How to fix Huawei P20 Pro won’t turn on issue (after accidental drop)
Is your Huawei P20 Pro not turning on after dropping it? It most probably suffered hardware damage. Learn how to deal with the issue by following our suggestions below.
Problem: Huawei P20 Pro won’t turn on after accidental drop
Phone was working great, fully charged. I dropped it, the screen went blank and never came on since. Fell about 4 feet, has a case and screen protector. When I hold down the power it vibrates once and that’s it.
Solution: There’s a number of possible reasons for your problem. The most likely cause though is hardware malfunction. Follow our suggestions below to see if the problem can be fixed on your end.
Charge your device
Before doing subsequent troubleshooting steps below, you want to make sure that the phone’s battery has enough power. Be sure to leave it plugged in to the wall outlet for at least 30 seconds. If you can, turn it OFF while charging.
Does your phone turn on?
Once you’ve charged the device for half an hour, unplug it and check if it turns on. If the screen remains black, look for signs that should tell if the phone powers on alright. If it vibrates or makes a sound when you call it, that means it powers on fine. The most likely problem must be on the screen only. You may still have to have the screen assembly replaced but at least you know the motherboard may still be working normally.
Check if you can create a backup
In case the screen is the only problem, there may still be a chance that you can transfer your data to a computer before sending it in. Creating a backup in Android normally needs a good working screen to allow a user to unlock the device and navigate the software. We’re not very optimistic on this one but you should at least give it a try.
Make sure to connect your Huawei P20 Pro to your computer using a known working USB cable. Then, once you’ve done, check the computer to see if it detects your Huawei P20 Pro. your phone must be powered on in order to be detected. If a computer detects it, then try to unlock the screen (if possible) and go back to your computer. If its file browser can access the contents of your device, copy everything you want saved.
For data security purposes, an Android device must give permission to a computer before file transfer can occur. This means that you must unlock the screen and confirm a data transfer request from the computer. Obviously, you can’t do any of these if the screen is broken. If the phone has a screen lock, you must unlock it first so a broken screen means you won’t be able to do it. Needless to say, creating a backup is impossible if the screen is not working. Forget about creating a backup if you’re in this situation.
A lot of Android users hope that there’s a way to mirror their screen to a monitor or computer to navigate the software. Unfortunately, this is not possible on Android if the screen is broken in the first place. The screen assembly is both a screen and a way to access the software so two of its major parts include a monitor and digitizer. The former displays the images while the latter is a sensor that takes finger touches and converts them into signals. Even if the monitor is working, you will still be unable to unlock the screen if the digitizer is broken.
Check if you have insurance for the screen
If you got your Huawei P20 Pro as a brand new product and it is still in standard 1-year warranty period, you may have a special screen warranty on it. Screen warranty is usually an add-on to the standard warranty. If you have this add-on on top of the standard warranty, you should contact the manufacturer or the store where you bought the device from. Manufacturer repair is guaranteed repair so you must use it in this situation. In the event that there are parts to be replaced, standard warranty may not cover those so you’ll still have to shell out an amount. Check your warranty documentation or contact Huawei for information about your device’s warranty.
Have your phone repaired by independent tech
If your Huawei P20 Pro was pre-owned or second hand, you won’t be able to get it fixed for free or for discounted repair price. Since you’re dealing with a broken hardware here, there’s little to nothing that you can do much on your end. Unless you are a trained phone repair specialist, fixing a broken hardware on your puts the device more at risk of getting more damaged. Keep in mind that phone repair is more than just parts replacement, as most do-it-yourself guides provide. Before you can repair a component, you also need to conduct tests to check if there other parts that may not be working. Many users usually find out that their phone still fail after replacing the screen assembly because they did not check if the motherboard is working, or whether there are other faults in some components. If you think you can handle the risks though, you can always visit YouTube and follow DIY videos to fix your phone.
Get a new phone
Another alternative way for you is to get a new get a new phone. Dropping a device that results to hardware issue is definitely not good news. Even if you send your Huawei P20 Pro to Huawei for repair, there’s no guarantee that the same unit will work properly afterwards. If covered by your warranty, they may also suggest a replacement unit instead.
While not a cost-effective solution at all, getting a new phone makes sense if you want uninterrupted experience. Consider buying a new phone if there’s no positive result after repair.