A black screen is one of the more alarming things an iPhone can do, mostly because it gives you nothing to go on. The reassuring news is that it's often something simple and recoverable — though occasionally it does point to a hardware fault that needs a proper look.
Worth trying first
- Force restart it. On most modern iPhones: quickly press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
- Plug it in and wait. A completely flat battery can show nothing at all for several minutes after being connected to power.
- Try a different cable and adapter. A faulty charger can look exactly like a dead phone.
- Check for a stuck update. Sometimes a software update needs a little longer — and a force restart — to finish properly.
Signs it's likely a hardware issue
- The screen flickers, shows a faint image, or briefly lights up then goes dark again
- Nothing changes after a force restart and a decent charge
- The phone has recently been dropped, knocked or gotten wet
- You can hear notification sounds but see nothing on screen
If none of that helps
That's exactly the sort of thing worth bringing to the bench. We'll check whether it's the display, a connection inside the phone, or something else entirely — and walk you through it honestly, free of charge, before any work begins.