If your iPhone SE 3 (3rd Gen, 2022) is stuck on a black screen and won’t turn on, don’t panic — it doesn’t always mean hardware failure. Often, it’s caused by a software glitch, app crash, or even a drained battery. Try these step-by-step fixes to revive your iPhone before heading to a repair shop.
1. Force Restart Your iPhone
If your iPhone is actually on but stuck on a black screen, a force restart can snap it out of a frozen state.
Here’s how to do it:
- Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
- Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
- Then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
This won’t erase your data. It just forces the system to reboot — often enough to clear out temporary glitches or app crashes.
2. Plug It In and Let It Charge
It might sound obvious, but your phone could be completely drained — especially if an app was misbehaving in the background.
What to do:
- Plug your iPhone into a known working charger and wall outlet.
- Use an official Apple 20W USB-C charger or equivalent.
- Let it charge for at least 15 minutes.
- Then, try the force restart again while it’s still plugged in.
💡 No charging icon? Try a different cable, adapter, or power source. Also check the Lightning port for dust or debris.
3. Use a Computer to Check for Signs of Life
Still nothing? Try connecting your iPhone SE 3 to a computer using a USB-C to Lightning cable.
On your computer:
- Open iTunes (Windows/macOS Mojave) or Finder (macOS Catalina or later).
- See if your iPhone shows up.
If your iPhone is recognized, back it up immediately — then consider restoring it to fix any deep system issues.
4. Try Recovery Mode or DFU Mode
If your iPhone is detected but won’t boot normally, use Recovery Mode or DFU Mode to reinstall iOS.
- Recovery Mode reinstalls iOS but keeps your data (if possible).
- DFU Mode is a deeper restore and erases everything, so only use it if nothing else works.
Let me know if you want help walking through these steps.
5. Remove the SIM Card
A faulty or corrupted SIM card can occasionally interfere with the boot process.
To test this:
- Use a SIM eject tool or paperclip to pop out the SIM tray.
- Remove the SIM card.
- Try turning your iPhone on again.
6. Still Not Turning On? Time for Service
If none of the above worked, the issue could be hardware-related. Common causes:
- Water damage (even with splash resistance).
- Dropped device that caused internal damage.
- Faulty power button or screen.
Your next step:
- Book an appointment with an Apple Store or authorized repair center.
- If your phone is still under warranty or AppleCare+, bring it in to check if you’re eligible for a repair or replacement.
7. Contact Apple Support (Especially After an iOS Update)
If the issue started after a recent iOS update, it could be a software bug. Reach out to Apple Support and report the problem. They may offer additional fixes or escalate it to engineering.