How To Fix Galaxy S23 Black Screen Not Turning On (2026)

You press the power button on your Galaxy S23 and the screen stays black.

That usually means a drained battery, a software freeze or a failing display, and most of those can be tested at home.

This guide walks through the fixes in order, from a forced restart to Safe mode, and tells you when it is time for a Samsung repair in 2026.

Why is your Galaxy S23 screen black?

Symptom	Most likely cause	First fix to try
No response at all	Empty battery or frozen system	Charge for at least 1 hour, then force restart
Vibrates or rings, screen black	Display or software fault	Force restart, then Safe mode
Black after a drop or water	Physical or liquid damage	Inspect the phone, then book a repair
Black after installing an app	Third-party app conflict	Boot into Safe mode

Step 1: charge the phone properly

Samsung says to charge with the appropriate charger for at least 1 hour, and the battery icon can take up to 10 minutes to appear.

Remove any case that covers the charging port.
Use a Samsung-certified charger and a cable that sits firmly in the port.
Leave it plugged in for an hour before judging the result.

If the screen lights up after charging, the battery was simply empty.

Step 2: inspect the port, cable and phone

Samsung’s support page tells you to check the connector for corrosion and bent pins.

Cable and charger: Try a different cable and adapter.
Charging port: Use a flashlight to look for debris, corrosion or bent pins.
Body: Look for cracks, dents or signs of water exposure.

Step 3: force restart the phone

A frozen system can leave the screen black even though the phone is running.

Press and hold Side button and Volume Down together.
Keep holding for about 20 seconds, as Samsung’s US page advises.
Release when the Samsung logo appears.

A correct forced restart should not erase your data.

Which force restart button combination works?

Samsung’s regional pages do not agree on one combination, so try the others if the first does nothing.

Source	Buttons	Hold time
Samsung US support	Side (Power) + Volume Down	20 seconds
Samsung UK support	Side + Volume Up	More than 7 seconds
Samsung UK, some models	Volume Down + Side, or the Power button	Until the logo appears

If the phone opens Android recovery instead, use the volume keys to pick Reboot system now and press the Side button.

Biometric unlock may be unavailable after a reboot, so keep your backup PIN or password handy.

Step 4: restart after charging

After the hour of charging, unplug the phone.

Hold the Side button for 15 to 20 seconds until the Galaxy logo shows.

If the screen still stays dark after these steps, Samsung’s own wording is that the device needs service.

Step 5: boot into Safe mode

Safe mode stops third-party apps from running, which tells you whether an app is the cause.

Power the phone off completely.
Turn it on and hold Volume Down as the Samsung logo appears.
Look for Safe mode in the bottom-left corner.

If the screen works there, uninstall apps you added or updated just before the problem began, then restart normally.

To leave Safe mode, restart the phone.

Step 6: what to try if the phone still vibrates or rings

If the phone responds but the display stays black, the screen itself may be failing separately.

Drain and recharge: Let the battery run out completely, then charge it, a trick Guiding Tech says some Reddit users reported working.
Check the buttons: Make sure the side or volume keys are not stuck.
Wipe cache partition: Power off, boot to recovery, pick Wipe cache partition, then Reboot system now.

Guiding Tech calls its recovery key instructions vague, so use this step only if you are comfortable in the recovery menu.

Step 7: erase the phone as a last resort

Guiding Tech describes erasing the phone with Google’s Find My Device from another device, signed in to the Google account linked to the phone.

Stakes: Erase Device deletes apps, photos, files and settings, so back up first if you can and only use it when nothing else worked.

What if the screen comes back but acts up?

Once the display lights up, Samsung says to update the software under Settings, then Software update, then Check for updates.

Samsung also says to update your apps from the Play Store profile icon, then Manage apps and device, then Update all.

If touch still misbehaves, open Samsung Members, tap Support, then View tests, and run the tests from there.

Samsung’s display page names a Touch screen test under Phone diagnostics, where you touch every empty area of the grid.

How do you check your Galaxy S23 warranty before booking?

Samsung’s US warranty checker lets you look up coverage with your model and serial number or IMEI.

Samsung also describes a Settings, then Warranty and care screen with a View warranty details option.

That screen only shows devices linked to your Samsung account, and Samsung says it is available on One UI 9.0 and later, so an S23 may not have it.

Warranty result	What Samsung says it means
Limited warranty	Basic coverage that comes with the purchase
Samsung Care+	Paid extra coverage that includes accidental damage protection
Warranty expired	Official coverage has ended, though on-device help remains

When should you contact Samsung for repair?

Situation	What to do
Still black after charging and force restart	Samsung says the device needs service
Liquid damage indicator is solid pink, purple or red	Moisture exposure, so service is required
Solid white indicator	Normal, with or without pink or purple X’s
Need help booking	Chat via Samsung’s Contact Support page or the Samsung Members app

To check the indicator, power off, eject the SIM tray and look inside with a flashlight, as Samsung’s page describes.

Official references: Samsung blank or black display help and Samsung Safe mode help.