Some apps aren’t programmed well and lead to issues with crashing, black screens, and rapid battery depletion.
Battery or Hardware Issue?
If it’s a battery problem that’s causing your iPhone to go black, you may need to replace it. Before you go ahead and seek a replacement, check your current battery health (if possible) using iOS 11.3 and above’s Battery Health
If you are unable to verify your battery health because you cannot get your iPhone to get beyond that black screen, contact Apple Support and ask them to run diagnostics on your iPhone. Let’s find out if it’s likely a battery issue before proceeding.
Sadly, sometimes our problems are symptoms of the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch hardware failing. If your battery is draining and your iDevice reverts to a black screen in just a few minutes, it’s likely there’s a problem with the motherboard.
These are expensive repairs, so if your device is not covered by AppleCare+, contact Apple Support and find out your repair or replacement options.
Nothing Helping with iDevice Black Screen? Try DFU Mode
If none of these tips work on your device, consider using DFU Mode. DFU (Device Firmware Update) allows your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to be restored from any state.
Reader tips
In Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings helped out with this issue
It’s best to contact Apple Support if you have the following problems:
A black screen after charging but you can hear alerts, sounds, and vibrations
Your device chirps when you unmute it and connect it to power
The screen is on, but it doesn’t respond when you tap, slide, or try other gestures
Your device is stuck on the Apple logo, displays a solid color, or isn’t recognized in iTunes
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
I have the same problem before,and i try the methods that you mention above,but it didn’t work,and then my friend recommend me TunesKit iOS System Recovery for Mac,it repair my issues safely and efficiently with no data loss.
HI. Not sure what’s going on with my iphone. I wanted to sync it to my computer so I plugged it into the back of my desktop (iMac) and it showed that fifteen hundred images were downloaded. I don’t know what happened…but when I removed my phone from the computer after it finished downloading, the screen was black and though I plugged it into my USB port on the floor under my computer two hours ago, it hasn’t returned. If I try to force-restart, the white apple screen does show up with the logo for a few seconds, then reverts back to black. I have tried every forced restart recommended, and the same thing happens with all of them: logo on white screen suddenly comes on, then disappears into black screen mode again. Any thoughts? I can’t help wondering if I didn’t drain the phone’s battery by plugging it into my computer and all that downloading from three years ago that I never intended to happen…help!
Problem with the camera. My I-pad is fine when I turn it as if to take a selfie.
However in regular camera mode. The screen is black, except on the left-hand side of the screen I have a line with + and – top & bottom, on the right it gives options which when presses alter nothing, but every few moments I get a box with a yellow outline which appears in the middle????
When retrieving mail from my home screen the mail opens to folders and then screen turns back and then goes back to my home screen . I have tried the forced restart . All my other apps are working properly
Is it just this one app that is black or are you unable to see any apps?
If just that one app, try closing it and then relaunching. It might have gotten stuck or frozen.
1. On an iPhone or an iPad with no home button from the Home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen
2. On an iDevice with a home button, double-click the Home button and swipe right or left to find the app that you want to close
3. Swipe right or left to locate the Scrabble app you want to close
4. Swipe up on the Scrabble app’s preview to close it
5. Restart your iPad
6. Try tapping open Scrabble app again
If the behavior continues, first try to update the app and if no update is available, delete and reinstall the Scrabble app.
Open the Settings > General > Storage. In the list of apps, tap the Scrabble app, then tap Offload app. Tap Offload app again. Wait a moment for the app to offload, then tap Reinstall App.
My iPad updated to 13.3.1 today and the screen went black.
Voiceover turned on, and it says “screen dimmed.”
I can’t find any way to un-dim a black screen anywhere online.
Connecting with iTunes did nothing, iTunes update did nothing, forced restart did nothing, attempting to boot into DFU mode did nothing, restore did nothing, and I tried each of these several times.
iTunes shows the battery as 100% charged.
