It can be frustrating when you’re listening to a voice message on your phone and suddenly the screen goes black. There are a few reasons why this might happen:
Battery Saving Mode
Many smartphones nowadays have a battery saving or power saving mode that kicks in when the battery level gets low. This disables some features to conserve battery life. One thing it often does is turn off the screen after a short period of inactivity.
So if you’re listening to a voicemail with the phone up to your ear, the proximity sensor will detect that something is covering the screen and trigger the screen to turn off to save power. As soon as you move the phone away from your face, the screen will turn back on.
Screen Timeout Setting
Apart from battery saver modes, phones also have a screen timeout setting which determines how long the screen stays lit before turning off. This is usually adjustable in the display or power settings.
If your timeout is set to a short duration like 15 or 30 seconds, then the screen will go dark if you don’t touch the screen for that period of time while listening to a voicemail.
You can disable the screen timeout or increase the duration to prevent this from happening. Just be aware that longer timeouts use more battery power.
Power Button Pressed Accidentally
It’s also possible you may have bumped the power or lock button accidentally while moving the phone up to your ear. This would instantly turn the screen off until you press the button again or unlock the phone.
Using a case on the phone can help prevent accidentally pressing the power button. Just be careful when positioning the phone against your face to listen to messages.
Proximity Sensor Malfunction
The proximity sensor in your phone detects when something is close to the screen, usually your face during a call. It’s designed to turn the screen off automatically in this scenario.
If this sensor is faulty, it could mistakenly think something is covering the screen even when nothing is there. Get your proximity sensor checked if the screen keeps turning off inconsistently.
Faulty Power Button
In some cases, a faulty power button can randomly trigger the screen to turn on or off. If it’s sticking, it may cut off power to the display. Try cleaning around the button with compressed air.
If the issue persists, you may need a repair to replace the faulty button. Don’t delay repairs as a bad power button can become worse over time.
Outdated Operating System
Bugs and glitches in an outdated OS can also cause the screen to malfunction and turn off unexpectedly. Make sure your phone is updated to the latest OS version to fix any bugs.
With older phones, you may stop receiving major OS updates after 2-3 years. In that case, a factory reset can clear out bugs and improve system stability. Back up data first before resetting.
Damaged Phone Hardware
In rare cases, a hardware problem like a faulty display connector, bad motherboard or shorted wiring can cause the screen to go black spontaneously. This requires professional repair or replacement of damaged components.
If there are signs of physical damage like dents and cracks, get the phone checked by a repair shop. Internal damage can affect screen function.
Moisture Damage or Water Exposure
Exposing your phone to liquids can damage sensors and circuitry affecting screen operation. The proximity sensor may corrosion from water damage and incorrectly turn the screen off.
Look for signs of moisture like water spots under the screen. If the device has been wet, immediately power it off and dry it thoroughly. Severe water damage requires component replacement and resealing.
Screen Glitch After Dropping
Physical impact from drops can sometimes jar or dislodge screen connectors resulting in glitches like blacking out randomly. There may not be visible exterior damage.
Have a technician open up the phone and check that the screen cables and connectors are intact without any loose connections. Reseating cables may help resolve glitches in some cases.
Defective Proximity Sensor
Rarely, a phone’s proximity sensor can come defective or go faulty later on resulting in abnormal behavior like turning the screen off at the wrong times.
If this happens consistently, then the proximity sensor needs replacing. It’s usually a delicate part soldered on the motherboard so not DIY-friendly. Have it repaired professionally.
Problem with Screen, Digitizer or Connectors
Faulty or damaged screens, digitizers (touch sensors), and connectors can all manifest as display issues like blacking out, flickering or unresponsiveness. Cracked screens with damaged flex cables are prone to glitching.
Physical inspection and replacement of the affected components is necessary in such cases. Damaged connectors will need professional microsoldering.
Rogue Apps Interfering
Some suspicious apps and malware have intrusive permissions allowing them to tamper with settings and phone functions. For example, they could trigger the proximity sensor and force the screen to turn off.
