By Achilles Hill | Last Updated
Q: "My sister's iPhone 13 has suddenly screen blacked out, we can be sure it's still on as it vibrates and makes a sound when a message is received. We don't know what happened to it. There is a lot of stuff on it that is not backed up, If anyone knows how to fix this without losing data? Thanks in advance."
Is your iPhone screen black but still on? You’re not alone—this frustrating issue affects many users, particularly those with iPhone 12/13/14/15 models. While it may seem alarming, there are various reasons why this happens, and fortunately, multiple solutions are available to help you regain full functionality. In this guide, we’ll explore the possible causes of a black screen on your iPhone and provide step-by-step solutions to fix it.
Whether it's iPhone black screen of death or iPhone screengoes black but still works, if you haven't dropped it or anything, it was working perfectly until it suddenly blacked out. You can check possible causes of iPhone screen black but still on:
1. Software crash. Running too many apps or encountering software errors/conflicts may cause the iPhone's system to crash, thus blacking out the screen.
2. Battery is too low. If your iOS device's battery is severely low, it may not have enough energy to display anything on the screen, even if the phone is still on.
3. iOS system failure caused by iPhone jailbreak and brushing.
4. iOS update failure. Installing a new iOS update may sometimes trigger unforeseen errors, including iPhone black screen.
5. Hardware damage. Physical damage to the display or internal components, for example, can cause the iPhone screen to turn black.
6. Overheating or low temperatures. Extreme temperature environments can affect the normal operation of the iPhone, such as screen black but still works.
If your iPhone's battery is very low, it won't have enough power to keep the device performing properly, for example by not activating screen brightness. Connect your iPhone to a power source and wait at least 30 minutes for it to charge. After that, try turning the device back on and check if the iPhone black screen still persists.
If your Apple device's battery drain so fast, then you should be more aware of whether its battery health is below par and deal with it promptly.
The iOS system will force the performance management mode to be turned on after the "Battery Health" falls below 80%, at which point the iPhone may get stuck in a black screen for long periods of time if you have energy-hungry apps running on your device. Apple officially recommends replacing the battery after the iPhone's "Battery Maximum Capacity" falls below 80%, which is the only way to completely resolve this issue.
When your iPhone experiences problems such as screen goes black randomly, white apple, crash or stuck on Apple Logo, forcing the device to restart is usually the first step in dealing with it. It's a simple but effective method for fixing all kinds of tiny software errors that occur while the system is running.
iPhone without the Home Button: Press and hold the side power button until you see the shutdown slider and drag it to the right. Wait 30 seconds, press and hold the power button to turn on the device and if you can see the Apple logo, it is working.
iPhone with the Home Button: Press and hold the Side Power Button and Volume Down Button at the same time, then drag the sider to the right, press and hold the Power Button and then release, your device will reboot and it should be back to normal.
If rebooting doesn't fix your iPhone screen black but on issue, then what's happening on iPhone may not be a basic software error, you need to choose a reliable solution to give iPhone a deeper fix.
iSunshare iOS repair genius is a popular iOS tool that can fix iPhone black screen, white screen, iPhone won't turn on, freezing, etc. without losing data. In short, it is the perfect solution to fix iOS errors.
Step 1: Download and install iSunshare iOS repair genius on your computer and run it. Choose System Repair on the main interface to proceed.
Step 2: The tool provides two options "Standard Mode" and "Advanced Mode", select "Standard Mode" and click "Start" to continue.
Step 3: Connect your iPhone caught in a black screen to your computer and click "Next".
The iOS repair genius will automatically extract the device information and then click "Download" to download the firmware package. If the download fails, you can click "Copy" to get it.
Step 4: Now, click the "Repair" button and the program will start to fix iPhone black screen.
Keep your iPhone connected to the computer until the "iPhone Repair Successfully" message shows on screen. After that, your iPhone should back to the life.
Is your iPhone still running an old iOS? Upgrading it to the latest version can sometimes resolve some known software bugs and compatibility issues. You can go to "Settings" > "General" > "Software Update" to check if there are any updates available, then follow the instructions to download and install the software.
After upgrading iOS, some software on your phone may not be compatible with the new system, if your iPhone reboots on a black screen for some reason after you open a specific app, you should update the app to fix the conflict.
If none of the above methods work, you can restore your iPhone with iTunes, even though this will erase all the data and settings on your iPhone, this is the ultimate weapon to fix iPhone black screen but still works, it works well and can eliminate almost all software glitches on iOS.
Tip: If you don't have any backup on your device, try iOS repair genius mentioned in this article to get the repair first without losing any data, it has 99% success rate.
When your iPhone goes black screen but still on, you can connect it to your computer and perform a factory reset in iTunes settings. This program works only if you have ever backed up your iPhone and trusted this device using iTunes on your computer.
You haven't trusted "this computer", or your iPhone is in a black screen of death, and iTunes can't recognize your device. In this case, you can manually put your iPhone into recovery mode before performing a factory reset.
iPhone 8 or later: Press the Volume Up button and release it quickly. Press the Volume Down button and quickly release it. Then, press and hold the side power button button until the recovery mode screen shows.
iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the top (or side) power button button and the turn down volume button at the same time. Keep holding both buttons until the screen has a recovery mode logo.
iPhone 6s or earlier: Press and hold the Home button and the top (or side) Power button at the same time. Press and hold both buttons until you see the recovery mode screen.
Once iPhone is successfully placed in Recovery Mode, the screen will display support.apple.com/iphone/restore, as shown below.
As we mentioned at the beginning, if your iPhone has ever been dropped on the ground or in water, or any other operation that could cause damage to the motherboard, screen, and wiring, it's best to contact an Apple technician and take it to an authorized service provider for repair.
1. My iPhone is stuck on a black screen after an update, what to do?
You can try force restart the device and check for software updates. Or you can use iSunshare iOS Repair Genius to upgrade the iPhone.
2. What can I do if the iPhone screen goes black intermittently?
This issue could indicate a hardware issue; you can visit a professional repair service to get it fixed.
3. I see a black screen after dropping my iPhone, can I get it fixed?
Sorry, this could be a sign of physical damage. Inspect the device and consult with a repair expert if needed.
You can get rid of iPhone black screen by restarting the device, updating iOS or even factory resetting it before concluding that the fault is due to hardware damage. If you don't have a backup, then iSunshare iOS Repair Genius is always your first choice, a tool that can easily fix any iOS software glitch, including but not limited to an iPhone that blacks out but still turns on.
A black screen can occur on any model of iPhone, even iPhone 14, which is a random glitch that we can't completely rule out. Hopefully, the solutions shared in this guide will help you solve your iPhone black screen.