My iPhone pairs with the iPad via Bluetooth and prompts me to set up the iPad via my phone, but that’s impossible with a black screen because the phone wants me to either photograph a pattern of squares on the iPad screen (which is solid black) or enter a code on the iPad screen (which is solid black).
It doesn’t help that I’m in a country that does not have a real Apple store.
Kind of hard to do any of these suggestions when you can’t see what’s on the screen and phone appears to be frozen. What’s even more irritating is that this is an iPhone 11.
First, close all open apps by double pressing the home button, and then swiping up off the top of your screen ALL open apps until all you see is the home screen.
Then restart.
Try a game app and see if it now works.
If not, close that game app using the steps to close an app as listed above.
Then, force restart your iPhone by pressing the home and power buttons at the same time and maintain this hold until the apple logo appears on-screen, then release.
Once it powers up, try the game app again.
If it’s still not working, connect your iPhone 6 to its charger and plug into a wall outlet. Let it charge for at least 12 hours (such as overnight) without any interruptions or use.
Hello, I have a problem with IOS 12 – black screen after beta update. My device is iPhone X. This is complicated, when my device got into black screen, I tried to enter the password blindly (I wish I didn’t) after wrong Face ID identification. I did false 8 entry and my device says ‘iphone is disabled try again in 15 minutes’ after I tried to force restart and in 3 seconds the text dissapear and black screen turns again. Please help me.. I connect iTunes with the device but it can’t see the iPhone probably cause of iphone is disabled error and I cannot restore.. Guys please help this poor man I don’ know what to do…
Yikes, Thats a pain for sure. I’m assuming you are running iOS 12 Public beta 2/3.
If you are using iOS 12 Public beta, try and download Xcode 10 beta 3 and then restart your mac , iTunes and see if it recognizes your iPhone X in order for you to do a restore.
If the Restore options are missing or your device is not showing up on the iTunes screen, press and hold the side button on your iPhone X past the Apple Logo and the restore functionality should appear on your iTunes screen. Let us know.
I just encountered the black screen issue on my iPhone X after updating to an iOS Beta version. I tried almost every solution mentioned in the list above including restoring iOS and then restoring data, in the end, resetting all settings was the only thing that worked. I just had to setup my WiFi passwords and FaceID and Pass code later.
I have the black screen of death with the Apple logo on my iPhone. I was reading a New York Times article on FB when my phone turned into a brick.
I have tried the hard start – no success. | I have tried plugging it into iTunes. Message comes up that phone is locked. Which can’t be unlocked as the phone is dead. No success. | I tried rebooting the computer then opening iTunes then plugging the phone in – same message. No success.
My phone was updated only 3 days ago. I also changed the screen from normal to large. The apps I use are the same I’ve used for the last 12 months.
Bullet point 2 did it for me. The screen kept blacking out when i cover the top of the screen. Changed the date and time to manual, then to a date in the past, reset, and changed back to automatic. Hey presto. Now works great with no black screen issues – very strange but happy.
Wow, that’s an unusual problem. Let’s see if a setting is causing the issue. First, backup your iPhone 8 via iCloud or iTunes. Then, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings and reset all your settings. This function removes any stored WiFi passcodes, wallpapers, and other features you customized, returning them to their factory settings. It does NOT remove any data, like photos, texts, and other documents and app data.
See if resetting your settings makes a difference.
Some things to note:
Does this happen on certain apps only? If so, try uninstalling those apps and see if the problem goes away. If so, reinstall the app and see if its latest update solves the issue. If not, contact the app developer and let them know there is a bug causing this issue
Does the problem occur only some of the time? If so, take note of what you are doing just before it happens and report this to Apple Support
After my last update my iPhone is having difficulty opening up. I have a black screen. No matter what buttons I press my camera is activated and takes photos of my screen although I see black. Hope you can help me. I have an IPhone 6
Sorry to hear about your issues with your iPhone, that’s terrible and must feel very frustrating and scary. The best solution is to connect to iTunes and see if it recognizes your device–if so, backup your device first and then either update it via iTunes or choose to restore it with that backup.
