How to fix Samsung Galaxy S9 with screen flickering issue (easy steps)
There are a few possible reasons why your phone screen might be flickering or going black when it is warm or cold.
- The screen is not properly connected to the motherboard. This can happen if the phone has been dropped or if the screen has been damaged in some way.
- The screen is defective. This is less likely, but it is possible that the screen itself is defective and needs to be replaced.
- The phone is overheating. If the phone gets too hot, it can cause the screen to flicker or go black. This is usually caused by using the phone for extended periods of time while it is in a warm environment.
- The phone is not getting enough power. If the phone’s battery is low, it can cause the screen to flicker or go black. This is usually only a temporary problem, and the screen should start working properly again once the battery is charged.
If you are not sure what is causing the problem with your phone screen, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Restart your phone. This may fix the problem if it is caused by a software glitch.
- Let your phone cool down. If the phone is overheating, let it cool down for a few minutes before trying to use it again.
- Charge your phone. If the phone’s battery is low, charge it for a few minutes before trying to use it again.
- Take your phone to a repair shop. If the troubleshooting steps above do not fix the problem, you may need to take your phone to a repair shop to have the screen replaced.
Here are some additional tips to help prevent your phone screen from flickering or going black:
- Avoid dropping your phone. Dropping your phone can damage the screen and cause it to flicker or go black.
- Do not use your phone in extreme temperatures. Using your phone in extreme temperatures can cause the phone to overheat, which can lead to the screen flickering or going black.
- Keep your phone’s battery charged. A low battery can cause the screen to flicker or go black.
The thing about screen flickering is that it can be due to an app, a firmware issue or it can be a very serious hardware problem. If it occurs without apparent reason or cause, you may still have a chance to fix it on your own. However, if it resulted from a drop on a hard surface or if the phone got submerged in water long enough for it to enter the device, then it’s obvious there’s not much you can do about it except bring it back to the store.
How to fix flickering screen on Galaxy S9
Force restart your Galaxy S9
Always begin your troubleshooting with a reboot because while it’s a very simple procedure, it’s also very effective in dealing with problems that are not really that serious or complicated. A flickering screen might be a sign of one of those problems. However, instead of doing the normal reboot sequence, I suggest you do the Forced Reboot to simulate battery disconnect and refresh your phone’s memory.
- Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power key together for 10 seconds or more.
Your Galaxy S9 will reboot like it usually does and if the flickering issue stops, then the problem wasn’t really that serious. There might have been some glitches in the system or some app may have caused it. But if it continues, then move on to the next procedure.
Reboot your phone in Safe mode
Rebooting your Galaxy S9 in Safe mode won’t fix the problem but it will tell you right off the bat if it’s caused by an app. When in this mode, all the third-party apps are temporarily disabled. So, if one of them is causing the problem, the flickering shouldn’t occur while the phone is in this mode.
- Turn the device off.
- Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen appearing on the screen.
- When SAMSUNG appears on the screen, release the Power key.
- Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
- Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
- When Safe mode appears in the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume down key.
Once the phone enters safe mode, continue to observe it to know if the flickering occurs from time to time or not because if the problem seems fixed, it means there’s an app that causes it. The next thing you should do is find that app and then uninstall it:
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Tap the desired application in the default list.
- To display preinstalled apps, tap Menu > Show system apps.
- Tap UNINSTALL > OK.
However, if the flickering continues, then you should move on to the next procedure.
Delete all system caches so they’ll be replaced
The Android system creates caches for all services, features and apps so there should be a cache for the service that handles the operation of the display and touchscreen. However, you don’t have access to those apps but you can delete them all at once. Once the deleted, the system will recreate them during the first boot sequence after wiping the cache partition and all of it is done automatically so you don’t have to worry too much about it. So, to delete those files, follow these steps:
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the Android logo displays, release all three keys.
- An ‘Installing system update’ message will show for 30 – 60 seconds before the Android system recovery menu options appear.
- Press the Volume down key several times to highlight wipe cache partition.
- Press Power key to select.
- Press the Volume down key to highlight yes, them and press the Power key to select.
- When the wipe cache partition is complete, Reboot system now is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
After this, try to see if the flickering continues because if so, there’s one more thing you should do before you actually bring the phone to the shop for a checkup.
Perform the Master Reset
A reset will rule out the possibility that the screen flickering problem with your phone is due to a firmware issue that’s why it’s necessary to do this. Aside from that, all your personal information will be deleted so your privacy is protected. But bear in mind that all your files and data will also be deleted especially ones that are stored in your phone’s internal storage, so make a backup of files you don’t want to lose. After the backup, remove your google account from your phone so won’t get locked out after the reset. Once everything is set and ready, follow these steps to reset your phone:
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
- Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
- Press Power button to select.
- Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
- Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
- When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
If the problem continues after this, bring your phone back to the store and have it checked.
I hope that this troubleshooting guide can help you one way or another. If you have other concerns you want to share with us, feel free to contact us or leave a comment below