How do I fix a black screen on my Android phone?

Are you currently dealing with a black screen of death on your Android device? Don’t panic. You can solve the black screen of death by repairing the device using a third-party repair tool, force- restarting, or even factory-resetting.

I remember facing this issue on my Samsung Galaxy Note 20 last year. I tried some of the popular solutions but nothing worked. Finally, I wiped the phone's cache partition and it fixed the problem. To help other people experiencing the same issue, I have compiled a list of fixes that you can use to deal with the black screen of death problem.

Read this to the end to see how you can fix Android black screen of death yourself.

1. Recharge the Android Phone

The first thing you need to do is to charge the device. What you may think is a black screen of death could be nothing more than a dead Android phone.

So, before hitting the panic button, plug your Android phone to a power socket and let it charge for about 30 minutes. If it comes on, then the black screen of death issue was just a false alarm.

If the device still doesn't show any activity then it is time to try something else to fix the Android black screen issue.

How do I fix a black screen on my Android phone?

2. Force Restart the Device

You can get around this problem by force-restarting the Android device. This is not the usual way of restarting where you need to see the controls as you choose the options. A force restart can work well even with a black screen of death since all you are dealing with are physical buttons on the side.

To force restart Samsung Galaxy S20/S10/S9 and fix Android black screen:

  • Press and hold the "Volume Down" and the "Power" buttons at the same time for 7 seconds.
  • This will force the device to restart and you should see the Samsung logo appear on your screen.

To force restart Samsung Galaxy S8 and S7:

  • Press and hold the Power button until the option to power the device off appears on the screen.
  • Once the device is turned off, hold and press the Power, Volume Down buttons at the same time for 7 seconds. This will restart the device and the screen of death should be dealt with at that point.

To restart other Android devices:

  • Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons until the Android logo pops up on the phone screen.

You should now be able to access your Android phone without the Android black screen problem.

3. Remove the Battery

Most Android devices these days don't have removable batteries. So this solution may not work for you unless you have the tools to open the back of your device to get the battery out. However, this is not recommended as you may spoil the Android phone in the process.

However, for those with older Android models with removal back covers and batteries, taking it out for a few seconds and fixing it again is a solution you can use to fix Android black screen. The problem could be a result of the Android phone battery getting misaligned by a fall or a bump.

Try this and see if it can fix the black screen of death.

Related Reading

There are different tools you can use to fix the black phone screen of death on your Android device. One of the most effective ones is the Android Black Screen Repair tool.

It is an Android repair tool that has a high success rate and from those I tested, the Android Black Screen Repair tool was the easiest to install and use. It doesn't only deal with black screens, it can also fix devices that refuse to turn on or off, apps that crash without warning, and update issues, among others.

The Android Black Screen Repair tool is compatible with almost every major Android model. You need a computer and a compatible USB cable to use the tool on your Android device.

To fix black screen of death using the Android Black Screen Repair tool:

  • Download and install the Android Black Screen Repair tool on your computer.
  • Choose the Repair option.
  • Connect your Android device to the PC using a USB cable.
  • Enable USB debugging mode and grant the Android phone all the necessary permissions.
  • Once the program detects your device, click the "Android Repair" option on the left side of the window. Then tap on Start.
  • Tap on the detailed info on your device then confirm by clicking on Next.
  • This will boot your device into Download mode and you can click on Next again from the PC to begin downloading the needed Android software for your Android phone.
  • Once the download is complete and the firmware verification is done, the Android Black Screen Repair tool will automatically start repairing the Android phone. Wait until the process runs its course.

Once the device restarts, the black screen of death should be fixed and you should be able to use your device without any problems.

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5. Wiping Cache Partition

When the cache history becomes too big, your Android phone is bound to run into a lot of issues. One of them is a black screen of death. The best way to stop this from happening over and over again is by clearing the cache partition.

You need to ensure that the device is well charged with at least 5% power. It is best if you just plugged it into the power socket for the entirety of this fix.

