Symptoms
- Thin vertical or horizontal lines that don't move
- Lines may be black, white, or colored
- Sometimes appears after a drop or pressure
- Rest of the display may look normal otherwise
Likely causes
- CommonCracked display panel under the glassImpact damage to the LCD or OLED layer shows up as straight lines along the damaged row or column of pixels.
- CommonLoose or damaged display ribbon cableA jolt can partially disconnect the cable that feeds the screen, causing line artifacts.
- PossiblePressure damage from sitting or bendingBeing sat on or bent in a tight pocket can crack the panel without any visible glass crack.
What to do
- Restart the phone once to rule out a rare software rendering glitch, though lines are usually hardware.
- Avoid pressing on the screen or flexing the phone, which can worsen a cracked panel.
- Check if the lines change position when you gently press near the edges; if so, suspect a loose cable.
- Back up your data as soon as possible since the display can degrade further or fail completely.
- Note whether the phone was recently dropped, sat on, or squeezed in a bag, which helps a technician diagnose it.
- Get a screen replacement quote, since this is a physical display issue that software can't fix.
Tools and parts
Replacement display panelSearch: “screen replacement for [your phone model]”
When to call a pro
See a repair shop for a screen replacement; lines on the display are a hardware fault that isn't fixable through settings.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.