My mobile phone screen goes black during a call. What should I do?
If your mobile phone turns off and the screen goes black during a call, your proximity sensor is likely malfunctioning. Having a black screen during calls can be quite annoying as you cannot pick up or end calls. This makes it quite problematic to use your smartphone since you constantly have to turn on the screen by pressing the side button.
What is a proximity sensor?
A proximity sensor is a hardware device located at the top of a mobile phone. In most cases, it appears as a small circle that you can easily notice. The proximity sensor detects how close your face is to the display and turns it off to prevent accidental button presses, such as with your ear, which could otherwise turn off the phone. For example, when you place your phone in your pocket, the proximity sensor automatically turns off the screen.
Steps to fix the black screen during calls
If your mobile phone’s proximity sensor is not functioning properly or is damaged, here are a few tips to resolve this issue:
1. Clean the proximity sensor with a soft cloth
This is perhaps the simplest solution. If your phone is dirty or dusty, cleaning it thoroughly with a soft cloth should resolve the issue of the dark screen during calls.
2. Check if anything is obstructing the proximity sensor
If your phone has any stickers or screen protectors, they might be blocking the proximity sensor. Try removing these items from your phone.
3. Update or reset your phone
Updating or resetting your phone can often resolve issues like a black screen during calls. Both options can typically be found in the settings menu. Resetting your phone is usually labeled as ‘Factory data reset’ and is typically found under ‘Settings’.
4. Change your dialer application
Older versions of the Android operating system allowed users to disable the proximity sensor directly in the Google dialer app settings. However, newer versions such as Android 12 and above no longer provide this option. Therefore, try finding a dialer app on Google Play that supports disabling the proximity sensor, like this one: Simple Dialer. After installing the app, tap the phone icon, then click the three dots in the upper right corner to access settings where you can disable the proximity sensor.
These steps should help you address the issue of the black screen during calls caused by a malfunctioning proximity sensor.