Why Is My Phone Black and White: 2023 Top 10 Fixes (Updated)

why is my phone black and white
Credit: Samsung

An unexpected black-and-white display on your Android phone can be disorienting. Many factors, including accessibility settings, sleep mode, power-saving options, and more, can contribute to this problem. Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with anything less than an exciting adventure. The following are some troubleshooting steps that may help your Android screen’s colours return to their original vibrancy.

Causes of a Black and White Phone Screen

It’s most likely a setting that was enabled. Options such as:

  • Bedtime mode
  • Accessibility options
  • Dark mode
  • Power-saving mode.

Other Causes and Quick Solutions:

#1. Water Damage

Water damage to the device is another possibility for why your phone’s screen has turned black and white. If your phone has been exposed to water or another liquid, the screen may be damaged, resulting in a different colour display.

If this is the case, you should take your phone to a professional repair technician who will inspect and repair the damage.

#2. Hardware Problems

Hardware problems can also cause your phone’s screen to go black and white. For example, damaged display connectors or malfunctioning display components could cause a colour shift or a monochrome display. If you suspect the problem is due to hardware, take your phone to a repair service centre or contact your manufacturer’s support team.

#3. Bugs and Software Updates

If you recently updated your phone’s software or installed an app, the problem could result from a bug or software glitch. This error can occur when the connectors between the phone’s software and hardware fail to sync, causing your phone’s display screen to alternate between black and white.

To troubleshoot this issue, try restarting your phone and then deleting the last application you installed, or look for software updates to fix the bug.

If it is damaged, you must send it for repair. Before you proceed, let's look for fixes that are within your control.

How to Repair My Black and White Phone

Now that you know what could be causing this problem, you can implement specific solutions to resolve the black-and-white Android phone issue.

#1. Disable Bedtime Mode

Bedtime mode was created to convert the screen to grayscale and muffle sounds in order to improve sleep quality. When you turn it on, your Android phone’s screen will go black and white. Turning off Bedtime mode will assist in resolving the issue. Take Samsung as an example and follow the steps below.

  • Navigate to Settings. Locate and select Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls.
  • Swipe down to find Bedtime mode. Then select End Bedtime Mode.

#2. Turn off Grayscale Mode

If you have accidentally enabled grayscale mode on your Android phone, this is a common cause of the screen turning black and white. Here’s how to disable it.

  • Go to Accessibility > Color and Motion in the Settings app.
  • In the following menu, tap on Color Correction and deactivate the toggle next to Use Color Correction.

The procedure for disabling grayscale on a Samsung Galaxy phone will be different. Here are the steps you should take.

  • Go to Accessibility > Visibility enhancements in the Settings app.
  • Select Color Adjustment and disable it from the menu that appears.

#3. Disable Accessibility Shortcuts

Android includes a number of gestures and shortcuts that can assist you in quickly enabling certain accessibility features. If you have set your Android to enable grayscale when you swipe up with two fingers or press the volume keys together, the screen may alternately turn black and white. If you don’t want that, follow these steps to disable your phone’s accessibility shortcuts.

  • Launch the Settings app and select Accessibility.
  • Scroll down to Advanced settings and double-check that no accessibility shortcuts are set to grayscale.

#4. Modify the Samsung Sleep Mode Routine

If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, ensure the sleep mode routine isn’t set to automatically turn the screen black and white. Here’s how to go about it.

  • Launch the Settings app and navigate to Modes and Routines. Then, press the Sleep button.
  • Choose Change settings and then tap the red minus sign next to Grayscale. Then press the Done button.

#5. Turn off “Simulate Color Space.”

Enabling the Simulate Color Space option may also cause this problem. This can occur if you have recently modified any Developer Options on your Android device. Here’s how to disable it.

  • Launch Settings and scroll down to Developer options.
  • If you don’t see Developer options in the Settings app, it’s because the menu is turned off on your phone. In that case, you shouldn’t be concerned. You can now move on to the next solution.
  • Select Disabled from the Simulate color space menu.

#6. Go Back to the Default Theme

When you apply a custom theme to your Android device, the screen may occasionally appear black and white. This could be due to the theme’s colour scheme, incorrectly configured settings, or a bug. To avoid this, try switching back to the default theme and see if that helps.

Note: The exact steps for resetting to the default theme may differ depending on the Android skin on your phone. The steps below are applicable to Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI.
  • Tap and hold anywhere on your home screen to bring up the Themes menu.
  • Go to My Stuff by tapping the Menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner.
  • Choose the Default theme and click Apply.

#7. Turn off the Battery Saver Mode

Turning on the battery saver on some Android phones can cause the grayscale feature to activate automatically. If this is the case, turning off the battery-saving mode should resolve the issue.

  • Launch the Settings app and navigate to the Battery and Device Care section.
  • Select Battery and turn off the toggle next to Power saving.

#8. Reboot Your Phone

It’s possible that your Android phone is turning black and white due to a temporary OS glitch. Most of the time, simply restarting your phone will solve the problem.

Hold down the power button on your phone and select the Restart option. Wait for your phone to reboot and check to see if the problem persists.

#9. Uninstall Recently Installed Apps

A recently installed app on your Android could be causing the screen to go black and white. If this appears to be the case, remove any suspicious apps from your phone. Apps you have recently installed are more likely to be the source of the problem.

#10. Check That You Haven’t Inverted the Colours

On Android, the inverted colours option is found in the Quick Settings menu. Inverting colours may not make the screen appear black and white on all apps, but if you enable this feature by accident, some screens may appear black and white or otherwise unusual to you.

If none of the solutions listed above work, you may need to send your phone to the manufacturer or a local repair shop for service.

How Can I Make My Phone Black and White?

Settings > Accessibility > Color and motion > Color correction (Android). Toggle on Use color correction after selecting Grayscale. Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters > Color Filters > Slide the Color Filters switch to the right to enable Grayscale.

How Do I Fix My Phone’s Flickering Screen?

To resolve a flickering phone screen, update your operating system and apps, then restart the device. Disable auto-brightness and blue light filters before inspecting the charging cable for damage.

How Do I Fix My iPhone’s White Screen of Death?

Try a hard reset to resolve the iPhone White Screen of Death. If that doesn’t work, try booting into Recovery Mode and restoring from a backup.

Conclusion

Although grayscale mode can be useful for people with specific visual impairments, it may not be appropriate for everyone. Hopefully, one of the above solutions has resolved the issue, and your Android screen is no longer black and white.

References

0 Shares:
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like