How to Fix a Flickering Phone Screen

Check for Software Updates

One common cause of a flickering phone screen is outdated software. Manufacturers often release software updates to fix bugs and improve performance, including screen-related issues. To ensure you have the latest updates installed on your phone, follow these steps:

Go to the Settings menu on your phone. This is typically represented by a gear or cog icon.
Scroll down and tap on “Software Updates” or a similar option.
Tap on “Check for Updates” or a similar button.

Your phone will now check for any available software updates. If an update is found, make sure you have a stable internet connection and enough battery life (above 50% is recommended for OTA updates). Follow the on-screen prompts to download and install the update.

Software updates not only fix known issues but also enhance the overall security and efficiency of your device. By keeping your phone up to date, you can ensure that any flickering screen problems caused by software-related glitches are resolved.

Restart Your Phone

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve a flickering phone screen issue. Restarting your phone helps refresh the system and clear any temporary glitches that might be causing the screen to flicker. Here’s how you can do it:

Press and hold the power button on your phone until the power menu appears.
Tap on “Restart” or “Reboot” from the options provided. If you don’t have these specific options, look for an option that enables you to turn off and then turn on your phone.
Wait for your phone to shut down completely and then automatically turn back on.

After the restart, check if the screen flickering issue persists. Often, this simple step can resolve temporary software glitches and restore the screen to its normal functioning state. If the problem persists after the restart, move on to the next troubleshooting step.

Adjust Screen Timeout Settings

Another potential solution for fixing a flickering phone screen is to adjust the screen timeout settings. Screen timeout refers to the duration of time after which the screen turns off when not in use. By modifying this setting, you can potentially resolve screen flickering issues. Here’s how you can do it:

Go to the Settings menu on your phone.
Look for the “Display” or “Display & Brightness” option and tap on it.
Within the display settings, locate the “Screen timeout” or “Sleep” option.
Select a longer duration for the screen timeout, such as 2 minutes or more, depending on your preference.

By increasing the screen timeout duration, you allow the phone’s screen to stay active for a longer period without turning off. This can help reduce screen flickering caused by a quick timeout setting that could be interrupting the display’s stability.

If adjusting the screen timeout doesn’t solve the problem, continue to the next troubleshooting step to further address the issue.

Check for Screen Overlay Apps

Screen overlay apps are applications that can appear on top of other apps and the home screen. While they offer functionality and convenience, they can sometimes interfere with the display settings and cause screen flickering issues. To check for and disable screen overlay apps on your phone, follow these steps:

Go to the Settings menu on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on “Apps” or “Applications”.
Look for an option like “App Permissions” or “Special Access” and tap on it.
Within the special access settings, locate and tap on “Apps that can appear on top” or “Draw over other apps”.

Here, you’ll find a list of apps that have permission to overlay the screen. It’s important to identify any recently installed or unfamiliar apps that might be causing the screen flickering issue. Tap on each app and toggle off the permission to disable the overlay feature.

After disabling the screen overlay apps, restart your phone and check if the flickering problem persists. In many cases, disabling these apps can resolve the screen flickering issue by eliminating any conflict between the overlay and the phone’s display settings.

If disabling screen overlay apps doesn’t solve the problem, continue to the next troubleshooting step for further investigation.

Turn off Adaptive Brightness

Adaptive brightness is a feature on smartphones that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness based on the ambient lighting conditions. While this feature aims to optimize battery life and provide a comfortable viewing experience, it can sometimes cause the screen to flicker. To turn off adaptive brightness and troubleshoot the flickering issue, follow these steps:

Go to the Settings menu on your phone.
Look for the “Display” or “Display & Brightness” option and tap on it.
Within the display settings, locate and disable the option for “Adaptive Brightness” or “Auto-Brightness”.

By turning off adaptive brightness, you can manually control the screen’s brightness level without any automatic adjustments. This can help stabilize the screen and eliminate any flickering caused by inconsistent brightness changes.

After disabling adaptive brightness, observe whether the screen flickering issue persists. If it does, proceed to the next troubleshooting step for further investigation.

Disable Auto-Rotate

Auto-rotate is a feature on smartphones that automatically adjusts the screen orientation based on the device’s physical position. While this feature can be useful, it can also contribute to a flickering screen, especially if the phone’s accelerometer is not functioning properly. To disable auto-rotate and troubleshoot the flickering issue, here’s what you can do:

Swipe down from the top of your phone’s screen to open the notification shade or control center.
Look for the “Auto-rotate” or “Screen rotation” icon and tap on it to disable the feature. This icon usually looks like a phone with an arrow rotating around it.

By disabling auto-rotate, you lock the screen orientation in either portrait or landscape mode, depending on your preference. This can help stabilize the screen and prevent any flickering caused by frequent orientation changes.

After disabling auto-rotate, check if the screen flickering issue persists. If it does, continue to the next troubleshooting step for further investigation.

Clear Cache Partition

The cache partition on your phone stores temporary system data that helps improve app performance and speed. However, over time, this cache can become corrupted or outdated, which might lead to various issues, including a flickering phone screen. Clearing the cache partition can help resolve such problems. Here’s how you can do it:

Turn off your phone.
Press and hold the volume up button and the power button simultaneously until the phone vibrates and the recovery menu appears on the screen.
Use the volume buttons to navigate the menu and select the “Recovery Mode” option.
Press the power button to enter recovery mode. Your phone might display a logo or an image during this process.
Once you are in recovery mode, use the volume buttons to navigate to the “Wipe Cache Partition” option.
Press the power button to select the option and confirm your selection.
Wait for the cache partition to be cleared. This process might take a few minutes.
After the cache partition is cleared, use the volume buttons to navigate to the “Reboot System Now” option.
Press the power button to restart your phone.

Clearing the cache partition helps remove any temporary system data that may be causing conflicts and screen flickering issues. Once the phone restarts, check if the flickering problem persists.

If clearing the cache partition doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need to consider the next troubleshooting step.

Reset Your Phone to Factory Settings

If all previous troubleshooting steps fail to resolve the flickering screen issue on your phone, you may need to consider resetting your device to its factory settings. This step will erase all data and settings on your phone, so it’s crucial to back up any important files or data before proceeding. Here’s how you can reset your phone to factory settings:

Go to the Settings menu on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on “System” or “System & Updates”.
Look for the “Reset” or “Reset Options” option and tap on it.
Select “Factory Data Reset” or “Erase All Data” from the available options.
Read the warnings and confirm your selection.
Enter your phone’s security code or pattern to proceed with the reset. Note that this code may vary depending on your device.
Tap on “Reset” or “Erase Everything” to initiate the factory reset process.

Once the factory reset is complete, your phone will restart and be restored to its original factory settings. This process removes any software glitches or conflicts that may have been causing the screen to flicker. However, keep in mind that all your personal data and settings will be deleted in the process.

After the reset, check if the screen flickering issue has been resolved. If the problem persists even after resetting your phone, it may indicate a hardware issue, and it is recommended to contact your phone manufacturer or a professional technician for further assistance.