screen goes black

[BindiBoop]

Several times now my screen has gone black and cannot be turned on. The first time I got it to work after pulling the battery a couple times and inadvertently put it in safe mode. I uninstalled the apps i had recently installed and the phone worked fine. It did it again today. Couldn't turn it on after using it all morning. The lights work and I can hear the sounds but no screen. I pulled the battery several times and nothing so I just left it alone for about an hour, and then it worked. But, the swiftkey app. Is no longer my keyboard. (I hate the stock keyboard). I don't know if that app is the problem, I kind of doubt it because the screen went black while I was typing this with the stock keyboard, or if another app. Is causing it or if my phone is defective. I have not dropped it or gotten it wet. Any ideas?

 

[EmanP223]

You recently installed some apps and it started bugging out? You removed the apps and it worked fine? Uninstall the apps. Seems straight forward.

 

[BindiBoop]

Gosh, I must be stupid. Seems so simple. Except, that's not what I said. The first time it happened I had installed a few apps 2 or 3 days earlier. I uninstalled them. They are still uninstalled. The 2nd time it happened, I was updating apps that were already installed. I uninstalled the apps that I had updated. It happened after that a couple times. I have not installed any new apps and today it went black for over an hour. I have uninstalled all the apps on my phone that are not essential, and all the installed apps I have now were uploaded from the playstore when I got my phone. I have searched many forums and I know I am not the only one to have this issue with a phone. Just wondering if anybody else has had this problem and if so, what they have figured out.

 

[EmanP223]

Of all the reading I've done I have not heard about this particular issue although I had my own. I had to do both a reset to stock and a factory reset to resolve my issues. You might have to do the same and if that doesn't do it I would think you might need a replacement phone sent out. Don't delay as you have 14 days after which they'll only replace it with a 'certified like new' phone.

 

[BindiBoop]

I'm already past the 14 days. I got it at Best Buy on 10/16. I was going to bring it in there today, but the screen started working again and I had nothing to show them. I was just glad I was able to backup some of my apps in case it happens again. I guess if it does it again, I will do a factory reset and start over. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do that again for a few years.

 

[Christobal]

This happened to me yesterday. Pulled the battery and it came back up. Today, I am having problems connecting to Facebook, Google, and the Play store. I am visiting family in North Carolina where I am only getting 3G service. I am able to browse the Web using Chrome. That's how I'm posting now. I've had my Note3 for 3 weeks.

 

[BindiBoop]

It did it again yesterday, but I was able to call my phone from work and the screen came on and stayed on. I did some investigating on the phone and realized it was on "smart stay", the little "eye" at the top. I don't remember turning that on, so I turned it off, and I'm waiting to see if it does it again. If it does I'm taking it to best buy.

 

[BindiBoop]

My phone continued to sporadically go black, so I took it into Best Buy after work, even though it was working at the time. The GEEK squad guy ran an app to test the phone and everything was fine, so, he said to try a factory reset and see if that kept it from doing it again. Well, after the factory reset, the screen went black and wouldn't come on. So, he got to see what I was talking about. But, all he could do was tell me they could send it in for repair, which meant no phone for 2 weeks. I did find out that another Best Buy employee had the same thing happen to his NOTE 3 last week. I went and talked to the Samsung rep. got nowhere. He did tell me Verizon would replace my phone under manufacturer warranty. So, after spending 1 1/2 hrs at Best Buy, I came home, and my screen is completely non responsive now. I called Samsung and basically ripped the poor customer service rep a new one for Samsung[s bad customer service, then called Verizon and they are sending me a "like new factory refurbished" phone. I haven't even had the phone a month. I swore I would never buy another Samsung phone after the CHARGE fiasco, but gave them another chance with the NOTE 3, now I am rethinking my decision. I don't know if this is a defect in the phone or a software issue, but if Samsung ignores it like they ignored the problems with the CHARGE, they have lost me FOREVER!!!

 

[Momangoose]

You Are Not the Only One

I have had a similar issue with my Sprint Note 3. I do not think it is software related.

1st time- took out battery one , reinstalled, it worked.
2nd time- a few days later, took battery out a couple or three times, and similarly, it came back on in Safe Mode (most I kelly for not shutting down properly during a boot).
3rd time- same night but about 5 hours later, screen came on similar to 1st time.
4th time- about 5 minutes after the third time. Would not come back on. Arghh. Kept next to bed charging as I am always on call. I can answer the phone knowing where the swipe answer is. Woke up. Disconnected battery. Got ready for work... it came back on when I reconnected the battery.

I am writing this post the morning it started working but before my Sprint store opens.

I may have to break down and trade for a refurbished. I am blessed to have insurance. Unfortunately, my experience is the refurbished phones are much more likely to have the same issue you are trading for. I believe it is a design flaw or defect. Not an expert here but with the problem getting progressively worse over time, no drops or water damage.... This is likely a heat damage issue or maybe the proximity sensor going bad and shutting off the screen (I enter that into the mix because I had an issue with mine not turning off the phone when you bring it to your ear... Took it to the store, they opened it, closed it, it never happened again).

I am trying to provided as much info as possible to help others in the future. Please take the time to post if you have had a similar issue. The more info there is the more it helps others.

Thanks

 

[brunla]

Just got a refurbished phone because my proximity sensor was broken after two months. Now I am having the screen go black on the replacement phone at least once a week. Have to do a battery pull to get it restarted. I went away from Motorola for the first time because I felt their hardware was horrible, but I have to say I am not impressed with Samsung either. Has anyone figured out the black screen issue and what might be causing it?

 

[Xfactorx316]

I had this issue a month or two ago. As crazy as it sounds it ended up being my SD card. When I took out the card everything worked perfectly. I would put it back in and then it went blank. I wiped all of the data off the SD card and it did the same thing. I finally bought a new card and have not had an issue since. No this didn't make sense to me, but I had tried everything else and that is what finally worked for me!