I have it plugged into my computer with iTunes on – it isn’t repeatedly asking me to allow my computer access to my phone. Which is frustrating because with a black screen there’s nothing you can do. Meanwhile my alarm keeps going off
Try disconnecting your device from iTunes and your computer, closing iTunes, restarting your computer, re-launch iTunes, and connect your iDevice to iTunes while holding down the Home Button. Does this bring up any options in iTunes to Update or Restore?
The newer iPhones have really bad quality. I bought an iPhone 8 just last month. My phone suddenly went black while charging and resetting the phone didn’t work. Went to Apple service center and saw that it was packed with people. The technician ended up giving me a new phone after waiting for a day. Saw that many people had the exact same problem as me.
If the screen is black out then how will we go to settings>> General etc. etc. Screen is black out then how will we connect with the iTune on laptop or Mac as it asked if the system is secure or not and we have to allow or dont allow but we can’t as we cant see anything on screen.
YESS, I tried everything before this and nothing worked.. this was the most recent because I have a 8+ and the other websites were not updated !! Thanks so muchhh!!!!!!
theres two problem with me one with the first of my phones i phone 6s start yesterday to change the battery from 1% to 30% when i put it in the charger its restarted alone so i let it a bit and its bring strange yellow full screen after this its totale die no bower nothing !!! … i tried to fix it by the bower and the menu but did not help …. sec one i phone 6 and just right now i was watching video and its become full black screen !!!!!
my iPhone 5 just blacked out. I tried pressing the home and power button but nothing is popping up, when I plugged it to my laptop it says its in recovery mode. please help!
You may actually be pressing the home and power button for too long and initiating DFU mode.
My suggestion is to unplug your iPhone from your laptop, charge it up via a wall outlet (not a computer), and then try to restart. If nothing happens, try a forced restart by pressing and holding the home button and the power button until the Apple Logo appears on-screen, then release it.
If nothing helps, your iPhone may indeed need to go into recovery mode. Follow the steps in this article–hopefully, you have a recent backup (iCloud or iTunes) available.
Please try a forced restart and see if this clear your problem with not being able to take screenshots. Tap the link to get direction on how to force a restart for the iPhone X.
I use iPhone 5s. After 2 days of updating iOS 11, my phone didn’t open (black screen). When i connected my phone with computer using itunes it detected my phone in recovery mode and i restored it again and it opened. But since that my phone turns off automatically twice or more time daily and i can open it by pressing both of Sleep and Home buttons for about 10-15 seconds. How i can fix this problem??
Please update your iPhone 5S to iOS 11.2. There is a known bug in the earlier update that’s causing a resetting issue like you describe on some phones. Apple released iOS 11.2 early to specifically address this issue. To learn more about the issue, check out this article.
the steps did fix the blackout problem and phone worked great for 24 hours. However once I adjusted the date/time to be current the problem shows up again. Hoping the latest system update will help.
I was scepticle but the issue was fixed by the end of the fourth bullet point, and I had to delete yahoo mail as I kept getting a pop up error abou the server not being verified. It was rough going though because the phone kept going to the black screen with spinner then to lock screen while I was trying to do it, but I finally got fast enough to get it done.
I am SO SO grateful as a 65 year old NON techy woman …………I just managed to switch on my I phone 5 by holding the down button, home button and on/off button……….. am just so grateful and I want you to know that
I have same issue and it make me so annoying and have to swift it off and on again, it’s really border cause i have to search and retrieve all info in my message all the time, when it gone blank inself i can’t carry my work anymore..
