8 Best Ways to Fix Android Phone Black Screen Problems - 2023 Guide (2023)

What is Android Black Screen of Death?

"Black Screen of Death" (BSoD) is a term used to describe a serious problem on an Android device that causes the screen to go black and become unresponsive. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including power or battery issues, software bugs, hardware malfunctions, or conflicts with third-party apps. The term "black screen of death" is similar to "blue screen of death” (also known as a BSoD) on Windows computers, indicating a serious system error.

In case of "black screen of death" on Android devices, the device may not respond to any input, including the power button, touch screen, volume button, or other buttons. The device may also not turn on or restart or show signs of life. This can be a frustrating problem; sometimes the device may need to be repaired or replaced!

We'll cover some of the most common causes and their potential solutions below, but we won't sugarcoat it. In many cases, Android users may not be able to fix the black screen issue without professional repair.

1. Did your screen break?

It could be your LCD or OLED screen that is broken, not the phone. If your phone screen goes black intermittently or if you still hear system sounds despite the screen going black, this could be the most likely explanation. Better take it to a workshop to test.

2. Repair your phone battery

The most common reason for an Android phone showing nothing but a black screen is that there is no power to the screen or to the phone. The most likely reason is that the phone needs to be charged.

This may seem obvious, but some phones don't show life until they've been charging for a while. If the battery is severely discharged and has not been charged for a while, it may take a while for there to be enough voltage to power the phone. So if you plug in the charger and you don't see anything happening right away, leave it plugged in for at least half an hour and see if the charging indicator finally appears.

Your charging cable and adapter may be faulty. So try both with another device or use an alternate USB cable and adapter with your phone to eliminate this possibility. Be sure to check your phone's charging port. It may be faulty or you may need to clean the port.

In some cases, the battery may be faulty or the phone's power management circuitry may be damaged. Either way, unless your phone has a removable battery, you'll need to take your phone to a professional for evaluation.

3. Run a malware scan

Running a malware scan can sometimes help with the black screen of death issue on an Android device. Malware can cause a number of problems on a device, including turning the screen black and making the device unresponsive. Some malware can also prevent the device from starting up correctly or cause the device to crash or freeze.

There are several ways to check an Android device for malware, including using security apps designed to detect and remove malware. You can download these apps from the Google Play Store to scan and remove them.

4. Update Android and its applications

Whether it's new apps or old bugs, the Android operating system could be at the root of your black screen problem. So, check for the latest Android firmware version and install it. Depending on the model and age of your phone, the latest supported version of Android may not be the latest version available.

Unlike iOS, most Android phone makers don't support software updates for a long time, though newer Samsung phones have a longer update commitment and other phone makers are following suit.

5. Update or uninstall buggy or incompatible apps

Sometimes the bugs that cause the black screen can be fixed by updating the app to the latest version. Many developers release updates to fix bugs and improve the performance of their apps. Updating apps can help fix bugs and prevent black screen from appearing.

If the black screen starts to appear after installing a new app, try uninstalling the app to see if that fixes the problem. Sometimes a new app can cause conflicts with the phone's operating system or other apps, leading to a black screen.

Sometimes uninstalling and reinstalling the app can resolve the issue. Reinstalling the app can help fix any bugs that might have been caused by a faulty installation or update.

6. Use safe mode

You can identify the offending app by starting your device in safe mode. This allows you to use your phone without running any third-party apps. If the black screen does not appear in safe mode, then you can be sure that a third party app is causing the problem and then you can identify the app by activating them one by one.

Safe mode is a diagnostic mode on Android devices that allows the device to be accessed only with the original software and drivers that came with the device.

Here's how to start your device in safe mode:

1. Hold down the buttonpower buttonon your device until the power off menu appears. Alternatively, swipe the app screen down and press the buttonpower buttonon certain phones, such as Samsung Galaxy phones.

2. Hold down the buttonDeleteoption.

3. A dialog box appears asking if you want to reboot in safe mode.

4. SelectOKto confirm and reboot your device in safe mode.

When your device is in safe mode, the safe mode icon will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen. You can now use your device normally, with only the original software and drivers running. First, test to see if the problem persists in safe mode. If not, it is likely caused by a third-party app. To get out of safe mode, just reboot your device again.

7. Remove custom ROMs and kernels

Custom ROMs and kernels can cause the black screen of death (and many other crashes) because they may have compatibility issues with the device's hardware or software.

Custom ROMs are modified versions of the device's official operating system. These ROMs may include additional features or modifications to the original software. If the custom ROM is not compatible with the hardware or software of the device, it can cause problems with a BSOD.

A kernel is the core of an operating system that controls communication between hardware and software. Custom kernels can also have compatibility issues with the device's hardware or software, especially if the kernel is not compatible with the current version of the operating system. If the custom ROM or kernel is not properly installed on the device, it may cause a black screen or other issues.

8. Wipe data from your cache partition

Wiping cache partition is a troubleshooting step that can help fix various Android device issues. The cache partition is where your device stores temporary files, such as app data and system files. Sometimes these files can get corrupted or outdated, causing the device to malfunction.

Here are the steps to wipe cache partition on Android device:

1. Turn off the device.
2. Follow the recovery mode shortcut for your specific phone make and model as it differs between phones. For example, on some models, you may need to hold down the Home button as part of the process.
3. Wait for the Android system recovery screen to appear.
4. use thevolume up or down buttonto improvewipe cache partitionand press the buttonpower buttonto select it.
5. Confirm the action by highlightingsimulatorand pressing thepower button.
6. Wait for the process to complete and then highlightreboot system nowand press the buttonpower buttonto reboot the device.

Wiping the cache partition can help resolve issues like crashes or app crashes, but it doesn't erase any personal data stored on the device. The exact steps may differ for your phone, but this is the general process.

9. Factory reset your device

A factory reset will restore your device to its original settings, erasing all personal data, apps, and settings. Here are the steps to perform a factory reset on an Android device:

1. Turn off the device.
2. Follow the recovery mode shortcut for your specific phone make and model as it differs between phones. For example, on some models, you may need to hold down the Home button as part of the process.
3. Wait for the Android system recovery screen to appear.
4. use thevolume keysto improvefactory resetand press the buttonpower buttonto select it.
5. Confirm the action by highlightingsimulatorand pressing thepower button.
6. Wait for the process to complete and then highlightreboot system nowand press the buttonpower buttonto force restart the device.

The exact steps may differ for your phone, but this is the general process.

It is important to note that a factory reset will erase all personal data stored on the device, so please back up all important files before proceeding to avoid data loss. Also, some apps may not be restored after the reset and you may need to download them again.

Factory resets do not always fix Android black screen issues. And since this is a last resort, we recommend doing it only after you've tried everything else before sending your phone in for evaluation. You'll have to do a factory reset before then anyway. You can also try an Android system repair app if you have nothing to lose. But most of them are not particularly effective, and some might even be malware. So please wipe your phone and remove the SD card first.