iPhone white screen of death

[chargit]

Hi there,

Similar issue with my iPhone. Dropped it a few days ago from my pocket, with its hard cover on. I don't drop it often; this may be the 6th time it's been dropped over 1.5 years. I got the white screen, tried the dual button restart several times, and was not able to get rid of it. However, I also got a light blue screen with lines initially, which has disappeared since (white only now).

Got home and did a reset/"reformat." The phone responds to iTunes and I can hear new voicemails and emails. But when I call the phone, it doesn't ring and you can't hear me talking on the other line (even though apparently answering works).

Opened up the phone and Cable 1 was disconnected, but I reconnected it and no dice. Took it to the Genius Bar (I'm out of warranty) and they weren't able to fix it. The guy said it was definitely a display issue but didn't really go into more detail; I pressed for more info but just got a generic answer (which I probably didn't understand completely anyway).

I do have another iPhone I can take spare parts from. Does it seem like just an LCD problem or more in depth? Do you think there are any other parts that are potentially broken? I will probably try to replace the LCD myself in the next couple days and update.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks so much for a great thread so far....really helpful.

well it sounds like you have more issues than just your lcd. the ringing issue and answering issue would most likely be a problem with the motherboard. if your spare phone is the same as the phone you just broke (3g-3g or 3gs-3gs) then yes you can switch parts. you CANNOT mix the parts (3g-3gs) but it may be easier to just use your older phone. if in fact you did damage the motherboard then there is nothing you can do to fix it. if you are eligible for an upgrade that would be the smart move. you may try to backup your phone and then restore it. sometimes that works.

 

[fuffyme]

Sad phone resolved

Well, it was indeed just the LCD. Followed a couple YouTube tutorials and swapped the LCD out of the old phone (which was the same model) and into mine. Phone is working perfectly and I feel a whole lot better.

Thanks for your help Chargit!

 

[steveZilko]

white screen of death

This is the first time I've done this(post on a blog) but I encountered the "white screen of death" on my ipod touch yesterday, started searching the internet to find a solution. Most of what I read was banter without helpful information. I tried the reboot, I tried the restore the results were the same : White Screen of Death II and III. So here's what worked for me: I have arthritis and holding buttons for ions without results is painful and tedious, so I pressed the ipod against my desk pushing in the sleep button on top left while simultaneously holding in both the home and the volume keys. At first it turned into the Purplish Lined Screen of Death but after a few tries I did get the Apple logo back and everything else. That's the good news, after it went to sleep the white screen came back so I repeated the procedure and It's back again. I hope this works for everyone else, until a real solution comes along.

 

[subaru77]

white screen

um hey soo i did evry thing i backed up and still white the thing is iv never droped my iphone i had it my hand evry thing was fine and the i look at it and its white
help

 

[twizotte]

anyone?

Anyone get a white screen that you can still see EVERYTHING? The screen just appears to be in backlight overdrive and it is exceedingly bright making everything look white.

 

[Hexamon]

There are probably a few different problems here which manifest themselves in a similar way - the dreaded white screen of death:

1. Software glitches
2. The LCD screen connector becoming detached
3. The LCD screen is broken
4. Some other hardware issue

#1 - if this is the case, you should not be able to see your iPhone perform its other functions normally (e.g. receive calls). The simplest test is to connect it to your iTunes and see if the computer can recognize the device. The problem could be intermittent in this case.

#2 - this appears to be the most common problem. In this case you will notice the device's screen becoming white at times with gray or black stripes. If you press hard on its edges (top or the left from the home button) it might flicker back to normalcy. In this case I would suggest using the fix suggested at the top of this post. As horrid as it may appear (opening up your iPhone), it really isn't that bad - you're just reattaching you LCD screen. Kinda like reattaching your monitor's plug back to your desktop, everything is just smaller, way smaller

#3 - In this case you should observe a permanent white screen which no random gray stripes an such. The device will most likely still operate (receive calls, etc.) but the screen will appear to be fried for good. I would still resort to the suggestion on trying to reattach the LCD screen, who knows, maybe it really came off hard. In either case, if the LCD screen is broken, trying to reattach it won't make it any worse and in order to replace it you'll have to open your beloved beast anyways.

#4 - In this case the device won't respond to any stimuli. It'll be hard to distinguish this situation from #1. I would think the only thing to do is to get a new one.

