My Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a crack running in from the left side of the display. It seemed fine at first, but now the screen occasionally shuts off without warning and stays black for about a minute. When I try to wake it, the display briefly flashes very dark, and the fingerprint sensor sometimes glows red. The rest of the phone appears to work normally, and the software is fully updated. Could the crack be causing this, or is there another troubleshooting step I should try?
2 Answers
Being fully updated does not rule out hardware damage. Since the symptoms started alongside a physical crack, I would avoid repeatedly forcing the screen on and get it repaired soon. If the phone becomes hot, swells, smells unusual, or the crack worsens, stop using it and have it checked immediately.
The crack is the most likely cause, even if the display looks usable most of the time. A drop or impact can damage the display panel or its connector, leading to intermittent blackouts and unusual fingerprint-sensor behavior. Back up your data while the phone still works, then have the screen and internal connections inspected. Replacing the display may fix it; if not, a repair technician can check for additional impact damage.
I had a similar problem after dropping an older phone. I assumed it was software-related, but the damaged screen was affecting the internal connection. The issue gradually became more frequent until the display was replaced.