If you find your iPhone displaying a blank, white screen devoid of any icons or apps, you might be encountering the infamous iPhone White Screen issue, also known as the iPhone White Screen of Death.
While the name may sound alarming, rest assured that the situation isn’t as dire as it appears in most cases. Your iPhone isn’t in danger of exploding or any catastrophic event.
Fortunately, resolving this problem is often simpler than it seems, and the steps outlined in this article can help rectify it. Moreover, these solutions can be applied to iPads and iPod touches as well. Stick around till the end for further details.
Understanding the Causes of the iPhone White Screen¶
The iPhone White Screen issue can stem from various factors, with two primary suspects:
Software update failure or jailbreak attempt:¶
When an attempt to update the iPhone’s operating system fails, it often triggers the appearance of the white screen. Similarly, unsuccessful attempts to jailbreak the iPhone can lead to the same outcome.
Hardware malfunction:¶
If software isn’t to blame, a common cause of the white screen is a faulty cable connecting the iPhone’s motherboard to its screen. This can occur due to wear and tear over time or from the connector becoming loose after frequent drops.
Regardless of the cause behind your iPhone’s White Screen of Death, you can try the following steps to resolve the issue.
Start with the Triple-Finger Tap Technique¶
In most instances, this method might not directly address the issue, but it’s worth trying before jumping to conclusions about the White Screen of Death. There’s a possibility that your screen isn’t actually blank; instead, it might be a result of accidentally activating screen magnification. This could happen if you’ve unintentionally zoomed in too much on a white area, giving the appearance of a white screen. In such cases, regular taps won’t be effective.
To rectify this, press and hold three fingers together and then double-tap the screen. If your screen is indeed magnified, this action should restore it to its normal view. You can also disable magnification by navigating to Settings > General > Accessibility > Zoom > Off.
Perform a Hard Reset on Your iPhone¶
When faced with any iPhone issue, a reliable initial step is to restart the device. However, if you’re dealing with a white screen that remains unresponsive to touch, a more potent solution is required—a hard reset. This method effectively restarts your iPhone without relying on screen interaction, making it ideal for situations where the screen is inaccessible. Notably, a hard reset also clears a significant portion of the iPhone’s memory, although your data remains unaffected.
For iPhone models ranging from the original to the iPhone 7, follow these steps:
- Simultaneously press and hold both the Home button and the sleep/wake button. (For the iPhone 7, hold the volume down and sleep/wake buttons instead.)
- Continue holding until the screen flashes, and the Apple logo emerges.
- Release the buttons and allow the iPhone to restart normally.
- As for the iPhone 8 and later models (including iPhone X, XS, and XR), the hard reset process varies slightly due to differences in button configurations:
- Press and release the volume up button.
- Press and release the volume down button.
- Hold down the sleep/wake (Side) button until the device restarts. Once the Apple logo appears, release the button.
Press Home + Volume Up + Power Buttons Simultaneously¶
If a hard reset fails to resolve the issue, there’s another button combination that proves effective for many users:
Simultaneously press and hold the Home button, the volume up button, and the power (sleep/wake) button.
Maintain pressure on these buttons until the screen shuts off, which may take some time.
Continue holding the buttons until the Apple logo reappears.
Once the Apple logo is visible, release the buttons and allow the iPhone to restart as usual.
It’s important to note that this method is applicable only to iPhone models featuring a Home button. It is unlikely to work with iPhone 8, X, XS, and XR models, and its compatibility with the iPhone 7 is uncertain. At present, there’s no equivalent option known for these newer models.
Attempt Recovery Mode and Restore From Backup¶
If previous methods have proven ineffective, your next course of action is to utilize Recovery Mode. This powerful tool serves as a workaround for various software issues, allowing you to reinstall iOS and restore backed-up data onto your iPhone. To initiate this process, you’ll require a computer with iTunes installed, and then follow these steps:
- Power off your iPhone, if feasible.
- Connect the syncing cable to your iPhone, but refrain from connecting it to the computer just yet.
- Depending on your iPhone model, proceed as follows:
- For iPhone XR, XS, X, and 8: Hold down the Side button while plugging the syncing cable into the computer.
- For iPhone 7 series: Press and hold the volume down button while connecting the phone to the computer.
- For iPhone 6S and earlier: Press and hold the Home button and connect the cable to the computer.
- Maintain pressure on the respective button until the Recovery Mode screen appears, depicted by the iTunes icon with a cable pointing towards it, along with the instruction to “Connect to iTunes”.
Once the screen transitions from white to black, confirming entry into Recovery Mode, you can proceed with the following steps outlined within iTunes to either Restore your iPhone from backup or Update the operating system.
It’s worth noting that during the restoration process, you may encounter obstacles that impede progress, such as the 4013 iPhone error.
Attempt DFU Mode¶
Device Firmware Update (DFU) Mode offers a higher level of potency compared to Recovery Mode. It enables you to power on the iPhone while preventing the operating system from starting up, granting you access to make direct changes to the OS itself. Although more intricate and challenging, it’s a worthwhile endeavor if previous methods have yielded no results. To initiate DFU Mode:
Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch iTunes.
Power off your phone.
Proceed according to your iPhone model:
For iPhone 7 and later: Simultaneously hold down the Side button and Volume Down button.
For iPhone 6S and earlier: Simultaneously hold down the sleep/power button and the Home button.
Maintain pressure on the buttons for 10 seconds. If the Apple logo appears, you’ve held them down for too long and should begin anew.
After 10 seconds, release the sleep/power/Side button, but continue holding the other button.
If your phone’s screen remains black, you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. If you see an iTunes logo, restart the process.
Follow the onscreen instructions provided within iTunes to proceed further.
If None of This Works, Seek Apple Support¶
Should you exhaust all troubleshooting steps without success, it’s likely that you’re facing an issue beyond your ability to resolve. In such cases, it’s advisable to seek assistance from Apple. Contact them to schedule an appointment at your nearest Apple Store for professional support.
Addressing White Screen Issues on iPod Touch or iPad
While this article primarily focuses on rectifying an iPhone White Screen, it’s worth noting that similar problems can occur with iPod touch and iPad devices. Fortunately, the solutions discussed here are equally applicable to addressing white screen issues on these devices. Given their shared hardware components and operating system, the troubleshooting steps outlined in this article can effectively assist in resolving white screen problems on iPod touch and iPad devices as well.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)¶
Why has my iPhone screen turned black and white?¶
If your iPhone screen suddenly appears black and white, it’s likely due to a changed setting. Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and ensure that Color Filters are disabled. In the Accessibility menu, go to Zoom > tap on Zoom Filter and verify that Grayscale is not selected.
How can I resolve a green line on my iPhone screen?¶
Should you notice a vertical green line on your iPhone screen, attempt a device restart and ensure it’s updated to the latest iOS version. If the issue persists and there’s no indication of water damage or hardware issues, contact Apple support for further assistance. As a final resort, consider performing a factory reset on the iPhone.
What steps should I take to address a black screen on my iPhone?¶
If your iPhone screen remains black, yet you can discern it’s operational by the sounds it makes, start by ensuring the device is adequately charged. If the problem occurs within a specific app, remove that app and restart the phone. Additionally, you can attempt to reboot the iPhone into recovery mode to troubleshoot the issue further.
