Phone is on but screen is black iphone

Device issues depicted by unresponsive or stuck displays including iPhone screen going black are usually attributed to major system problems or worse, hardware damage. Before rushing to a service center, ruling out software-related factors is recommended. Mapped out below are potential solutions and what you can do it fix this issue. Try out the steps below to deal with a software inflicted iphone black screen of death problem. Feel free to refer  to this walk through if ever you need more inputs on how to fix your iPhone stuck on black screen of death.

iPhone Black Screen Unavailable?

Simply follow these 3 steps to fix your iPhone with ReiBoot, No data loss, FREE

  1. Click to download ReiBoot to your PC or MAC
  2. Connect your device
  3. Run ReiBoot to resolve the issue

Work for iPad & iPhone 14/13/12/11/XS/XR/S/8/7/6/5s/5

Fix Now

Here’s How To Fix Your My iPhone Black Screen

Black screen on iPhone could signal a hardware issue or caused by minor firmware problems. A possible quick fix is to try a hard reset. For iPhone 8 or older models, press and hold the power button and home button for 10 seconds.

If your iPhone does not have a home button, you likely have a newer model (iPhone X or newer). To hard reset fix your iPhone black screen, press and release volume up button, then press and release volume down button, then press and hold power button until you see the Apple logo on your screen.

Let’s Dig Deeper To Fix Your iPhone Black Screen

Rogue apps and bad updates are usually emerging among the main culprits. Thus if your iPhone started to get stuck on black screen after installing a new app, try to disable or delete the suspected app to see what happens. If it occurs after installing an update, then try to delete the update or revert to the previous software version. Performing these subsequent solutions may also offer temporary, if not permanent remedies.

Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our iPhone Help Guides page to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds.

Fixing the iPhone Black Screen of death Problem

The iPhone black screen problem has become so common that more and more users experience it every single day. But the thing is, even if it may seem like a serious hardware issue, it’s actually just a pretty minor firmware-related problem, provided that your iPhone does not have any signs of physical or liquid damage. Here’s what you need to do about it…

First solution:  Perform the Forced restart

Stuck iPhone screen issues that are triggered by minor software errors like random firmware crashes are often remedied by a forced restart. A forced restart works similarly with a soft reset but differs on how they’re executed. It is a simulated battery-removal procedure that is used to forcibly shutdown and reboot an unresponsive device. This simple workaround can render a positive outcome for as long as hardware damage is not present. If you haven’t already, follow these steps to force restart your iPhone:

  1. Press and release the Volume Up button quickly.
  2. Press and release the Volume Down button quickly.
  3. Finally, press and hold the Power/Side button until the Apple logo appears. 

If it is a firmware crash, it may take around 20 seconds or longer for the Apple logo to show up so you may have to press the Power/Side button a little longer than usual.

If your phone managed to boot up and work properly after a forced restart, try to eliminate the possible triggers including bad apps and corrupted contents. 

Check for any pending app updates to implement on your device. App updates also provide fix patches to keep apps performing stable and bug-free. Just follow these steps to check for and implement pending app updates on your iPhone:

  1. Open the App Store from your Home screen.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom and tap the Updates tab. A list of apps with pending updates will then show up.
  3. Tap the Update button next to the name of the app, to update individual apps.
  4. Or tap the Update All button on the upper-right side of the screen to update multiple apps at once. This option is only visible if multiple updates are available.

Reboot your iPhone after updating your apps then see if that solves the problem. If your iPhone still succumbs to black screen of death, then you need to troubleshoot further and try the next options.

ALSO READ: How to fix Messenger that keeps crashing on Apple iPhone

Second solution: Charge your device and do the Forced restart

It is often neglected but a total battery drain could be also be the main reason why your phone is stuck on a black screen. With that said, try plugging your iPhone into the charger and then allow it to charge for at least 30 minutes. Be sure to use the original charger or the one that came with our device. Otherwise, use an alternative charger that’s compatible with your iPhone and let it charge. 

If you don’t see the charging indicator after plugging your iPhone into the charger, do a forced restart while your phone is connected to the charger. Just refer to the prior procedure to carry out a forced restart on your iPhone.

This should fix the black screen problem if erroneous apps and services are at fault. 

Third solution: Restore your iPhone via iTunes

If none of the previous procedures worked and your iPhone screen is still black, carrying out an iOS restore through iTunes might do the trick. This process is deemed among the advanced solutions that are used to rectify complex system errors inflicted by software bugs and malwares that caused your iPhone to get stuck on black screen of death.

