iPhone 3G, 3GS & 4 Display Problems – Screen Blank – Faulty?
I had my first iphone 3g “fault” today – at least I thought it was a fault. The display screen wouldn’t activate and stayed blank even when I pressed the sleep/wake button on the front of the phone. With a blank / black screen your iphone is completely useless. You can still hear text messages and calls coming in, but there’s no way you can do anything.
Don’t panic! The blank screen on your iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPhone 4 can be fixed, easily!
Fortunately, I worked out that you can fix this problem by resetting your phone. Here’s how:
Press and hold down the Sleep/Wake button and Home button simultaneously for a least 10 seconds. The screen will clear out and then the Apple Logo will appear on the black background. When the logo appears it means that the reset is done.
Afterwards you’ll see your screen light up and you’ll be able to breath a sigh of relief! 
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1,902 Responses to “iPhone 3G, 3GS & 4 Display Problems – Screen Blank – Faulty?”
Leave a commentpanic over….. many thanks….worked first time…
thank you so much, oh lord.
Thank you so much for these instructions xD
I have only had my shiny new iPhone 3GS for about two weeks and I was mighty miffed when it did this! Thought I would have to be bringing it in to the shop already. Good thing I got that AppleCare plan >_>
Hope they release a software fix or something soon.
Thanks again!
I have problem with E71 blank screen after swithing on and the keys are working
Hi all can anyone help? my daughter has pressed something n made everything on my iphone screen massive, i cant use it now.. please help!!!!
Followed your instructions and it worked a treat. Many thanks.
You guys are a life saver – worked the first time and was quicker than waiting for my IT dept! I can now resume normal breathing:) THANK YOU!
thank u!!!! only had it a day!!! haha x
You are a lifesaver. Thanks!
THANKYOU!!!!
what a relief!! geez thanks!
Thank you!!!
cool. thanks! it worked!
Thank you so much BIG BIG HELP
OMG…how cool are you?? Was having serious heart palpitations when my screen went black!! Found this tip and was so glad when it worked. Thanks heaps
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Panicked when it wouldn’t come on did exactly what you said great thanks happy lady
Thank you so much! I looked through the apple website but couldn’t find anything about a blank screen, you da best!
Thanks very much!! I had the “white screen” and your advice worked fine. Nice one!
I have tried what u said but it is not working what else can I do? Please help
I have tried what u said but its not working what else can I do ? Please help
Hi-
My iPhone screen went blank and when I googled a solution, you came along. Thank you so much for saving my weekend. I was recently part of a massive radio job lay off and the phone is my connection to a job. Thank you SO much for taking the time to be there with the solution. It is greatly appreciated.
Ron
I have had a couple of blanks with no noise or response but after leaving iphone alone for a while and plugging it in it started up at min power so i think my batterie reader is giving false info !!!!!! IM HOPING
THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!! My black screen fixed instantly. I Love youx
Hi I have tried to do what you have said but it doesnt seem to be doing anything. The battery was on full charge this morn and normally only decreases about 40% in the day when at work. I havent yet plugged it into my charger at home but have tried with a someones at work and it did not come on. Will this be a fault I have to get the shop to sort out and will this be on going? I wont be happy if I can not rely on this phone as I do a lot of motorway driving and my car broke down fairly recently!
Call apple and get a new phone i think
Got a new iphone off apple today fingers crossed no more problems
The phone has become so important now
What did we do without and nowwww they say theres a new I~Tablet coming out
Where will it end ( Beam me up Scottie )
Thank you for posting this. I was so freaking out since I use my phone for work.
filled in a 10 page form in the uk and submitted it to APPLE to be told no call back as your not in the US or Canada ! oh joy!!!! (not) just had my phone replaced by apple 2hrs ago in milton keynes store and screen went black and blank with no help out of hrs
thanks to your site its now back on again
thanks
Apple you suck and your support is worthless
I love you & want to have your babies!!!!
I never would have thought to do that, thank you so much!
Hey i am having same kind of problem but the story is little different, yesterday my screen became zoom out, and i got very much worried for it .. by trying to fix this problem, i actually have gone into General- Rest- and clicked on rest all settings…. firstly it showed me apple icon in middle with uploading bar… and then suddenly my screen got black… i have restarted my iphone again and again but after icon of apple in the middle, black screen comes in…. i have connected my iphone with my PC it is showing its serial number, and my songs, video even my photos… but yet i cant see home page.. what is wrong with my iphone…..
hello adding to my previous comment on my problem.. i want to add that even if i dial number from another phone, i can hear ring tone.. but my iphone doesnot show any call coming due to same black screen problem…. even it doesnt play any sound of any call coming on my iphone… it means my phone is okay.. but its only a issue of black screen which is not allowing me to do any thing…
also within few minutes it get restart it self and shows me same apple icon again…. … but i can see my photos on my pc when i connect my phone from USB.. woow…. what a prpblem… please some body fix it
Thank you !!!!! I was taking a picture, put my phone away and came back to
the black screen – i googled, and found this post…. What a relief – thank you!
Worked a treat! Thanks so much!
great advice thank you very much i did breathe a huge sigh of relief iphone works again!!!!!!!
thanks worked first time
You are a saviour !!!! Why does it do this !!!
This advice is priceless, thank you to the person who advised us all
It worked thank you so muich
i tried that and my iphone still not working liek i hooked it up to my computer and and after that it doesnt work at all ! the screen is on but its all black and i can only see stuff when i turn up the volume and when my alarm goes off in the morning . if you know anything bout this please send me something . thanks for your help and time
Thank you this was an easy fix — because of your info.
hey, so my iphone works, but all of a sudden there is no light to it. And i have turned it on and off, as well as reseting it several times and changed the brightness settings several times. What can i do to fix this please?
thank you very effen much man
Thank you SOOOO MUCH!! I have had my iPhone 3Gs for 2 days and finished a call and it black screened on me.. I have been treating it like a baby and it’s still got the plastic on it.. I nearly died until I read you post.. Thank you so much for sharing, you saved me having a heart attack!
THIS WAS ENORMOUSLY HELPFUL TO ME! THANKS!
I hope it works will be back to tell you how it work. if it did thankz sooooo much
this worked the first time thanks so much!
My iPhone dropped on a tile floor today and the screen went black. I can hear calls, emails and text messages coming in but nothing shows up on the screen. I’ve done the usual hard reset (pushing down the power & menu buttons together for 10 sec.) about 10 times now, but all it did was turn off the phone… not bring the screen back. I’ve also got it plugged into the charger and tried getting it to wake up without luck. Help!
thanks sooooo much.
really apprieciated it.
thanks! what a relief…phew
Okay, so I’ve tried this reset about 10 times and nothing happens! Any suggestions now?
Nice workaround, worked like a charm!