Screen Flickering on Your Samsung Phone? Here's How to Fix It

If you own a Samsung phone and the display randomly starts flashing, you are not alone. Samsung phone users frequently report screen flickering across the Galaxy S, Galaxy A, and Galaxy Z series. Some users report that it's happening even on newer phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Galaxy A54. So, if your Samsung phone's screen is flickering, follow our step-by-step guide below to fix it.

Why is Your Samsung Phone's Screen Flickering?

Before we move to fixes, let's understand what causes screen flickering on Samsung phones in the first place. It could be a software or hardware issue.

Software Causes

Adaptive brightness glitches are among the most common software issues that cause screen flickering on Samsung phones. The ambient light sensor can incorrectly read lighting conditions, which cause the display brightness to fluctuate rapidly, and it starts to look like a flicker. 

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On top of that, some buggy third-party apps can cause the display driver to act abnormally, leading to screen flickering. Samsung community members also report that screen flickering started happening after an OTA update, which might point to a corrupted system cache. 

Hardware Causes

In most screen flickering cases, the most likely cause is hardware malfunction. Generally, a loose or damaged display flex cable can cause flickering, especially on foldable devices like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold models. In addition, physical damage caused by minor drops may not crack the screen, but it can displace the internal connector.

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And then there is the OLED panel degradation issue, which has been well-documented on the Galaxy S20. A persistent flickering of green or pink lines on the screen indicates a hardware problem that software methods cannot resolve.

How to Fix Screen Flickering on Samsung Phones

Now, let's go through some software fixes. I have listed methods that won't touch your personal files or apps, so you can safely try them. On that note, let's begin.

Disable Adaptive Brightness in One UI

This method is one of the quickest ways to fix the screen flickering issue on Samsung phones. You can simply turn off Adaptive brightness to resolve the problem right away.

1. Launch the Settings app on your Samsung phone and select Display.
2. Here, turn off the Adaptive brightness toggle.

Now, verify if the screen flickering issue has been resolved.

Change Motion Smoothness

Samsung phones with 120Hz displays dynamically change the refresh rate depending on the screen content. Often, this switching can cause visible screen flickering, especially on certain firmware. Here is how you can adjust the refresh rate.

1. Open the Settings app and go to Display > Motion smoothness.
2. Now, choose the Standard option to keep the maximum refresh rate at 60Hz and then tap on Apply.

Go ahead and check again if screen flickering on your Samsung phone persists.

Update Your Software

Samsung regularly pushes out software patches to fix display driver bugs and GPU rendering issues. You can resolve screen flickering problems through OTA updates on Samsung phones. Here is how you can update the software.

1. Open the Settings app on your phone, scroll down to the bottom and select Software update.
2. Here, check for the latest update and tap on Install now.
3. Now, reboot your Samsung phone, and see if the flickering issue has been fixed.

Wipe the Cache Partition

The cache partition on your Samsung phone stores temporary files that help it load apps faster. However, after a software update, these cached files can become outdated and may cause screen flickering on Samsung phones. Here is how you can wipe the cache partition. Note that this process does not delete your personal files, photos, or apps.

1. First off, turn off your phone by long-pressing the Power + Volume down buttons and selecting Power off.
2. Now, connect your phone to any computer using a USB cable. You will see your phone charging.
3. Next, long-press the Volume Up + Power buttons together.
4. When the Samsung logo appears, release both buttons to get to the recovery screen.
5. Now, use the volume buttons to move to Wipe Cache partition and press the Power button to select it.

6. Finally, move to Yes and press the Power button to confirm it.
7. Now, choose Reboot system now.

After the phone restarts, the screen flickering issue should be fixed.

Samsung Screen Still Flickering? It's Likely a Hardware Issue

If the screen flickering problem on your Samsung phone persists after trying all the software fixes above, it's certainly a hardware defect. You may need to replace or repair your screen due to damage to the OLED panel or display flex cable. You can visit your nearest Samsung service centre to get the display inspected. And if it's under warranty, the repair should be covered at no cost.

And that's all you need to know about the screen flickering issue on Samsung phones. In most cases, a simple tweak like disabling adaptive brightness or wiping the cache partition should do the trick. If nothing works, you may need to get the panel replaced. In case you see white spots on your Android screen, you can follow our in-depth tutorial to fix it.