I am thinking to reformat my iPhone 6 Plus. My Previous Iphone 4s having same problem and after I reformatted it, it’s ok, anyway I seldom use it the message is still there until today. Thank you
I had the same problem and found the solution at last. Nothing listed here fixed the issue but I noticed I had gibberish in the spelling corrector suggestion band right on top of the keyboard when in the SMS screen, so all I did is to go SETTINGS > GENERAL > RESET (the last item at bottom) > “Reset Keyboard Dictionary” and confirm. I’m not sure how the dictionary got corrupted, maybe the kids typed a bunch of characters in there, but it was very very long strings of mixed characters and it looks like it made the iPhone hang on black screens when switching between apps. I didn’t even have to reboot the phone, been using it for an hour in various apps and it’s is back to normal! Hope it helps somebody else 🙂
This junk 6s plus goes black after i slide to unlock and huge app icons appeared and no status bar?? Tried everything so I smashed the new 128 gb!! Problems solved, well wasted money lol
guys please help me. my iphone 4s auto updated to ios 9.2 and my screen went black. i can hear siri but i can’t do anything because i can’t see anything. help me pleaseeee :((
I am having this issue on my 6S – with a completely black unresponsive screen – with Siri randomly saying he did’ catch that. I did not do any of the steps to recreate the problem. The alarm I set went off and I turned the alarm off. I didn’t do anything else, yet 30 minutes later the phone screen is black.
The steps above are worthless with a black unresponsive screen. I can’t even force a power down.
I had this issue but it only occurs when I have bluetooth switched on, I have to switch it off when I’m not in the car and the phone is fine. Be nice if Apple could sort this out though!
I tried all the above things in my iPhone 5 (iOS 9.0.2). But no use.
After changing the settings, I switched off and then after switching on again, It is black again. Even the Apple logo is not seen while starting the phone. !!
I’ve have searched the web and finally somebody admits that this problem exists! Non of the above works, I have to turn the phone off and on again for certain apps to work. Now I’ll refrain from using the occasional “Call wife” voice command 🙂
Awesome – had this issue for weeks now since updating 5c to IOS9; every time I would open an app the screen would blackout and i’d have to close and reopen. All solved by just switching on Siri!!!
It’s doing it with ALL apps, even the inbuilt ones so deleting and re-installing apps isn’t a solution.
As already said. All the stated solutions only work until using voice command (in the car for me) which is almost EVERY time I’m in the car. This problem is very annoying and needs to be addressed.
i have a simmilar issue. i”ve tried everything. can”t fix it. everytime when i turn it on the apple logo appears fur less than a second and then dissapear. but i can hear it turning on. i can remote acces the phone via itool but can”t solve the problem. i have an iphone 4s updated to ios 9.0.2 . can i downgrade to 8.4.1 to solve the problem at least?
I have the same issue with my iPhone 6.
I ‘ve tried everything that you describe and none of them are a solution.
They temporary solutions until you use voice commands again.
radwimpsss says
I have the same problem before,and i try the methods that you mention above,but it didn’t work,and then my friend recommend me TunesKit iOS System Recovery for Mac,it repair my issues safely and efficiently with no data loss.
Martha Woodworth says
HI. Not sure what’s going on with my iphone. I wanted to sync it to my computer so I plugged it into the back of my desktop (iMac) and it showed that fifteen hundred images were downloaded. I don’t know what happened…but when I removed my phone from the computer after it finished downloading, the screen was black and though I plugged it into my USB port on the floor under my computer two hours ago, it hasn’t returned. If I try to force-restart, the white apple screen does show up with the logo for a few seconds, then reverts back to black. I have tried every forced restart recommended, and the same thing happens with all of them: logo on white screen suddenly comes on, then disappears into black screen mode again. Any thoughts? I can’t help wondering if I didn’t drain the phone’s battery by plugging it into my computer and all that downloading from three years ago that I never intended to happen…help!
Cynthia says
Problem with the camera. My I-pad is fine when I turn it as if to take a selfie.
However in regular camera mode. The screen is black, except on the left-hand side of the screen I have a line with + and – top & bottom, on the right it gives options which when presses alter nothing, but every few moments I get a box with a yellow outline which appears in the middle????
