7 Methods to Fix iPhone Black Line on Screen

Seeing black lines on your iPhone screen can be alarming, especially if they appear suddenly or worsen over time. These lines may be vertical, horizontal, thick, thin, or flickering, and they can signal anything from a minor iOS glitch to serious screen damage.

The good news? Black lines don't always mean your iPhone screen is broken. In this guide, you'll learn what causes black line on iPhone screen and how to fix it effectively.

Why Do Black Lines Appear on an iPhone Screen?

Identifying the exact cause is critical, because software issues are often fixable without replacing the screen, while hardware damage usually is not. Black lines usually appear when the iPhone's display system fails to render pixels correctly. This can happen due to the following reasons:

• iOS software bugs
• Display driver or GPU glitches
• Physical damage to the screen or internal connectors (like a drop)

What Do the Lines on Your Screen Mean?

Not all lines are created equal. The color and orientation of the lines can reveal whether the culprit is your software or your hardware. You can take a screenshot of your screen and view it on another device (or send it to a friend).

• If the lines appear in the screenshot: The issue is Software (GPU or iOS glitch). You can likely fix this for free.
• If the lines DO NOT appear in the screenshot: The issue is Hardware (Screen panel or connection).

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix Priority
Vertical Neon/White Lines	Damaged OLED/LCD panel or loose ribbon cable.	Check Connection/Hardware Repair
Horizontal Black/Grey Lines	Software conflict, overheating, or driver failure.	Force Restart/TunesKit/Reset
Flickering Lines	Loose internal connection or severe iOS bug.	Fix Loose Connection/System Repair
Touch Unresponsive	Digitizer damage (Physical).	Hardware Repair

How to Fix Black Lines on iPhone Screen (Step-by-Step)

In this part, I'll show you 7 effective methods to fix your iPhone black line on screen problem, no matter what the reason is.

Method 1. Perform a Force Restart

This is the "turn it off and on again" method on steroids. A standard restart sometimes isn't enough to clear cached display drivers. A Force Restart cuts power to the logic board and forces the iOS to reload the graphics drivers from scratch.

• For iPhone 8, X ~ 15, 16, 17: Quickly press and release Volume Up. Quickly press and release Volume Down. Then, hold the Side Button (Power) until you see the Apple logo.
• For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold both the Volume Down and the Side Button simultaneously. Keep holding until the Apple logo appears.
• For iPhone 6s and Earlier: Press and hold both the Home Button and the Side/Top Button until the Apple logo appears.

Method 2. Clean the Screen and Check for Water Damage

Sometimes, the issue is environmental. Debris, oil, or water can interfere with the digitizer, causing ghost touches or visual artifacts. Now follow the simple steps below to clean the screen and check whether it's water damaged.

• Step 1. Remove your case and screen protector. Tight cases can sometimes pinch the edges of the display, causing pressure lines on your phone.
• Step 2. Clean the screen thoroughly with a microfiber cloth to remove conductive oils.
• Step 3. Check the LDI (Liquid Contact Indicator). Eject your SIM tray and shine a light inside. If you see a red indicator, your phone has water damage, which often corrodes the display connectors.

Method 3. Fix Loose Connections

If you recently dropped your phone, you might not have broken the screen, but simply knocked the internal connector loose. Inside your iPhone, the display connects to the logic board via a tiny ribbon cable.

• Step 1. Locate the connection area. On most modern iPhones, the logic board display connectors are located to the right of the rear camera module.
• Step 2. Place your thumb over this area on the front screen.
• Step 3. Apply firm, gentle pressure while pinching the front and back of the phone together.
• Step 4. If you see the lines flicker or disappear momentarily, you have a loose connection. A repair shop can reseat this cable for a fraction of the cost of a new screen.

Method 4. Fix Black Lines Without Data Loss

If a force restart failed but your screen isn't physically cracked, the issue likely lies deep within the iOS firmware. Corrupted system files can cause the display drivers to misfire, resulting in permanent lines or flickering.

Factory resetting your phone will fix this, but you will lose all your photos and data. This is where TunesKit iOS System Recovery shines. It's a professional repair tool designed to replace the damaged iOS firmware without erasing your personal data. The success rate is up to 99.8%, and you can easily fix it by yourself.

• Step 1. Download and launch TunesKit iOS System Recovery on your computer. Connect your iPhone via USB.
• Step 2. Choose iOS System Repair and select Standard Repair. This mode protects your data.
• Step 3. Download the firmware package prompted by the software. Once downloaded, click Repair. TunesKit will automatically replace the corrupted display drivers and fix the black lines.

Method 5. Factory Reset Your iPhone (Erase All Data)

If you do not want to use a third-party tool and don't mind losing your data, you can try a full factory reset. This returns the phone to its "out of the box" state.

• Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Step 2. Select Erase All Content and Settings.
• Step 3. Follow the onscreen instructions and finish the whole process to erase your iPhone.

Method 6. Restore Your iPhone via DFU Mode (Erase All Data)

If a standard Factory Reset failed to remove the lines from your screen, your last hope before paying for hardware repair is a DFU (Device Firmware Update) Restore. Unlike a standard recovery, DFU Mode bypasses the bootloader entirely. It allows your computer to wipe the phone's code completely and rewrite the firmware. Thus, it will erase everything on your iPhone.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the PC. Launch iTunes on your Windows computer or Finder on macOS Catalina and later.

Step 2. Follow the step-by-step instructions to put your iPhone into DFU mode.

Step 3. Once your screen is black and your computer has detected the device, it will show a message: "iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode". If you see the Apple logo or the "Connect to Computer" icon, you held a button too long. You can start over until it's successful.

Step 4. Click Restore in iTunes or Finder. Your computer will download the latest iOS version and install it. This process can take 15–30 minutes. Do not disconnect the cable.

Method 7. Repair Hardware of Your iPhone

If you have tried the methods above, especially the DFU restore or TunesKit repair, and the lines remain, your LCD or OLED panel is physically damaged. You have three main options:

• Official Apple Support: If you have AppleCare+, a screen replacement is usually very cheap (often around $29). Without warranty, it can cost between $279 and $379 for newer models.
• Third-Party Repair Shops: These are often faster and cheaper ($100 - $200). However, ensure they use high-quality OLED panels, or you might lose features like "True Tone".
• DIY Replacement: For the tech-savvy, kits from sites like iFixit allow you to replace the screen yourself for about $50-$150. Be warned: this voids your water resistance and is difficult to do correctly.

FAQ Related to Black Lines on iPhone Screen

The Bottom Line

Seeing black lines on your iPhone screen is stressful, but it doesn't always mean your phone is dead. Start with a Force Restart and the connection fixing method to rule out simple glitches. If those fail, use TunesKit iOS System Recovery to repair the internal software without wiping your life's memories.

Only once you have ruled out software should you pay for a screen replacement. Good luck getting your clear display back!