How to Fix Screen Flickering on iOS 16

Is your device’s screen flickering on iOS 16?

It’s no surprise that users installed the latest iOS 16 as soon as they got their hands on it. But while accessibility improvements, lock screen customizability, and AI features like Photo Cutout are all exciting, you may also encounter various bugs that greatly affect user experience.

In various forums, people have reported the most common issues with the display, such as Ghost Touch and now the constant flickering of the screen. The latter could be associated with the OLED displays as the iPhone SE series, and iPhone 8 models are relieved from them.

Moreover, the screen flickering on iOS 16 mostly occurs at low brightness, when the default keyboard is active, or while using apps that display gray or dark backgrounds. But don’t fret. Below we’ve covered everything related to the stated issue, from what factors are causing such an error to different ways you can fix it on your own.

So, read till the end!

1. Force Restart Your Device.

A hard reset is known for resolving many iPhone and iPad issues, especially those caused by a glitch. Since the same could be the culprit behind your screen flickering, following this method should be your immediate instinct.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Press and hold the Volume Up button and quickly let it go. 
   
2. Then, press and hold the Volume Down button and let go of it. 
   
3. Now, press and hold the Side button. Release it once you see an Apple logo on the screen. This should hard reset your iPhone. 

This should fix the problem of screen flickering on iOS 16.

2. Force Close All Apps.

When too many applications are running in the background, they might overconsume your device resources resulting in overheating, which will further cause many display issues.

Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Start by swiping up from the screen’s bottom part to access the app launcher. 
   
2. Now, swipe right or left to look for the app you wish to quit, then swipe up from the app’s preview to do so. 
   
3. Perform the same steps for all the apps present in the app launcher. 

3. Reinstall/Update the Affected App.

If the screen flickering only occurs when you open a specific app, the issue might be in its software rather than in your device. We recommend you delete and reinstall the problematic application for a quick and easy fix, as this will remove all its cache and data files from the device and install a fresh copy.

Perform these steps to reinstall the app causing trouble: 

1. Press and hold the app you want to delete and tap on Remove App from the pop-up options. 

2. From the confirmation prompt, click on Delete App. 

3. Next, head to the App Store and select the Search tab from the bottom bar. 

4. Type in the app’s name and select Get next to the app to reinstall it on your device. 

If you were running an older app version, this could be the reason why the application isn’t working properly. In that case, you should install the pending updates instead of reinstalling the app.

Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Launch the App Store from your device. 
   
2. Next, tap on the profile icon from the screen’s top-right corner. 

3. Scroll down and under the Upcoming Automatic Updates, look for the app. 
   
4. Lastly, tap on the Update button next to the app to install its latest version on your iPhone. 

After you’ve updated or reinstalled the app, check if the flickering screen issue is resolved or not.

4. Update the iOS.

Outdated applications and device softwares both result in all kinds of issues. If the previous method didn’t work, check to see if a newer iOS 16 version is available. 

Use the steps below to do so:

1. Open Settings from your iPhone. 
   
2. Next, tap on General and choose Software Update. 

3. Wait for Apple to load any pending updates. If one is available, tap on Download and Install to get the latest iOS version on your device. 

Once done, check if the screen flickering on iOS 16 continues. If it still is, move to the next method from this guide to fix it. 

5. Disable Auto-Brightness.

If your screen starts flickering on certain brightness levels, manually set it to the value that works fine. For most users, their device starts flickering when the brightness becomes low. We recommend you turn off the Auto-Brightness feature if it’s enabled and keep your brightness above 50 at all times. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the Settings app from your iOS 16 device. 
   
2. Choose Accessibility. 
   
3. Under the Vision section, tap on Display & Text size. 
   
4. Finally, scroll all the way down and turn the toggle off for Auto-Brightness.

6. Disable Reduce Transparency.

As stated at the beginning of this guide, many users experience screen flickering on iOS 16 when coming across dark backgrounds. Due to this reason, we recommend you disable the Reduce Transparency feature as well. 

When switched on, your device will increase display contrast by making transparent areas of the screen turn gray and the semi-transparent panes solid. 

Here’s how to disable this option:

1. From Settings, scroll down and select Accessibility.
    
2. Next, select Display & Text Size. 

3. Lastly, turn the toggle off next to Reduce Transparency.

7. Check Your Device Storage.

Your iPhone performance will be greatly affected if its storage gets full. Not only will that result in overheating, lagging, frequent crashing, etc., but your display will also start to flicker. Therefore, delete all unwanted applications and unnecessary media from your device to fix all such issues.

Here’s how to check the storage:

1. Navigate to the Settings app from your iPhone. 
   
2. Tap on General and select iPhone Storage. 

3. Analyze the apps taking up more storage space and remove any unnecessary files and folders to make some space. 
   
4. Finally, reboot your device and check if your issue is resolved or not. 
   
   

8. Restore Your Device.

If you’re unable to resolve screen flickering on iOS 16, your last option is to restore your device. By following this method, you will lose all the saved data hence a backup is necessary.

You can restore your iPhone by following the steps below:

1. Start by connecting your device to a PC. 
   
2. Next, open iTunes on your computer. 
   
3. To enter the DFU mode, press and hold the Side button and the Volume Down button simultaneously for at least 10 seconds. 

4. Let go of the Side button once the screen turns black but don’t release the Volume Down button yet. 
   
5. The screen will remain black, indicating that your device has successfully entered the DFU mode. Now, release the Volume Down button. If the Apple logo appears, power off your iPhone and follow the above steps again to access the DFU mode. 
   
6. Once in DFU mode, iTunes will show a prompt. Click on OK to proceed. 

7. Lastly, select the Restore iPhone button to start the process. 
   
   

9. Seek Professional Help.

If nothing in this guide worked to fix the issue, it could be a hardware problem. In such instances, you should consider going to the nearest Apple Store to get your iPhone checked and repaired by expert technicians. 

This ends our guide on how to fix screen flickering on iOS 16. Utilize the comments sections below to leave your thoughts, suggestions, questions, etc. We’ll get back to you in no time. 

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