 

[shinobi380]

so i dropped my phone(3g) as many of you experienced... my screen is white. sometimes i see vertical streaks but sometimes it goes away.. ive opened my phone placed connection into place and still doesnt work. Ive done it several times now and still nothing. So the question is when you guys say replace the lcd? do u mean digitizer or really lcd? if anyone can link me to just lcd and not what i see on ebay as the digitizer giong for roughly 10 bucks, that would be really helpful

 

[chargit]

the lcd and digitizer are two different parts. not to be a smart ass but if you dont know the difference between the two then you need to take your phone to a repair shop before you do more damage. its your lcd that is bad! just do a search for it on google.

this is directed to shinobi380

 

[Green Giant]

3Gs

I took my 3Gs out of my pocket and it was unresponsive. When I plug it in to charge, the "plug into Itunes" screen appears for about 30 seconds then the screen goes white with vertical lines. Itunes will try to go through the restore process but then give the message, "The iphone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (21). I took it to the Apple Store. No luck there. Is the phone totally fried or was the genius at the bar wrong?

 

[rottenapples]

its your lcd that is bad!

OK!!

So I have a broken iPhone. Water damadged backlight.
Replaced the coil (6R8) and the backlight fires up now.

Problem now is a white screen.
I could originally see the apple logo and switch off before replacement of afore mentioned coil.

I have had it apart a few times, cleaning connectors. From what I have read I believe the LCD is fairly sensitive, may have a bad one due to taking apart a few times (My Bad!).

Ordered the LCD £20 for Original on eBay, they state it is original, not a cheap copy.

I am hoping that is the issue.

I have tried to hard reboot (power key, home key reboot combination).
iTunes recognises it, but won't let me browse because I do not have the original carriers SIM.
Need to unlock, but will overcome that upgrading to the iPad baseband, if I get it past the 'White Screen'.

Checked it out using tinyumbrella, it was already on iPhone3GS 4.2.1 (8C148a) firmware with a BaseBand Version: 05.14.02-6.4_M3S2
So i thought I may as well try a restore as the baseband is already at the locked version with no unlock (directly). Still no joy.

I can do a restore fine through iTunes but custom firmwares fail with '1601' / '3194' fails

Any other suggestions or is the LCD my best hope.

(Hope post is not counted as Hi-Jacking, thought I may as well post here, keep all the whitescreen issues in one place).

 

[Kimmallow]

Hmmm.

I'm having the same problem... Sort of. Except it's with my iTouch 2nd generation. My brother took it and put it in a windowsill and dropped the windowsill on said iTouch. Now I have the WSOD.(I've tried all the boots and everything... It will still play music and recognized on my computer and by iTunes, and I've backed it up as well.) I ordered a LCD screen and replaced the screen, but still have the WCOD. Has anyone had this problem with an iTouch 2g, or have a solution? I would greatly appreciate any help or advice.

-Kim

 

[rottenapples]

Screen replacement fixed it for me.

Cheap £20 original..

Easy job, plenty of vids on google.

Worth a try if you have whitescreen and none of the button pressing resetting, updating does anything.

Tols the screens are sensitive, and I agree they are....

 

[kasi29]

Same exact thing happened to me. I dropped my phone very lightly on the table and the screen went white.
I tried holding down the home+power buttons for a while but nothing worked. I also tried to connect it to the computer but that did not do anything either.
So I held down the home+power button and then while still holding the home button I let go of the power button and as soon as I did that my screen went back to normal. I was really surprised that it worked but for some reason it did.
Im so relieved now! Phiew!

 

[majestycu]

hey

Ok so i got a similar problem here , got a iphone 3gs and i get this white screen when :
1. i turn on the phone insted of the apple logo i get a white screen till the phone autoblocks keyboard
2. after i press the sleep button sometimes the white screen is gone and cames back to normal. mostly all the time i need to spam the Sleep/Wake button for the white screen to go away .
3. When my screen is back , i can do whatever i want on the phone with no problem like if i play a game or browse the internet the screen is normal and dosent have any flashes or anything that could lead to a hardware problem so i tryed restoring/upgrading jailbreaking and all the stuff on the internet but i still have the problem so i guesss is not a software problem , so what could it be its like everytime the screen goes dark ( keylock or shutdown) after u power it it goes white till u spam alittle the sleep button like ( screen down / screen up ) and sometimes i get it normal and the phone runs normal until i keylock/poweroff again . Also i need to say that as long as i use it more like playing a game or w/e i do the white screen problem is easyer to fix and if the phone stays some time in stabdby is it harded to get it back to normal by spaming the sleep button , any suggestion , ideeas or anything that could help me ? and sorry about my english , but i rlly need some help thank you .