Check for unfamiliar or shady looking apps and remove them. Run security scans to detect any malicious software that may be causing issues. Reboot into Safe Mode to see if it still occurs.
System Resource Problems
Heavy resource usage and insufficient RAM can sometimes interfere with the proper functioning of sensors, OS processes and display drivers – causing erratic screen behavior.
Check for resource-intensive apps that run in the background. Stop unnecessary processes to free up RAM and CPU usage. Restarting the phone also helps refresh system performance.
Incorrect Display or Power Settings
Using incorrect combinations of display and power-related settings can confuse the phone and cause the screen to glitch and turn off. For example, auto-brightness with battery saver.
Experiment by toggling these settings like timeout duration, auto-brightness, battery mode etc. to find a stable combination that works. Refer to the device manual for recommended settings.
Phone Needs a Restart
A simple phone restart can refresh processes, clear memory leaks and reset stuck sensors like the proximity sensor. An occasional reboot also helps stabilize performance and screen response.
Make restarting a habit every few days. Just power off the device completely, wait a few seconds and boot it up again. This fixes many minor glitches.
Troubleshooting Steps
If your phone screen keeps blacking out or turning off unexpectedly while listening to voice messages, here are some steps to troubleshoot and fix the issue:
Check Proximity Sensor Function
Download a sensor testing app to check if your phone’s proximity sensor is working correctly. Hold your hand over the sensor while testing – the values should change accordingly indicating it’s detecting proximity.
Disable Battery Optimization for Messaging App
The battery saver feature may be aggressively optimizing the messaging app and interfering with normal function. Disable battery optimization for your default messaging app.
Adjust Screen Timeout Duration
Increase the screen timeout duration to 1 minute or more under display settings so the screen stays on longer when listening to messages.
Update Phone OS Software
Install any pending OS and security updates on your phone. Updates often contain bug fixes for problems like this.
Reset App Preferences
Open app settings and reset app preferences for messaging and phone apps to defaults. This clears any bad configurations causing conflicts.
Check for Physical Damage
Inspect your phone thoroughly for any signs of damage like dents, cracks or water exposure. Get professional repair if there is physical damage.
Test in Safe Mode
Boot into safe mode on your phone. If the issue doesn’t occur in safe mode, then a third party app is likely causing it. Uninstall suspicious apps.
Factory Reset as Last Resort
If nothing else works, backup data and perform a factory reset. This will wipe the phone and refresh everything back to default.
Preventing Screen Turn Off While Listening to Messages
Here are some tips to stop the phone screen from turning off unexpectedly when listening to voicemails and messages:
– Keep proximity sensor clean and avoid covering it.
– Increase screen timeout duration in display settings.
– Turn off battery optimization for messaging apps.
– Update phone software and apps regularly.
– Don’t use phone when battery is very low.
– Be careful not to press power button accidentally.
– Restart your phone occasionally for better performance.
– Get immediate repair if damage is suspected.
Conclusion
A phone screen that turns off unexpectedly while listening to voice messages can be annoying but the causes are usually not serious – just some settings tweaks or app issues that can be fixed easily in most cases. For persistent problems that don’t resolve with basic troubleshooting, seek professional phone repair to identify and replace any faulty hardware components responsible. With the right steps, you can stop the random blacking out and enjoy uninterrupted voicemail playback.
Cause | Solution |
---|---|
Battery saving mode | Disable battery optimization for messaging app |
Short screen timeout duration | Increase screen timeout duration |
Accidental power button press | Be careful of button placement |
Proximity sensor malfunction | Get proximity sensor checked |
Faulty power button | Clean or replace faulty power button |
Outdated operating system | Update OS software |
Damaged phone hardware | Professional repair of damaged components |
Moisture damage | Thoroughly dry phone if wet |
Screen connection jarred loose | Reseat screen connectors |
Defective proximity sensor | Replace faulty proximity sensor |
Faulty screen or digitizer | Replace damaged screen components |
Rogue apps interfering | Uninstall suspicious apps |
Resource problems | Free up RAM and CPU usage |
Incorrect display settings | Use proper display configurations |
Needs a restart | Reboot phone periodically |