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Dark Spot on iPhone Screen (Causes And How to Fix)

As an iPhone owner, I know the frustration of seeing a dark spot appear on my screen. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share what I’ve learned about the causes of dark spots on iPhone screens, and how to fix them. In this blog post, I’ll be exploring the different potential causes of this issue, as well as the solutions that may help you get rid of those pesky dark spots.

I investigated the matter further and found out that it could be caused by damage to the phone’s pixels, water damage, or impact. 

Causes of Dark SpotsDescriptionSolutions
Water DamageDark spots can appear on the screen when water accumulates underneath the screen, causing a short circuit.1. Use the Rice Bowl Technique: Submerge your phone in a bowl of rice, as rice is a great moisture absorbent. Keep your phone turned off and disconnected from any accessories overnight.
Pixel DamageDark spots can occur when pixels are damaged or dead due to impact, such as dropping the phone.1. Restart your phone: A normal soft restart may help in some cases. <br> 2. Install the latest iOS update: Make sure your phone is updated to the latest iOS version, as it may come with troubleshooting for the issue.
Unknown or Complex CausesIf none of the above reasons apply, the cause might be more complex and require professional assistance.1. Go to an Apple Genius: Visit the nearest Apple Store and have your iPhone checked out by a trained professional. They can diagnose and fix hardware-related issues.

Why Would a Dark Spot Appear on Your iPhone’s Screen?

There are various reasons behind the appearance of dark spots on iPhone screens. Many of them are related to damage or misuse. 

Here’s a breakdown of these causes:

  1. Water Damage

First and foremost, the most common cause of dark spots on iPhone screens is water damage. Newer iPhone models (i.e iPhone 7 and so on…) are water resistant. Yet, they aren’t waterproof. 

If you were to drop your phone in water, it can only survive so much. Depending on the depth of your submersion and its duration, your phone can pull it off. 

Otherwise, you’ll instantly notice a dark spot appear on your screen. This dark spot is an indicator that water has accumulated underneath the screen and that the electric current needed to light up this spot has had a short circuit. 

  1. Pixel Damage

Next, the probable cause of these dark spots is most likely damage to the phone’s pixels or the presence of dead pixels on your screen. This damage normally takes place when you drop your phone on the ground or whenever your phone faces tremendous impacts. 

The impact affects the components inside the screen and ends up making pixels in your screen run out. These uncharged pixels appear as dark spots on the screen. Collectively, they can also appear as a large single dark spot. 

How to Fix a Dark Spot on Your iPhone Screen?

The solutions are pretty simple. Even though the matter itself seems huge, you only need to have some patience and follow a few easy steps to get your screen up and running as good as new.

  1. Use the Rice Bowl Technique

If you haven’t heard about this before, then you’re in for a ride! The rice bowl technique is when your phone has been drenched in water, you drown it in a bowl of rice.

Rice is a great moisture absorbent, and the longer that you keep your phone in it, the drier it’ll get. We recommend that you keep your phone turned off. Don’t connect your charger or headphones to it to prevent any short circuits. 

You need to keep your phone off overnight. This is important because you must ensure that your phone has gone completely dry before turning it back on.

  1. Restart Your Phone at Once

If you have dropped your phone on the ground and noticed the dark spots appearing right after then, the dark spots are most likely caused by dead pixels underneath your screen.

Restarting your iPhone is the easiest way to go about damage to the phone’s pixels. A normal soft restart would suffice.

  1. Install the Latest iOS Update

Many software bugs or lags start when you sleep on installing an iOS update. So, you must get that update installed if you notice the appearance of the dark spots. 

Do this if you haven’t dropped your phone on the ground, nor have you dropped it in water.

We understand that it’s an unnecessary hassle, but since it’s affecting your iPhone sideways, you might as well nip it in the bud. The update will unquestionably come with troubleshooting, and it might help you get rid of the dark spots.

  1. Go to an Apple Genius

If all of these DIY attempts don’t get you anywhere, then the dark spots are caused by something more complex and will require a professional Apple Genius to take a look at the phone. 

Head to the nearest Apple Store and have your iPhone checked out by a trained professional. The cause is most likely to be hardware-related.

The Bottom Line

Read more: Does the iPhone hotspot drain the battery faster?

We’ve come to notice that sometimes iPhone users can see a dark spot on iPhone screen. We put together all the plausible causes and easy fixes at home.

Dark spots can appear on your iPhone when you have either dropped it on the ground or in water. Water damage can be resolved if you were to submerge your phone in a rice bowl.

Otherwise, if you’ve dropped it on the ground, the impact must have made the pixels on your screen die out and appear as dark spots. In this case, you’ll have to restart your iPhone or install the pending update.

Read more: Corner of iPhone screen is blurry

If all attempts come to no avail, then we recommend that you get your phone looked into by a professional Apple technician.