How to Fix Screen Flickering on Android (2024)

Mobile Phones > Android

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Check the brightness settings, clear your cache, and turn off Developer options

Molly McLaughlin

Senior Editor & Content Strategist

Molly K. McLaughlin has been a technology editor and writer for over a dozen years. She runs product reviews for Lifewire, overseeing the process from hands-on testing to publishing.

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Updated on July 13, 2023

Reviewed by

Jon Fisher

Reviewed byJon Fisher

Wichita Technical Institute

Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.

Causes of Screen Flickering on Android

A flickering or flashing screen has many potential causes, including software glitches or problems with settings.

Physical damage can also be the culprit, such as:

Water damage
Dropped phone
Power source or charging cable issues

How Do I Stop My Screen From Flickering?

If you know the cause, it’s easy to figure out what to do—but it’s not always obvious. Start with the simplest solution and move on to more complicated ones until you resolve the problem.

Restart your Android phone. Often the fastest way to solving a problem is to restart your device. Try this first.
Update the OS on your Android phone. Check for an update. Sometimes an update introduces a bug, and the company later issues a fix. Make sure your Android is up to date.
Update the apps on your Android. Is the screen flickering only in a specific app? See if it needs an update. And while you’re at it, make sure all your other apps are updated.
See Also
Use Repair Mode for repair services
Check brightness settings. Go to Settings > Display > Adaptive brightness and toggle it off. The screen flickering could be due to this setting interacting with your lighting situation.
Turn off any blue light filter appsyou have installed as they could be the cause of your phone’s screen glitches.
Turn off Night Light or blue light filter settings. Android’s Night Light setting or Samsung’s Blue Light filter could trigger screen flickering.
Clear the cache on your Android phone. Clearing the cache can solve many problems, including display issues.
Turn off Developer options.Go to Settings > System > Developer options and switch the toggle off (if it’s not already). It’s possible you or another user turned on something that’s messing with your screen. The easiest fix is to turn off these options altogether.
Run your Android smartphone in Safe Mode. Reboot in safe mode. If the screen still flickers, then you’re likely dealing with physical damage.
Inspect your smartphone for physical damage. Contact the store you purchased it from, your mobile carrier, or go to the manufacturer’s support website. There are some more tips on Google’s support site.
Try a factory data reset. If you don’t see apparent damageand none of the other steps have worked, a hard reset might do the trick.
Contact tech support if nothing else works, or you suspect your phone might have physical damage.

FAQ

How do I fix a black screen on my Android?

To fix a black screen on Android, try to force restart your phone. If that doesn't work, remove the battery and stylus (if possible), clean the charging port and buttons, wait until the battery dies completely, then recharge the phone and restart it once it's fully charged. If you have a Samsung phone, use Smart Switch to connect your phone to your computer and try to access it, reboot it, or back it up.
What should I do if I drop my Android in water?

To prevent water damage to your Android, turn off the device, remove the case and battery, then give it 48 hours to dry. If it's still not working, take the phone to a cleaning service such asTekDry.
How do I fix my cracked Android screen?

For small cracks, use packing tape or super glue. If thetouchscreenstill works, you can try replacing the glass yourself. For professional help, ask the manufacturer, your mobile carrier, or an electronics repair shop to fix your cracked phone screen.
Why won't my Android screen rotate?

The auto-rotate option is most likely turned off or not working. Hardware failure is the least likely cause, so try rebooting or updating your phone if your screen won't rotate.
How do I keep the screen active on Android?

Go to Settings>Displayto adjust the sleep timer. You can also use an app like Screen Alive to keep your Android screen on indefinitely, or enable the Always on Display feature to show particular information on the screen even when the device is sleeping.

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