Barbara Frew says
When retrieving mail from my home screen the mail opens to folders and then screen turns back and then goes back to my home screen . I have tried the forced restart . All my other apps are working properly
Shanti Veluri says
My scrabble app screen is black. Not able to return to the game. With this isolation I need to keep my brain active. I am 73 years old.
Elizabeth Jones says
HI Shanti,
Is it just this one app that is black or are you unable to see any apps?
If just that one app, try closing it and then relaunching. It might have gotten stuck or frozen.
1. On an iPhone or an iPad with no home button from the Home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen
2. On an iDevice with a home button, double-click the Home button and swipe right or left to find the app that you want to close
3. Swipe right or left to locate the Scrabble app you want to close
4. Swipe up on the Scrabble app’s preview to close it
5. Restart your iPad
6. Try tapping open Scrabble app again
If the behavior continues, first try to update the app and if no update is available, delete and reinstall the Scrabble app.
Open the Settings > General > Storage. In the list of apps, tap the Scrabble app, then tap Offload app. Tap Offload app again. Wait a moment for the app to offload, then tap Reinstall App.
Tim B says
My iPad updated to 13.3.1 today and the screen went black.
Voiceover turned on, and it says “screen dimmed.”
I can’t find any way to un-dim a black screen anywhere online.
Connecting with iTunes did nothing, iTunes update did nothing, forced restart did nothing, attempting to boot into DFU mode did nothing, restore did nothing, and I tried each of these several times.
iTunes shows the battery as 100% charged.
My iPhone pairs with the iPad via Bluetooth and prompts me to set up the iPad via my phone, but that’s impossible with a black screen because the phone wants me to either photograph a pattern of squares on the iPad screen (which is solid black) or enter a code on the iPad screen (which is solid black).
It doesn’t help that I’m in a country that does not have a real Apple store.
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Tim,
Try asking Siri to brighten the screen: “Hey Siri, brighten the screen”–you may need to repeat this process a few times.
Melissa says
Kind of hard to do any of these suggestions when you can’t see what’s on the screen and phone appears to be frozen. What’s even more irritating is that this is an iPhone 11.
help please says
I have an iPhone six and everytime I try to go on an a game/media the screen turns black.
The screen freezes when I press reset so that doesn’t help and it also won’t connect to wifi.
Help is very much appreciated.
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi there,
First, close all open apps by double pressing the home button, and then swiping up off the top of your screen ALL open apps until all you see is the home screen.
Then restart.
Try a game app and see if it now works.
If not, close that game app using the steps to close an app as listed above.
Then, force restart your iPhone by pressing the home and power buttons at the same time and maintain this hold until the apple logo appears on-screen, then release.
Once it powers up, try the game app again.
If it’s still not working, connect your iPhone 6 to its charger and plug into a wall outlet. Let it charge for at least 12 hours (such as overnight) without any interruptions or use.
Then try a game app again.
If it’s still not working, set-up an appointment with Apple and have them run diagnotics on your iPhone.
Barış says
Hello, I have a problem with IOS 12 – black screen after beta update. My device is iPhone X. This is complicated, when my device got into black screen, I tried to enter the password blindly (I wish I didn’t) after wrong Face ID identification. I did false 8 entry and my device says ‘iphone is disabled try again in 15 minutes’ after I tried to force restart and in 3 seconds the text dissapear and black screen turns again. Please help me.. I connect iTunes with the device but it can’t see the iPhone probably cause of iphone is disabled error and I cannot restore.. Guys please help this poor man I don’ know what to do…
SK says
Yikes, Thats a pain for sure. I’m assuming you are running iOS 12 Public beta 2/3.
If you are using iOS 12 Public beta, try and download Xcode 10 beta 3 and then restart your mac , iTunes and see if it recognizes your iPhone X in order for you to do a restore.
If the Restore options are missing or your device is not showing up on the iTunes screen, press and hold the side button on your iPhone X past the Apple Logo and the restore functionality should appear on your iTunes screen. Let us know.
