iPhones are incredibly dependable devices, but even the finest devices may fail from time to time. One of the most feared issues is the “White Screen,” also known as the “White Screen of Death,” which keeps your iPhone frozen with just white light visible on the screen.
Fortunately, this isn’t as permanent as it might seem and you can easily fix a white screen on your iPhone by following a number of straightforward steps. In this article, we will look at what causes this issue and different solutions you can try to fix a white screen on your iPhone.
What Causes an iPhone’s White Screen?
Why does the white screen appear? There could be numerous reasons. The most common reasons are:
- A failed software update: A failed software update may result in a White Screen. When you try to upgrade the operating system on your iPhone, the update may fail and the screen may go blank, displaying nothing but white.
- A hardware issue: In some cases, the software is not to blame. A connection linking the iPhone’s motherboard to the screen may become loose or even break, resulting in the White Screen of Death on the iPhone. This is a hardware issue that might occur if the phone is dropped accidentally.
How Can I Fix a White Screen on my iPhone?
Whatever the source, let’s look at some possible remedies to fix a white screen on an iPhone.
Disable iPhone’s Zoom Function
Before trying any other solutions to fix a white screen on iPhone 11, 12, or 13, make sure you haven’t accidentally enabled the Zoom feature. It’s possible that you zoomed in on a file or image, giving the impression that something is wrong with your iPhone.
If this is the case, simply double-tap the screen with three fingers together to zoom out. Then go to Settings > Accessibility and turn off the zoom function. If this doesn’t work to fix the white screen, proceed to the other solutions.
Hard Restart
Restarting the phone usually suffices to fix a White screen on iPhones. However, if a standard restart is ineffective, then consider trying a hard reset, which is a more forceful restart. Additionally, this kind of reset increases memory space without erasing the iPhone’s data.
Check out the detailed methods below to fix a white screen on an iPhone by doing a hard reset:
For iPhone 8/X/XS/XR/11/12/13/14: Press and swiftly release the Volume up button, then press and quickly release the Volume down button. Next, press and hold the side button until the Apple Logo appears (ignore the power off slider) and then release it. Wait for your phone to restart afterward.
For iPhone 7 or 7s: Press and hold both the Volume down button and the Sleep/Wake buttons at the same time. Release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.
For iPhone 6s or iPhone SE (1st generation): Hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons down at once. When you see the Apple logo, release both buttons.
Try out Recovery Mode and Restore From Backup
If none of the options above work to fix a white screen on your iPhone, the next step is to boot the iPhone into recovery mode. You can use Recovery Mode to fix any software problems you might be having. It will allow you to reinstall iOS and restore backed-up data to your iPhone.
To fix a white screen on an iPhone through this method, you’ll need a computer with iTunes installed, and then you’ll need to do the following:
Step 1: If you’re using iTunes, ensure you have the most recent version.
Step 2: Launch Finder on a Mac running macOS Catalina. Next, launch iTunes on a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier, or on a PC. If iTunes is already open, close and relaunch it.
Step 3: Remain connected to your device and wait for the recovery mode screen to appear.
- For iPhone 8/X/11/12/13/14:
Quickly press and release the Volume Up button. Press and release the Volume Down button quickly. Then, press and hold the side button until the recovery mode screen appears.
- For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus:
Hold the Volume Down and Top (or Side) buttons down simultaneously. Press and hold until you the recovery mode screen shows up.
- For iPhone 6s or earlier:
Press down and hold the Home and Top (or Side) key. Hold them down until the recovery mode screen is visible.
Step 4: Continue to hold the Side, Volume Down, or Home buttons until the iTunes logo appears. It indicates that your phone has entered recovery mode.
Step 5: A window will appear in iTunes, offering you the option to Update or Restore the phone. To resolve the issue, please click Update.
Step 6: Restore your device from a backup.
In conclusion, if you’ve attempted all these methods and still can’t fix a white screen on your iPhone, you’ve probably got a problem that needs a professional’s expertise. You should contact Apple to schedule a support appointment at your local Apple Store.
