Black Screen on unlocking, what is this?

[paradroid]

Just today, when I unlock my phone I am looking at a black screen and have to hit the back arrow to get to the actual phone screen.

What is it and how do I get rid of it?

I have done nothing with my phone today, it just started happening. Reboot does not make it go away.

Since a picture tells the story, here is a screen capture of what I get after I unlock my phone:



The back arrow brings me to the home screen.

 

[Almeuit]

My first guess would be an app. Since you can get back to the home screen after hitting back as if it is going out of said app.

 

[GSDer]

Probably one of the ones shown up on the Notification bar...
You could always reboot into Safe mode to confirm that the problem goes away. Assuming that it does it's time to start uninstalling recently installed applications until the problem goes away.

 

[paradroid]

What is strange is that the button on the right does not show when I see this screen.

I think it has something to do with a Nova lock screen setting, however, I can't find a Nova lock screen setting.

I have not installed any apps recently. Or I should say new apps. This is an RMA'd phone I have had only a few days and I reinstalled all my apps to it.

It does not happen every time, it seems to happen when phone has not been unlocked for a while.

 

[paradroid]

I *think* it has something to do with this intermediate screen I get when finger print unlocking my phone when I have notifications:



How do I get rid of this screen? I had this screen before and figured out how to turn it off. Can't remember.

 

[GSDer]

What is strange is that the button on the right does not show when I see this screen.

It is odd that the 'Recents' button isn't shown but I've seen other apps suppress it.
What happens if you press the 'Home' button when that black screen is shown? If you are returned to the Home screen does the 'Recents' button reappear? If it does try using it to see a list of the running applications - perhaps that'll give you a clue as to which application is causing your problem.

 

[GSDer]

How do I get rid of this screen? I had this screen before and figured out how to turn it off.

That's the Lock Screen. You can't really get rid of it unless you leave the phone completely unlocked (not a good idea). You can however prevent the notifications from being shown on the Lock Screen. Go to Settings -> Security & location -> Lock screen preferences and select 'On the lock screen' - from there you can decide what you want shown on the Lock Screen.

 

[paradroid]

That's the Lock Screen. You can't really get rid of it unless you leave the phone completely unlocked (not a good idea). You can however prevent the notifications from being shown on the Lock Screen. Go to Settings -> Security & location -> Lock screen preferences and select 'On the lock screen' - from there you can decide what you want shown on the Lock Screen.

This is how I have it set now.

I used to hit finger print unlock and I would be in my phone. Now, sometimes after the phone has sat inactive for a while, I hit finger print unlock and get that night mountain view, I then need to swipe it up to get to my phone. So two steps to get in the phone, very annoying.

It is odd that the 'Recents' button isn't shown but I've seen other apps suppress it.
What happens if you press the 'Home' button when that black screen is shown? If you are returned to the Home screen does the 'Recents' button reappear? If it does try using it to see a list of the running applications - perhaps that'll give you a clue as to which application is causing your problem.

I was sitting here just now doing nothing with the phone on my desk stand. A notification came in - a basketball game score and new email notification. The notifications did not show up, just that black screen.

I pressed the home button and got and overlay of the cover of an audible book I was listening to at the gym with notifications on it and then had to do the fingerprint unlock.

I have the dark moon screen wall paper. You can see the stars at the bottom of the first screen shot. I am going to switch to a lighter wallpaper and see if I can get a better idea what the black object is on my screen.

 

[paradroid]

Ok. Just now unlocked my phone with finger print scanner - saw lock screen for about a second, then the phone went to the black screen without the right button. I changed the wallpaper and the black screen now looks like this:



I then had to hit the home button which took me to the standard lock screen, I had to swipe it up to get to my phone.

I bit later tonight I hit the finger print scanner and got the black screen above. I hit the left arrow then got the black screen above but with the right button. I hit the right button and maybe got a clue as it showed that the black screen is from the photo app?



About 2/3 days ago I installed the photo editor app Snapseed. I don't think I saw this issue before that so will uninstall and see what happens.

 

[paradroid]

Removing snapseed photo editor did not fix this. I do not what to do another factory reset. Going through apps and uninstalling everything I can now.

 

[GSDer]

Did you try booting into Safe mode?

 

[paradroid]

I figured it out. I noticed the black screen would pop up when notifications came in. I have an app I purchased about 3 years ago called NotifierPro Plus. I checked the app store and it is no long there. I found it available to download outside the app store and last app update was 2016. I deleted the app, problem solved.

I liked NotifierPro Plus because I could assign specific sounds and notifications to apps that did not have such functionality built in.