Esther says
I also hate these troubles with a black screen. The last time I`ve got such issue, I`ve found some useful tips here
Try to use some of them. Some of the advices surely work.
Aditya Shenoy says
I just encountered the black screen issue on my iPhone X after updating to an iOS Beta version. I tried almost every solution mentioned in the list above including restoring iOS and then restoring data, in the end, resetting all settings was the only thing that worked. I just had to setup my WiFi passwords and FaceID and Pass code later.
CJ says
I have the black screen of death with the Apple logo on my iPhone. I was reading a New York Times article on FB when my phone turned into a brick.
I have tried the hard start – no success. | I have tried plugging it into iTunes. Message comes up that phone is locked. Which can’t be unlocked as the phone is dead. No success. | I tried rebooting the computer then opening iTunes then plugging the phone in – same message. No success.
My phone was updated only 3 days ago. I also changed the screen from normal to large. The apps I use are the same I’ve used for the last 12 months.
scott says
Bullet point 2 did it for me. The screen kept blacking out when i cover the top of the screen. Changed the date and time to manual, then to a date in the past, reset, and changed back to automatic. Hey presto. Now works great with no black screen issues – very strange but happy.
andrea says
My IPhone 8 goes black everytime i turn it sideways. What should i do ?
SK says
Hi Andrea,
Wow, that’s an unusual problem. Let’s see if a setting is causing the issue. First, backup your iPhone 8 via iCloud or iTunes. Then, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings and reset all your settings. This function removes any stored WiFi passcodes, wallpapers, and other features you customized, returning them to their factory settings. It does NOT remove any data, like photos, texts, and other documents and app data.
See if resetting your settings makes a difference.
Some things to note:
Does this happen on certain apps only? If so, try uninstalling those apps and see if the problem goes away. If so, reinstall the app and see if its latest update solves the issue. If not, contact the app developer and let them know there is a bug causing this issue
Does the problem occur only some of the time? If so, take note of what you are doing just before it happens and report this to Apple Support
Since your iPhone is still under Apple’s limited 1-year warranty, contact Apple Support in your home country.
Good luck,
SK
Sharon Coons says
After my last update my iPhone is having difficulty opening up. I have a black screen. No matter what buttons I press my camera is activated and takes photos of my screen although I see black. Hope you can help me. I have an IPhone 6
Elizabeth says
Hi Sharon,
Sorry to hear about your issues with your iPhone, that’s terrible and must feel very frustrating and scary. The best solution is to connect to iTunes and see if it recognizes your device–if so, backup your device first and then either update it via iTunes or choose to restore it with that backup.
SK
Holly says
I have it plugged into my computer with iTunes on – it isn’t repeatedly asking me to allow my computer access to my phone. Which is frustrating because with a black screen there’s nothing you can do. Meanwhile my alarm keeps going off
SK says
Hi Holly,
Try disconnecting your device from iTunes and your computer, closing iTunes, restarting your computer, re-launch iTunes, and connect your iDevice to iTunes while holding down the Home Button. Does this bring up any options in iTunes to Update or Restore?
SK
S says
The newer iPhones have really bad quality. I bought an iPhone 8 just last month. My phone suddenly went black while charging and resetting the phone didn’t work. Went to Apple service center and saw that it was packed with people. The technician ended up giving me a new phone after waiting for a day. Saw that many people had the exact same problem as me.
SK says
Hi S,
That’s terrible! I hope your new iPhone is working better and that the black screen bug was just a bad unit.
Thanks for letting us know your story,
SK
Elle says
Thanks @Kiran thats exactly what I was thinking too! If the screen is black, it wont respond to anything except the forced restart.
Kiran Budhani says
If the screen is black out then how will we go to settings>> General etc. etc. Screen is black out then how will we connect with the iTune on laptop or Mac as it asked if the system is secure or not and we have to allow or dont allow but we can’t as we cant see anything on screen.
tiah says
YESS, I tried everything before this and nothing worked.. this was the most recent because I have a 8+ and the other websites were not updated !! Thanks so muchhh!!!!!!
