Experiencing a “Black Screen of Death” on your iPhone can be stressful. Fortunately, there are repair solutions to address the issue. These include recharging your iPhone for at least 30 minutes. If it remains unresponsive, force restarts using the correct combination of buttons for your iPhone model. Try restoring or updating via iTunes or Finder, using recovery mode, and checking for physical damage. If nothing works, contact a trusted iPhone repair technician.
Solutions to Fix the iPhone Black Screen of Death
Here are the solutions for this issue.
Solution 1: Charge Your iPhone
A drained battery is a common cause of a black screen. Connect your iPhone to a wall charger using the original cables and allow it to charge for at least 30 minutes. After charging, turn it on by pressing and holding the side button. If the device powers up, the issue is likely due to a depleted battery.
Solution 2: Force Restart Your iPhone
If charging doesn’t resolve the issue, a force restart can help. This iPhone repair method varies depending on your iPhone model:
iPhone 8 and later (including iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation)
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears (this may take up to 10 seconds).
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
- Press and hold both the Side button and the Volume Down button simultaneously.
- Keep holding until the Apple logo appears (approximately 10 seconds).
iPhone 6s and earlier (including iPhone SE 1st generation)
- Press and hold the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons simultaneously.
- Keep holding until the Apple logo appears (about 10 seconds).
This process can help resolve minor software glitches causing the black screen.
Solution 3: Update or Restore Using iTunes or Finder
If the above steps don’t solve the problem, you can try to update or restore your iPhone using a computer:
For macOS Catalina or later
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac.
- Open Finder.
- Select your iPhone from the sidebar.
- Click “Update” to reinstall the operating system without erasing your data. If that doesn’t work, click “Restore” to erase all data and reinstall the OS.
For macOS Mojave or earlier, or Windows PC
- Connect your iPhone to your computer.
- Open iTunes.
- Select your iPhone.
- Click “Update” or “Restore” as needed.
Note: Restoring your iPhone will erase all data. Ensure you have a recent backup before proceeding.
Solution 4: Use Recovery Mode
If your iPhone is still unresponsive, you can try using recovery mode:
- Connect your iPhone to a computer and open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (macOS Mojave or earlier or Windows PC).
iPhone 8 and later
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears.
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
- Press and hold both the Side button and Volume Down button simultaneously.
- Keep holding until the recovery mode screen appears.
iPhone 6s and earlier
- Press and hold the Home and Top (or Side) buttons simultaneously.
- Keep holding until the recovery mode screen appears.
Restore or Update:
- In Finder or iTunes, select your iPhone and choose “Restore” or “Update.”
Restoring will delete all data on the device, so back up everything on your iPhone.
Note: If recovery mode displays an error message like ‘iPhone could not be restored,’ note the error code and contact Apple Support for guidance.
Solution 5: Check for Physical Damage
Inspect the iPhone for physical damage, such as screen cracks or exposure to water. Physical damage often causes hardware faults, like the black screen issue. If you observe such damage, seek help from Apple Support or the authorized service providers.
Solution 6: Seek Professional Assistance
If none of the above resolves the problem, then it is best to contact Apple Support or visit an approved service provider. They will diagnose and repair your problem regarding hardware faults that cause the black screen.
Causes of Black Screen of Death
It is important to understand what could cause the iPhone Black Screen of Death:
- Software Glitch: Sometimes, an app or the iOS itself can freeze the device and cause a black screen.
- Battery Drain: A completely drained battery can also cause a black screen of death.
- Hardware Issues: Internal damage to your iPhone, such as the motherboard or the screen, may also lead to the same problem.
- System Updates or Failed Restarts: Sometimes, a BSOD occurs because an update has failed or when a system fails to restart immediately. It usually occurs if the installation or update process gets disrupted.
Conclusion
In conclusion, software, battery, hardware, and failed updates could be the reasons behind the iPhone Black Screen of Death. You can solve this problem by charging your device, force restarting it, updating or restoring it via iTunes or Finder, recovering your device, and checking for physical damage. If these solutions fail, professional assistance from Apple Support or authorized service providers may be necessary for further diagnosis and iPhone repair.