You will need to secure a Mac or Windows computer with the latest version of iTunes app installed. Once you have the equipment ready, connect your iPhone to the computer using the Apple-supplied USB/lightning cable then allow iTunes. If you can, try to back up all important files from your iPhone to iTunes beforehand. After creating backups, you may then proceed and start restoring iPhone in recovery mode. To get started, connect your iPhone to the computer. While your phone is connected, continue to the following steps:

  1. Press and release the Volume Up button quickly.
  2. Press and release the Volume Down button quickly.
  3. Press and hold the Power/Side button when you see the Connect to iTunes screen. Do not release the button when you see the Apple logo as you will need to enter recovery mode.
  4. You should see the Restore or Update option on the next screen.
  5. Select Update first to update your phone’s software to the latest version. If there’s no available software update, select Restore option.

Wait for iTunes to finish reinstalling iOS without erasing your data and then downloads software for your device. Your device will usually exit the Connect to iTunes screen if the download takes more than 15 minutes. If that happens, just wait for the download to complete then perform the previous steps to enter recovery mode again. 

Fourth solution: Perform a DFU  restore 

If your iPhone is still stuck on black screen of death after performing the recovery mode restore, the DFU or Device Firmware Upgrade mode restore can be considered as a last resort. It is the deepest type of system restore done on an iPhone and is often used to deal with fatal system errors that caused your device to malfunction. Prior to performing this procedure, verify and ensure your device has not obtained some sort of physical damage or liquid damage.. Performing a DFU mode restore on physically damaged phones may result in a bricked or totally dysfunctional iPhone. Should you wish to continue at your own discretion, you may refer to the following procedures to carry out a DFU mode restore on your iPhone:

  1. Close all running apps in your computer to make sure that DFU mode restore process will not be interrupted.
  2. Connect your iPhone to your computer using the Apple-supplied USB or lightning cable.
  3. While your phone is connected, press and hold the Power/Side button for about 3 seconds.
  4. Keep pressing the Power/Side button, then press and hold the Volume Down button for 10 seconds. If the Apple logo appears, it means that you have held the buttons too long and you’ll have to start all over again.
  5. If you see no logo, release the Power/Side button but keep on pressing the Volume Down button for another 5 seconds.
  6. If the screen stays black afterwards, it means that you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. At this time, you will be prompted with an alert message on your computer saying that iTunes has detected your iPhone. Once you see that message, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the DFU mode restore process.

If you see the Plug into iTunes screen, it means you have not entered DFU mode successfully and so you’ll have to start all over again. 

Again, this method is optional and thus, if you’re not willing to take risks, then you better just take your device to the nearest Apple service center in your area and have an authorized iPhone technician do the necessary repair. 

Is your iPhone still stuck on a black screen of death

Using alternative iOS repair and recovery tools can be considered among other options to deal with stuck display issues that are attributed to major system errors like a corrupted operating system or firmware on your iPhone. These tools can be downloaded and installed on a compatible computer and then use it like iTunes. To get the best iOS repair tool for your iPhone, read the previous reviews and system requirements. Once you’ve decided, download and install your preferred software on the computer and then connect your iPhone via Lightning cable or USB cable to get started.

Among the most trusted and effective tools to repair major iOS problems including those that caused your iPhone to get stuck on black screen of death are iMyFone iOS system recovery, FonePaw iOS system recovery, Dr. Phone-Repair and Tenorshare ReiBoot, to name a few.

If none of that works, then that’s the point when you should consider opting for service. Your iPhone might have obtained some physical or liquid damage that caused it to stay stuck on black screen of death. Also consider availing for warranties, if your device is still covered.

Connect with us

We are committed to helping our readers fix the problems with their phones as well as learn how to properly use their devices. So, if you have other issues, you may visit our Help Guides page so you can check by yourself the articles we’ve already published that contain solutions to common problems. Also, we do create videos to demonstrate how things are done on your phone. Visit our

What do you do when your iPhone screen goes black but still works?

If your screen is black or frozen.
Press and quickly release the volume up button..
Press and quickly release the volume down button..
Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo..
If your phone doesn't turn on, follow these steps to check your hardware and charge your phone..

Why is my iPhone screen black but the phone is on?

Force Restart iPhone Force restarting your iPhone would fix the problem of iPhone screen black but still works. Hold down the 'Home' and 'Sleep/Wake' keys concurrently unless you see the Apple logo start appearing on screen. Un-hold the buttons and let your iPhone start.

Can you fix an iPhone screen that went black?

Step 3. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button (also called side button) until the Apple logo appears on the screen. Step 4. After the iPhone reboots, it should get rid of the black screen of death.