How to Fix Black Screen of Death on iPhone

Sometimes the terrible “black screen of death” can appear on the iPhone, when the smartphone is completely unresponsive to the user's actions. Although you can still hear the notification or feel the vibration, the screen remains blank and the device is unusable. While physical damage can be the cause, system glitches are more often the culprit.

Here are some steps you can try to fix the problem before seeking professional help, advises Techno 24.

Force Restart iPhone

The first thing you should try – this is a forced restart of the iPhone. This method is different from a normal reboot and is useful when your phone doesn't respond to standard shutdown commands.

To force reboot, quickly press and release the Volume Up button and then the Volume Down button. Then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. This process may take a few tries, so be patient if it doesn't work the first time.

Restore iPhone using Apple devices or Finder

If the forced restart did not solve the problem, the next option – reset iPhone to factory settings. This can be done using the Apple Devices app (on Windows) or the Finder (on macOS). However, this method will erase all data from your device, so make sure you have a fresh backup before proceeding.

Keep in mind that this method will only work if if your iPhone was already connected to the computer. If you're trying to connect for the first time, you won't be able to tap the Trust prompt on an unresponsive iPhone. In this case, you will have to use recovery or DFU mode.

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To restore your iPhone, connect it to a PC or Mac using a USB cable. Open the Apple Devices app or the Finder and do the following:

1. Select your iPhone under the Locations heading (or skip this step in the Apple Devices app).

1. Go to the General tab and select Restore iPhone.
2. If prompted to back up your settings, click Back Up.
3. Confirm the action by selecting “Restore”.

The process may take a few minutes, and once it's done, you'll be able to restore your iPhone from a previous backup.

Use recovery mode to factory reset

If the black screen persists, entering recovery mode may help. Recovery mode allows you to factory reset your device and reinstall the latest version of iOS.

To enter recovery mode, connect your iPhone to your computer and launch Apple Devices or Finder. Then follow this button sequence:

1. Press and release the volume up button.

1. Press and release the volume down button volume.
2. Hold the side button until the recovery mode screen appears.

After entering recovery mode, a pop-up message will appear on your computer, allowing you to choose between updating or restoring your iPhone.

Get professional help from Apple

If none of the above methods worked, the black screen of death is most likely caused by hardware damage. In this case, you need to contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Center for repair.

Please note that Apple's standard warranty does not cover screen repairs due to accidental damage unless you have AppleCare+ programs. Without AppleCare+, you will have to pay a service fee for repairs.

Although a black screen can be a problem, you need to use these software solutions first to solve the problem. However, if the root cause is hardware damage, your best bet is to seek professional help from Apple.