Samsung Galaxy: screen black, frozen or not responding, and how to restart it

A frozen or black screen is alarming, but the phone is often still working underneath. A restart usually fixes it and does not delete anything.

Step 1: A normal restart

1. Press and hold the Side key and Volume down together. On some older models, hold the Power button alone.
2. Tap Restart on the screen.

If the screen will not respond, move to a force restart.

Step 2: Force restart

1. Press and hold Volume down and the Side key together for about seven seconds.
2. Keep holding until the Samsung logo appears, then let go.
3. Wait for the phone to start up. This can take a minute or two.

A force restart is safe. It does not erase photos or apps. It is like pulling the plug on a computer.

Black screen, but you can hear sounds or feel buzzing

• Charge the phone for 30 minutes, then try again, using the force restart above.
• Remove any case or screen protector that might be pressing on sensors.
• If part of the screen shows lines or patches, it may be damaged. See our guide on cracked screens.

Touch screen issues

• Wipe the screen and your fingers dry.
• Remove thick screen protectors, which can make touch unreliable.
• In Settings, Display, look for Touch sensitivity and turn it on if you use a protector.
• Restart in Safe mode to see whether an app is causing it. See our guide on apps crashing and Safe mode.
• Install any waiting software update in Settings, Software update.

Wording differs slightly by model and One UI version.

When to get more help

If the phone keeps freezing every day, the touch only works in part of the screen, or it will not respond to a force restart after charging, it may need repair. Ask us, and back up what you can first.