To wipe the cache partition and fix black screen of death :

  • Press and hold the Volume Up and Home buttons simultaneously. Then, without letting go of them, press the Power button until you see the Recovery Booting option appear on your screen.
  • Enter the recovery mode and use the Volume buttons for navigation until you reach the Wipe Cache Partition option.
  • To choose and execute that option, tap the Power button once. This will clear all the available caches on your Android device right away.
  • Once that's done, choose Reboot System Now to get the Android phone working again within minutes. The black screen of death Android issue should be gone now.

How do I fix a black screen on my Android phone?

6. Uninstalling Incompatible Apps via Safe Mode

Using incompatible apps or installing apps from untrusted sources will wreak havoc on your Android device. A black screen of death is just one of the many issues you will have to contend with.

Apps that crash frequently every time you try to use them will cause your Android phone screen to hang all the time, leading to constant black screens of death. You need to identify the app responsible for this immediately and get rid of it. If you don't remember, uninstall all the newest apps you got before your Android device started malfunctioning.

To uninstall incompatible apps to fix black screen of death:

  • Turn the device off, then switch it back on.
  • You should see the boot logo depending on your Android model. Long-press and keep holding the Volume Down button until you see the lock screen.
  • A “Safe Mode” option should appear near the bottom of the screen. That indicates that the device has entered safe mode successfully.
  • Now scroll to Settings then Application Manager and find the app causing issues for your Android phone. 
  • Uninstall the problematic app.
  • Lastly, reboot the device in normal mode by pressing the Power button.

The black screen of death Android issue should be solved now.

7. Via Factory Reset

A factory reset is the last option you should turn to when everything else fails to get your Android screen back to normal functioning. You will lose all your data if at this point you have not been creating backups. A factory reset will wipe everything from your phone and revert it to manufacturer settings. The black screen of death will not allow you to access the backup option if you have reached this point.

First, ensure that the device is charged. To fix black screen of death via a factory reset:

  • Press and hold the Volume Down and the Power buttons simultaneously until the device goes into Recovery Mode.
  • Use both Volume keys for navigating to find the Wipe Cache/Factory Reset option. Use the Power button to confirm that selection.
  • Allow the process to run to completion. The device will then restart automatically and you should be able to use your Android phone screen without any more problems.

Related Reading

How To Stop Your Android Phone From Getting a Black Screen of Death?

If you have found a working solution around the Android black screen of death issue, you need to safeguard your device from undergoing that problem ever again. The following tips should get you started.

  1. Update your Android device regularly. Staying too long without upgrading to the latest software is a recipe for various problems like Android black screen, something that a quick update may have solved in the first place.
  2. Get a reliable anti-virus or cleaning app that will help you clear any junk files from your device to avoid a pile-up of cached files. Never fill up your internal storage. Leave some breathing space for your Android phone's RAM to better operate.
  3. Back up your Android phone as regularly as you can as you never know when you may need to do an impromptu process like factory resetting the phone. A backup once every week is enough.
  4. . Avoid leaving the phone charging overnight.

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Conclusion

A black screen of death is not the end of your device. Most times, it is a problem caused by a fixable glitch. You don’t have to rush back to the store and spend extra money to have it fixed. If you have been experiencing this issue all the time then check out the review above and find a solution that works for you.

How can I access my phone when the screen is black?

How to Access Android with No Screen and No Touch Function.
Connect Your Phone to a TV to Access Your Phone. ... .
Connect your Phone to a PC to Backup Important Files and Data. ... .
Connect to Your Android Google Account using a PC to Recover Phone Data. ... .
Use a Third-Party App to Recover Data. ... .
Use a Phone Repair Shop to Recover Data..

How do I fix a stuck black screen on my Android?

Press and hold the volume down and power button until the Android System Recovery screen appears. Navigate using volume keys and select using the power key. Select Wipe cache partition and allow to complete. The device should automatically reboot, select the reboot option if it doesn't.

How do I restart my Android with a black screen?

Part 3..
Press and hold “volume up” + “Home” + “Power” buttons simultaneously..
Keep holding until the device logo appears and the phone restarts again..

What is the black screen of death Android?

The Android devices can face this Android black screen of death due to a certain number of circumstances like: Installing incompatible app or apps with bugs and virus. Keep mobile charged for long after it's fully charged. Using a non-compatible charger.