QWIKFONE

August 19, 2026

Green Line on Your Samsung or iPhone Screen? Causes, Fixes, and Whether It’s Worth Repairing

by Ishaan Seth August, 2026

The green line running down a Samsung phone or an iPhone is feared almost as much as the blue screen of death in Windows PCs.

This problem can be considered relatively new, as you’ll notice it didn’t happen when smartphones used LCD panels. The problem started appearing in Samsung phones in 2016 and in iPhones in 2017, around the time each brand started adopting OLED and AMOLED display panels. 

The cause of this line cutting vertically through the screen was wrongly thought to be a software problem, as it started after a major Android update, but later, we now know that it’s not a software problem; it’s a hardware problem that happens specifically with AMOLED and OLED displays. 

 

The Green Line explained: 

The main difference between an LCD panel and an OLED panel is that in the OLED, each individual pixel generates its own light, while the LCD panel depends on a backlight to power the screen. 

So, while near the end of an LCD panel’s life the backlight may turn off, causing the screen to go dark or “die” all at once, OLED and AMOLED screens start to experience pixel issues. That green line means a ribbon cable is either broken or causing a short circuit, causing an entire column of pixels to receive maximum voltage at all times, showing that green line, meaning that column is no longer working.

causes: why your iphone or samsung phone’s screen has a green line

As mentioned before, the cause is a hardware problem with the display panel wiring. The cause of this damage can be a result of one of the following: 

  1. Age and overheating
    Since this is an indicator that the screen is old, the first cause is that the phone is old enough for that ribbon cable to become loose. As you use your phone, the processor generates heat. That heat causes the phone's body to expand and contract at different rates.
    With time and continuous heavy usage, the heat causes the tiny connections tying the ribbon cables to the screen to become slightly or completely undone.
     
  2. Software update
    We have mentioned before that this is NOT a software problem, but it can be caused by software updates. As we saw when this problem started happening back in 2016/2017, the line didn’t appear due to an Android or iOS glitch, but the processing power required to run the updates caused the phones to overheat to a point where, again, the connections linking the ribbon cables to the screen came loose.
     
  3. Pressure
    The phone’s screen was exposed to a high level of pressure either by someone sitting on it or by being placed in a tight pocket or a bag under heavy items for a long time.
     
  4. Physical impact
    You dropped your phone and picked it up to find the glass completely intact without a scratch. Then that green line appears. The impact didn’t crack the screen; it broke the small connections of the screen you can’t see!  

the fix: how to make the green line disappear

Since this is physical hardware, there’s no way around it: you have to take your phone and head for a repair shop. 
The good news here is that you know the true technical cause of the problem, which means you can’t be scammed into paying for unnecessary repairs like a motherboard. 
Instead, find a trusted repair specialist who can replace the OLED or AMOLED display, depending on whether you have an iPhone or a Samsung phone.

 

If your phone is less than 6 months old and showing a green line, there's good news: you're likely entitled to a free repair, replacement, or refund.

 

Since your device is still under warranty, whether by Apple or Samsung, this means that the line is caused by a manufacturing defect and you’re entitled, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, to a free repair, a replacement device, or a refund! 

 

One detail worth knowing before making a claim: 
While Samsung has a 24-month warranty on its phones and Apple has a 12-month standard warranty, the 6-month rule is important because of something called the burden of proof. 
If a defect develops with the phone during the first 6 months after its delivery date, it’s a manufacturing error by default, and the responsibility of proving otherwise is on the manufacturer.  

After the 6-month mark, however, the defect could be caused by user error, and the responsibility to prove it’s a manufacturing error falls on the user- you.

the honest answer: is the smartphone worth repairing?

This is not entirely a financial question, but the most important part of it is financial. Meaning that the price of the screen replacement isn’t the only factor, but it’s the most important one. So, let’s start with that: 
For older iPhones and Samsung phones such as iPhone 11/12 and Samsung Galaxy S21/S22, a screen replacement costs around £150 – £300 for manufacturer’s repairs and around £50 – £150 for independent specialist repair.
For later models of iPhones and Galaxy phones, such as iPhone 15/16 and Samsung Galaxy S24/S25, a screen replacement can go up to £300 – £400, assuming the damage is not covered under warranty.

 

Once you know the cost of the phone’s screen repair based on the model and your preferred repair option, there’s one more piece of information left to make your decision to repair or replace the phone: The trade-in value of your phone.

 

Before committing to a repair, it's worth getting a trade-in quote for your device in its current state. If the repair cost is more than half of what the working phone would be worth, the numbers often favour trading in and upgrading instead.

 

With the trade-in option, you can make money off the damaged device and replace it with an upgraded model instead of spending money to get it working again.

 

At QwikFone, we accept trade-ins on phones with screen faults, including the green line. Get an instant quote for your device, and put the value toward a refurbished iPhone or Samsung Galaxy with a verified screen, 85% battery health or above, and a 12-month warranty included.