Have you ever encountered a problem and it seems like no matter what you do, it’s not getting solved? It happens to the best of us, and it can be especially difficult if you’re not able to use your phone to research solutions. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPhone 5 screen is black and show you how to fix the problem.
Why Is My iPhone Screen Black?
The most common culprit behind a black iPhone screen is a software issue. Something like your device’s software crashing can cause the display to freeze and go dark. A force restart or hard reset won’t erase any information being stored on your iPhone, but it might solve the problem. You can do this even with a dark screen; no on-screen buttons required!
To perform a hard reset for generation 5 iPhones, you’ll want to press and hold the power button and home button simultaneously. Hold them down for about 5 or 10 seconds. If, after completing these steps, the Apple logo appears, the issue probably isn’t with the hardware and was no more than a software crash.
If the Apple logo doesn’t appear, let’s analyze some other potential reasons for that black screen.
Understanding The Inside Of Your iPhone
The issues you’re facing with your device stem from two pieces of hardware, the display and logic board. Just as it sounds, the logic board serves as the sort of information hub for all things done by your iPhone and what each part of the phone connects to. The display gives you the visual aspect, showing all the images you see. These components interact via the logic board by telling the display what to actually show.
This is where the process can get a bit complicated, but it doesn’t have to be! With this information we know that your iPhone screen might be black because the cable connecting the logic board to the display has become dislocated.
Check out this article to further understand these hardware complications and decide if the cable is dislodged or broken.
How To Fix A Black iPhone Screen
From here you can decide how to proceed. If you feel it’s more likely the LCD cable is dislodged rather than broken, it’s possible the Genius Bar at your local Apple store will be able to repair it free of charge. The fix here is pretty simple: they’ll remove your device’s display and reconnect the cable to the logic board. We recommend making an appointment with the Genius Bar before heading into the store to save time.
Another option is to replace your iPhone rather than paying to repair the current one. Our phone comparison tool can help to ensure you’re getting the best deal on the right device for you.
Don’t Try This At Home
Because the iPhone isn’t built to be taken apart or repaired by the user, we don’t necessarily recommend trying to fix any hardware issues on your own. However, if you’re determined to try and fix it on your own, there are repair guides available. Check out iFixit.com for some that can help guide the self-repair process.
Reconnecting the LCD cable is less difficult thank replacing the display, you just need the right tools. We don’t recommend trying to fix the display on your own, and suggest having your iPhone repaired by Apple or an outside company to avoid doing more damage.
The More You Know
Hopefully this article helped you to fix or at least further understand why your iPhone 5 screen is black. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!