 

[segurak1]

White screen of Death on iPhone 3GS

okay so i been reading and doing some research in ref to this white screen and have tried several things if any body can HELP, PLEEEEASE?!?!?! i dont know what else to do...
1- i have reset my iphone... did not work...
2- i restore my phone from new (factory settings)... did not work...
3- i opened my phone very carefully to see if it was a label or some loose... did not work....

what else can i do????

please help...

segurak1,

 

[Rosenberg]

White screen of death

Hi, I have the white screen of death after dropping my 3G on a tile floor DOH. Anyway, I have tried all the button fixes and replaced the inner LCD to no avail. I'm going to try the connection thingy tonight but I just wanted to know if there was any way of getting my data off my phone on to my PC such as texts, calendar entires etc. If not, is there a way I can wipe all my personal stuff off the phone so I can sell it for parts and buy a shiny new iPhone 4.

 

[awadeee]

Hi, I have the white screen of death after dropping my 3G on a tile floor DOH. Anyway, I have tried all the button fixes and replaced the inner LCD to no avail. I'm going to try the connection thingy tonight but I just wanted to know if there was any way of getting my data off my phone on to my PC such as texts, calendar entires etc. If not, is there a way I can wipe all my personal stuff off the phone so I can sell it for parts and buy a shiny new iPhone 4.

I'm going to bet that your connection has come loose. Just open the phone up (really easy) and re-seat the 1 and 2 connectors and you should be good. Check connector 3 also to make sure that your earpiece/prox sensor are plugged in.

If iTunes still recognizes your phone, just right click on "****" 's iPhone" on the sidebar and then click 'Back up' and all your stuff with be saved. All of that won't be necessary though if it's just a hardware issue.

 

[Rosenberg]

I'm going to bet that your connection has come loose. Just open the phone up (really easy) and re-seat the 1 and 2 connectors and you should be good. Check connector 3 also to make sure that your earpiece/prox sensor are plugged in.

If iTunes still recognizes your phone, just right click on "****" 's iPhone" on the sidebar and then click 'Back up' and all your stuff with be saved. All of that won't be necessary though if it's just a hardware issue.

Thanks! I just hope it is. I'm mostly worried about my texts, can these be backed up too?

 

[awadeee]

Thanks! I just hope it is. I'm mostly worried about my texts, can these be backed up too?

Everything is stored in the backup with the exception of your music and your applications. Your applications are tied to your Apple ID. The music you will have to re-load yourself.

 

[howheather]

I want to Blue Screen the White Screen!

I am repairing a friends iPhone 3G. The phone is locked but I do have the passcode. I have replaced the glass, lcd and digitizer, TWICE, just to be sure it wasn't an aftermarket part issue.

I am still getting the white screen. Sometimes all over white, sometimes white with lines. I have checked the connections, cables, inside the motherboard and the modules below the motherboard for corrosion, nada - zero - zip - zilch.

When I turn the phone on, I get this screen: (sometimes - most of the time it's all white)

After the phone is on, I hold down the home button and get this screen:

I have already run the DFU and reset/reformatted the phone. This removed the passcode, but I still can't see the screen.

Should I tell my friend to scrap it and get a new phone? Am I missing something here?

Thanks!!
~heather

 

[awadeee]

I am repairing a friends iPhone 3G. The phone is locked but I do have the passcode. I have replaced the glass, lcd and digitizer, TWICE, just to be sure it wasn't an aftermarket part issue.

I am still getting the white screen. Sometimes all over white, sometimes white with lines. I have checked the connections, cables, inside the motherboard and the modules below the motherboard for corrosion, nada - zero - zip - zilch.

When I turn the phone on, I get this screen: (sometimes - most of the time it's all white)
Image

After the phone is on, I hold down the home button and get this screen:
Image

I have already run the DFU and reset/reformatted the phone. This removed the passcode, but I still can't see the screen.

Should I tell my friend to scrap it and get a new phone? Am I missing something here?

Thanks!!
~heather

Definitely a logic board issue. You can try taking it to Apple and playing dumb but he'll most likely have to purchase a new phone.

 

[iambookat]

iPhone white screen of death

Hi,

I am new here and have also had the white screen of death.

Here is my story...

Last week I dropped my iphone.

It slipped out of my pocket while I was sitting on the couch.

I have dropped my phone before, but it is (or I should say was) in pretty good condition. You wouldn't know that it had been dropped, let's put it that way, no scratches no dents or cracks.