SK says
Hi Tiah,
Awesome. Thanks for letting us know.
SK
Gaber Zidan says
theres two problem with me one with the first of my phones i phone 6s start yesterday to change the battery from 1% to 30% when i put it in the charger its restarted alone so i let it a bit and its bring strange yellow full screen after this its totale die no bower nothing !!! … i tried to fix it by the bower and the menu but did not help …. sec one i phone 6 and just right now i was watching video and its become full black screen !!!!!
MR. Smith says
I was able to fix mine by going into Setting>general>reset all SETTINGS, it does not clear data
SK says
Hello Mr. Smith,
Thank you for sharing what worked for you! Resetting your settings often helps with quite a bit of problems.
Cheers,
SK
amber says
my iPhone 5 just blacked out. I tried pressing the home and power button but nothing is popping up, when I plugged it to my laptop it says its in recovery mode. please help!
Elizabeth says
Hi Amber,
You may actually be pressing the home and power button for too long and initiating DFU mode.
My suggestion is to unplug your iPhone from your laptop, charge it up via a wall outlet (not a computer), and then try to restart. If nothing happens, try a forced restart by pressing and holding the home button and the power button until the Apple Logo appears on-screen, then release it.
If nothing helps, your iPhone may indeed need to go into recovery mode. Follow the steps in this article–hopefully, you have a recent backup (iCloud or iTunes) available.
Let us know what happens,
Liz
Massay says
This solved my recent problems with my iPhone 8 constantly resetting itself and not being able to get anything (ANYTHING!) done on my phone. Thx
sunnydo says
my iphone x update to new ios 11.2 then ican’t screenshoot . new iphone x xxxxx.
SK says
Hi Sunnydo,
Please try a forced restart and see if this clear your problem with not being able to take screenshots. Tap the link to get direction on how to force a restart for the iPhone X.
SK
Nirob says
I use iPhone 5s. After 2 days of updating iOS 11, my phone didn’t open (black screen). When i connected my phone with computer using itunes it detected my phone in recovery mode and i restored it again and it opened. But since that my phone turns off automatically twice or more time daily and i can open it by pressing both of Sleep and Home buttons for about 10-15 seconds. How i can fix this problem??
SK says
Hi Nirob,
Please update your iPhone 5S to iOS 11.2. There is a known bug in the earlier update that’s causing a resetting issue like you describe on some phones. Apple released iOS 11.2 early to specifically address this issue. To learn more about the issue, check out this article.
SK
sarah says
the steps did fix the blackout problem and phone worked great for 24 hours. However once I adjusted the date/time to be current the problem shows up again. Hoping the latest system update will help.
sarah says
hey it worked. thank you.
Danni says
Thank you so much! My iPhone 6 has been blacking out every few seconds since this evening and I was able to fix it using your tips!
Karen Dunivent says
I was scepticle but the issue was fixed by the end of the fourth bullet point, and I had to delete yahoo mail as I kept getting a pop up error abou the server not being verified. It was rough going though because the phone kept going to the black screen with spinner then to lock screen while I was trying to do it, but I finally got fast enough to get it done.
Laurie Hoffman says
My iphone 8 goes to clack and then restarts on its own within seconds. How do I stop this?
SK says
Hi Laurie,
Oh, my that’s terrible! Please check out these tips and see if it solves these problems.
SK
Rach says
Yes! Power+Home+Volume down button worked for me. Thank you a million times over!
Marian O'Mullane says
I am SO SO grateful as a 65 year old NON techy woman …………I just managed to switch on my I phone 5 by holding the down button, home button and on/off button……….. am just so grateful and I want you to know that
will says
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS IF MY SCREEN IS BLACK YOU BOZOS
Esther says
I have same issue and it make me so annoying and have to swift it off and on again, it’s really border cause i have to search and retrieve all info in my message all the time, when it gone blank inself i can’t carry my work anymore..
