Seeing white horizontal lines on your phone screen is a frustrating experience — and it is rarely a sign of something minor. These lines typically point to display panel damage and, in most cases, require professional attention to resolve. This guide explains what causes white horizontal lines on a phone screen, what you can check at home, and when it is time to visit a repair shop. For a broader overview of phone screen damage types, see our complete guide on how to fix a phone screen.
What Causes White Horizontal Lines on a Phone Screen?
White or colored horizontal lines running across a phone screen are usually caused by one of the following:
Physical Impact Damage
Dropping your phone can cause white horizontal lines on the phone screen even without visibly cracking the outer glass. The force of impact disrupts the internal pixel structure of the display panel — either the LCD or OLED — creating permanent lines that a glass-only replacement will not fix.
Pressure Damage
Sitting on your phone, placing it under a heavy object, or squeezing it tightly can apply concentrated pressure to the display panel. Unlike impact damage, pressure-induced white lines on a phone screen sometimes appear gradually over hours or days after the initial incident.
Loose or Damaged Flex Cable
The ribbon cable connecting your display to the motherboard can come loose — particularly after a drop, even one that did not visibly damage the glass. A partially disconnected flex cable sometimes produces horizontal lines on the phone screen that appear and disappear depending on how the device is held or flexed.
Water Damage
Moisture that reaches the internal display panel can cause white horizontal lines on the phone screen, along with discoloration or flickering. Any crack in the outer glass creates a direct entry point for liquid, which can silently damage internal components.
Are White Lines on a Phone Screen Fixable Without Replacement?
In most cases, horizontal lines caused by physical or water damage require a full screen replacement. However, there are a few diagnostic steps worth trying first:
Restart Your Phone
Software glitches can occasionally produce temporary display artifacts that resemble hardware damage. A force restart — holding the power and volume buttons simultaneously for 10 seconds — rules out software as the cause. If the white horizontal lines on the phone screen disappear after a restart, the problem is software-related and may resolve without a hardware repair.
Check Whether the Lines Appear in Screenshots
Take a screenshot and view the image on another device. If the white horizontal lines on the phone screen do not appear in the screenshot, the issue is with the physical display hardware — not software rendering. This simple test helps confirm that a screen repair is needed.
Try an External Display
If your phone supports screen mirroring or USB-C display output, connect it to an external screen. If the external display shows a clean image without lines, the damage is isolated to your phone’s own display panel — and a screen replacement is the appropriate fix.
Can You Fix White Lines on a Phone Screen with DIY Methods?
A number of DIY suggestions circulate online, including applying pressure to the screen, heating the device with a hair dryer, or bending the phone frame. We strongly advise against all of these approaches.
Modern smartphone displays — particularly the OLED panels used in iPhones and Samsung Galaxy flagships — are precision components calibrated to exact tolerances. Heat can delaminate adhesive bonds or damage the battery. Manual pressure can spread the failing area of the display to additional pixels. These methods do not fix white horizontal lines on a phone screen and frequently make the damage significantly worse, increasing the final repair cost.
Professional Repair for White Horizontal Lines
The reliable solution for white horizontal lines on a phone screen is a full display replacement performed by a trained technician. The process involves:
- Safely removing the damaged display assembly using precision tools and controlled heat to preserve surrounding components.
- Installing a high-quality replacement screen — your technician can advise on the parts used for your specific model.
- Testing the repaired display under multiple conditions — including touch response, color uniformity, and brightness — before returning the device.
Many common models are repaired within the same visit. A thorough technician will also check for secondary damage — such as a swollen battery or water ingress — that may have accompanied the original impact. Learn more about related issues: fix cracks on phone screen and Android device data recovery.
How to Get a Repair Quote
Repair costs for white horizontal lines on a phone screen depend on your device model, whether the damage is limited to the display panel, and your location. Contact your nearest repair branch for an assessment — a technician will examine your device and provide a quote before any work begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have a white line on my phone screen after dropping it?
A drop transmits force to the internal display panel even when the outer glass remains intact. This force disrupts the pixel structure at the point of impact, creating permanent white horizontal lines on the phone screen that a simple glass replacement will not resolve.
Can a phone with white horizontal lines still be used?
Temporarily, yes. However, white horizontal lines on a phone screen caused by display panel damage almost always spread over time. What begins as a single thin line often multiplies within days or weeks, progressively covering more of the screen until the phone becomes impractical to use. The sooner a repair is made, the better the outcome.
Is it possible the lines will go away on their own?
White horizontal lines caused by a software glitch may disappear after a restart. Lines caused by physical damage to the display panel will not self-resolve. Display panels do not heal — and continued use of a damaged panel typically accelerates the spread of the damage.
Conclusion
White horizontal lines on a phone screen are almost always a sign of physical display damage that will not improve on its own. The longer the issue goes unaddressed, the more it typically spreads. A professional screen replacement is the safest and most reliable solution — completed same-day for most devices. If you are also dealing with cracked glass, see our guide on how to fix cracks on a phone screen, or return to the full phone screen repair guide for a complete overview.