My phone fell approx 10 inches.

Right away I knew something was wrong, there was a popping type sound. I picked up my phone and tried to turn it on. The screen was white. I tried to turn it off but couldn't. So I force quit it. I then couldn't get it to turn back on. I was so mad at myself, but mostly just really really sad.

I scoured the internet for answers and came up with a few, button fixes this and that.

I took my phone apart, I mean I took off the digitizer and LCD, I also took out the logic board. I then put it all back together. Guess what? it worked! It came back on it synced with my mac and it all seemed good. The battery had been completely drained, even though when it fell it was just over 90% charged. I kept it plugged into the computer and it charged up to 100%, I then unplugged it, used it and all was good, everything seemed to work fine, I could make calls, receive calls, texts pictures, videos etc.

My next test, turning the handset off then back on.

It failed that test. I then kicked myself, why turn it off I had it working!

I tried what I had just done and again took the phone apart and put it back together. No good, all I had was a white screen.

I tried to clean the connectors. No good just a white screen.

I tried my daughters LCD. No good, her LCD went white, I by now was bricking it thinking I'd now messed up 2 iphones, when I put her LCD back in her phone it worked! I was so happy.

It didn't stop me putting my screen in hers though. No good, all I got was a white screen. I then put her screen back in. Her screen was now white as well!! That however was fixed with a reset (home and sleep combo). So I hadn't screwed her phone as well.

Well I ordered a new screen on the off chance. No good just a white screen UNTIL I did a reset with the new screen in place. Home and sleep combo, guess what? It is now working!!!

So I am assuming after changing the LCD for a new one that you still have to do a force quit due to the phone still actually being on when you take the front off.

I can't guarantee that this fix will work for everyone, but it did work for me. So try it it just might work for you as well.

Good luck

Kathy

 

[rossettonicolas]

hey guys, i've got the same problem, but I think it isn't a board problem cause i still can see the vertical lines when the phone is off, and more, even when i took the lcd cable off the damn lines were still visible... what you guys think about it? shoul I buy a lcd kit and try to replace it?
thanks

 

[DenaMaDena]

WSOD plague cont.

Hexamon,

You seem to be well acquainted wit the WSOD and would like your assesment on my problem before I do anything else. I have concluded that my problem does not fit the situations 1 thru 4, but it is more like # 2. I have the iphone 3g and I am very new to having to fix a cellphone but not completelly illiterate otherwise. First, I believe my white screen may have been the result of a drop. Second, the phone continues to operate, rings etc. Thirdly, the screen does return to normal intermittently and randomly. Lastly, my iphone is jailbroke and unlocked.

I tried the button reset options - No good. Itunes does recognize the phone and I have backed it up. I openned the phone to reseat the #1 cable, it was NOT detached but I detached and reattached it any way. Presently, when I close up the case, the white screen returns. When I leave the case open (not snapped together) the phone works fine. I can use it, but it's no longer mobile.


What do you think is going on?? It's as if something is touching up near the upper right corner that shouldn't be. Please help me.

Thank you

There are probably a few different problems here which manifest themselves in a similar way - the dreaded white screen of death:

1. Software glitches
2. The LCD screen connector becoming detached
3. The LCD screen is broken
4. Some other hardware issue

#1 - if this is the case, you should not be able to see your iPhone perform its other functions normally (e.g. receive calls). The simplest test is to connect it to your iTunes and see if the computer can recognize the device. The problem could be intermittent in this case.

#2 - this appears to be the most common problem. In this case you will notice the device's screen becoming white at times with gray or black stripes. If you press hard on its edges (top or the left from the home button) it might flicker back to normalcy. In this case I would suggest using the fix suggested at the top of this post. As horrid as it may appear (opening up your iPhone), it really isn't that bad - you're just reattaching you LCD screen. Kinda like reattaching your monitor's plug back to your desktop, everything is just smaller, way smaller

#3 - In this case you should observe a permanent white screen which no random gray stripes an such. The device will most likely still operate (receive calls, etc.) but the screen will appear to be fried for good. I would still resort to the suggestion on trying to reattach the LCD screen, who knows, maybe it really came off hard. In either case, if the LCD screen is broken, trying to reattach it won't make it any worse and in order to replace it you'll have to open your beloved beast anyways.

#4 - In this case the device won't respond to any stimuli. It'll be hard to distinguish this situation from #1. I would think the only thing to do is to get a new one.

 

[hondaxl75]

i got this problem but my phones touch screen still works but all i can see is a white screen any answers?