As an iPhone owner, I was frustrated when I saw grey horizontal lines appearing on my screen. I wanted to know what was causing the issue and how to fix it. After some research and testing, I’m here to share what I’ve learned about this common issue and the solutions I’ve discovered. In this blog post, I’ll explain the possible causes of grey horizontal lines on an iPhone screen and the best ways to fix them.
Grey horizontal lines appearing on an iPhone screen are due to either a software problem or hardware problem. Luckily, this issue can be fixed with a hard reset and other known tricks.
| Cause of Grey Lines | Solution | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Outdated software | Update the Software | Update the iOS software to the latest version |
| 2. Loose LCD connectors | Reseat the LCD Connector | Gently press down the upper right-hand corner of the iPhone screen to reseat the connectors |
| 3. Physical damage | Opt for an Apple Technician | Have your iPhone inspected and repaired by an authorized Apple technician |
| 4. Exposure to liquid | Warm It Up to Body Temperature | Place your iPhone in a warm and dry environment or warm it up to body temperature for 30 minutes |
| Perform Hard Reset | Perform a hard reset, which refreshes the memory of your iPhone without deleting any data | |
| Put Your iPhone in DFU Mode | Enter Device Firmware Update mode, which will erase all data and reload the software and firmware of your iPhone (make sure to back up your data before this step) | |
| Factory Reset Your iPhone | Factory reset your iPhone to wipe out all data and restore everything to its original manufacturer settings (back up your data before this step) | |
| Cycle the Battery’s Charge | Charge the battery to 100%, use it until it drains to 0%, and then charge it back to capacity again |
Table of Contents
Firstly, Back Up Your iPhone
Before diving into the causes and solutions of this problem, it’s best to back up your iPhone first. Grey lines may be an indication of serious damage, and you don’t want to end up regretting not backing up your iPhone beforehand.
When you back up your iPhone, it’ll save you a copy of all the information you currently have on it, including your photos, contacts, saved documents, and more. You may use iCloud or iTunes to back up your iPhone, depending on your preference.
What Causes Grey Lines to Appear on Your iPhone Screen?
The presence of grey lines on your iPhone can either be due to software or hardware problems, and the root of this problem can be linked to:
- Outdated software
- Loose LCD connectors
- Physical damage on the phone
- Exposure to liquid
How to Fix Grey Horizontal Lines on iPhone Screen
Below are a few ways you can try to fix your grey lines issues. Some of them are in relation to the software, whereas others deal with the hardware.
1. Perform Hard Reset
A hard reset refreshes the memory of your iPhone without necessarily deleting any data. The way of doing this may differ depending on the version of your iPhone.
For iPhone 8 or newer versions:
- Press and release the volume up button.
- Press and release the volume down button.
- Press the sleep/wake button and hold it for 30 seconds until you see the Apple logo.
For iPhone 7, simultaneously press the sleep/wake and volume down button until the Apple logo shows up on your screen.
For iPhone 6S and older, press and hold the home button and the sleep/wake button until the Apple logo pops up on the screen.
Once the slide to power off button appears on the screen, move it to the right to reset.
2. Update the Software
Software glitches may also cause grey lines to appear on your screen. Make sure to update the iOS software, as this usually comes with several bug fixes that can get rid of the problem.
To update the software:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Tap on Software Update.
- Slide right to power off.
- Wait for a few minutes to restart.
3. Put Your iPhone in DFU Mode
DFU or Device Firmware Update is a type of iPhone restore that can put an end to any software problem.
This will erase all data and reload the software and firmware of your iPhone. So, if you haven’t backed up your iPhone, now is the best time to do it!
To put your iPhone on DFU mode, check out this step-by-step guide.
4. Warm It Up to Body Temperature
Another solution you can try is to warm your iPhone up to body temperature for 30 minutes or so. You can put your iPhone in a warm and dry environment or place it in between your legs.
By doing so, you should see the lines starting to disappear. We know that this method sounds like a reach, but it actually worked with some people!
5. Factory Reset Your iPhone
Factory reset wipes out all the data on your smartphone and restores everything to its original manufacturer settings.
This is said to be the mother of all solutions, as it resolves almost all system issues caused by software glitches and applications.
To do the factory reset:
- Open the device’s settings and click on General.
- Tap the Reset button.
- Tap on “Erase all content and settings.”
- Enter your passcode and confirm that you want to erase everything.
- It’ll take a few minutes, but once it’s done, your iPhone will be good as new.
6. Reseat the LCD Connector
There are logic board connectors on the upper right corner of your iPhone’s screen. They help connect the logic board to the display. Unfortunately, these connectors usually get loose when you bump your phone on a hard surface.
To reseat the connectors, mildly press down the upper right-hand corner of your iPhone screen. This should do the magic.
7. Cycle the Battery’s Charge
Cycling the charge of the battery will require you to charge the battery to 100% and then use it until it drains down to 0%.
Once you charge it back to capacity again, it might eliminate grey lines on your iPhone screen.
8. Opt for an Apple Technician
If all the above solutions don’t work, the issue is most probably the screen itself. Your best bet here is to have your iPhone inspected and repaired by an authorized Apple technician.
Conclusion
Resetting is the common solution to software issues and it can help get rid of the grey horizontal lines on iPhone screens.
In most cases, a reset works. In other cases, though, a hardware issue may be the cause of the problem.
When the hardware issue is too critical, your iPhone will have to be sent to a repair shop to be inspected and repaired by an Apple technician. We hope that it’s not the case, though.
