Silent black screen calls

[Android Central Question]

For some odd reason, whenever I get or make a call, the screen goes black and I can't hear or do anything during the call. People can still hear me on the other side, though. The strange thing though, is that if I have a Bluetooth item connected, this doesn't happen. How can I fix this?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone? If you have a screen protector on, try taking it off, since it could be interfering with the proximity sensor (right near the front-facing camera). If the sensor detects something right near it, it causes the screen to turn off (so that your face or ear doesn't accidentally press anything on the screen while on a call).

 

[Slasher333]

It's an LG Sunset; no, there is no screen protector, and the phone isn't near anything when it happens.

 

[chanchan05]

It's an LG Sunset; no, there is no screen protector, and the phone isn't near anything when it happens.

Then the possibility is that the proximity sensory has problems. Hopefully it's just software. Try doing a cache wipe.

 

[Slasher333]

That doesn't do anything either. I've done it several times in the past. Besides, if it was just the proximity sensor, then why can't I hear anything?

 

[chanchan05]

That doesn't do anything either. I've done it several times in the past. Besides, if it was just the proximity sensor, then why can't I hear anything?

Depends on the phone itself. For example if the proximity sensor and the earpiece share a connection on the mother board, or maybe water damage (they are close enough to be affecting each other), then it's possible. At this point hardware needs to be looked at. Having a bluetooth headset work only isolates the problem to the area of the phone internals relating to the top part.

 

[Slasher333]

But that brings me to the other part of my problem, the fact that not only does the screen go black during a call, no matter how I move it, but I'm unable to interact with it in any way except the power button during the call.

 

[chanchan05]

But that brings me to the other part of my problem, the fact that not only does the screen go black during a call, no matter how I move it, but I'm unable to interact with it in any way except the power button during the call.

Yes. That's exactly what the proximity sensor is supposed to be doing. It senses that something is close to it, like when you hold up the screen to your head when making a call. It turns the screen off an cannot be interacted with until the sensor detects there's nothing in proximity. This works during calls.

Basically your proximity sensor thinks there's something in front of it even if there is none. This has been seen in badly placed screen protectors and other things like cracks over the sensor.

 

[Slasher333]

Well, the phone is a hand-me-down, but as far as I know of, there isn't any damage to it, and I don't see any cracks or anything on it. Is there any other possibility?

 

[chanchan05]

Well, the phone is a hand-me-down, but as far as I know of, there isn't any damage to it, and I don't see any cracks or anything on it. Is there any other possibility?

If it's software, you can try a factory reset or a firmware recovery (no idea for LG, Samsung has OEM tools for Samsung phones for that kind of stuff). If those don't work, it's a hardware error where the proximity sensor needs replacing.