I am thinking to reformat my iPhone 6 Plus. My Previous Iphone 4s having same problem and after I reformatted it, it’s ok, anyway I seldom use it the message is still there until today. Thank you
Marc says
I had the same problem and found the solution at last. Nothing listed here fixed the issue but I noticed I had gibberish in the spelling corrector suggestion band right on top of the keyboard when in the SMS screen, so all I did is to go SETTINGS > GENERAL > RESET (the last item at bottom) > “Reset Keyboard Dictionary” and confirm. I’m not sure how the dictionary got corrupted, maybe the kids typed a bunch of characters in there, but it was very very long strings of mixed characters and it looks like it made the iPhone hang on black screens when switching between apps. I didn’t even have to reboot the phone, been using it for an hour in various apps and it’s is back to normal! Hope it helps somebody else 🙂
Rudebega says
This sucks
Larry says
This junk 6s plus goes black after i slide to unlock and huge app icons appeared and no status bar?? Tried everything so I smashed the new 128 gb!! Problems solved, well wasted money lol
Ruta says
Power+Home+Volumen Down button option worked for me on iphone 4s with iOS 7.1
Thanks
James says
YOU’RE A LIFESAVER
Joy says
guys please help me. my iphone 4s auto updated to ios 9.2 and my screen went black. i can hear siri but i can’t do anything because i can’t see anything. help me pleaseeee :((
Joy says
my iphone 4s is open but the screen is black. i have auto update. can someone help me please 🙁
JoAnn says
I am having this issue on my 6S – with a completely black unresponsive screen – with Siri randomly saying he did’ catch that. I did not do any of the steps to recreate the problem. The alarm I set went off and I turned the alarm off. I didn’t do anything else, yet 30 minutes later the phone screen is black.
The steps above are worthless with a black unresponsive screen. I can’t even force a power down.
Donna says
Same here. How can I take steps to remedy when the screen is totally black?
phil says
I had this issue but it only occurs when I have bluetooth switched on, I have to switch it off when I’m not in the car and the phone is fine. Be nice if Apple could sort this out though!
Tom Carney says
Experienced the problem on a 4S.
Sumesh says
I tried all the above things in my iPhone 5 (iOS 9.0.2). But no use.
After changing the settings, I switched off and then after switching on again, It is black again. Even the Apple logo is not seen while starting the phone. !!
Michael Hodges says
What if you have vision issues and require the zoomed feature..
Tobias says
I’ve have searched the web and finally somebody admits that this problem exists! Non of the above works, I have to turn the phone off and on again for certain apps to work. Now I’ll refrain from using the occasional “Call wife” voice command 🙂
MattD says
Awesome – had this issue for weeks now since updating 5c to IOS9; every time I would open an app the screen would blackout and i’d have to close and reopen. All solved by just switching on Siri!!!
John says
My Iphone 5 is doing this.
It’s doing it with ALL apps, even the inbuilt ones so deleting and re-installing apps isn’t a solution.
As already said. All the stated solutions only work until using voice command (in the car for me) which is almost EVERY time I’m in the car. This problem is very annoying and needs to be addressed.
lyno23 says
i have a simmilar issue. i”ve tried everything. can”t fix it. everytime when i turn it on the apple logo appears fur less than a second and then dissapear. but i can hear it turning on. i can remote acces the phone via itool but can”t solve the problem. i have an iphone 4s updated to ios 9.0.2 . can i downgrade to 8.4.1 to solve the problem at least?
Manny says
I have experienced the same issue except that it only happens to me after the phone has been left out in the car all day and the phone is hot.
Enzo Borri says
Many thanks!!! The first method solved this annoying issue.
Glad to love iOS 9… now! 🙂
suresh says
i have the same issue.
Theologis says
I have the same issue with my iPhone 6.
I ‘ve tried everything that you describe and none of them are a solution.
They temporary solutions until you use voice commands again.
Bjarne Loberg Fischer says
Thank you, it solved my problem