What flickering means and why it happens
Flickering is when an app's screen flashes on and off rapidly, or when parts of the screen go black and reappear. It is not a glitch that will fix itself — something in the app or your device is struggling to keep the display steady. The most common causes are a mismatch between what the app is trying to show and what your device can actually display, or the app running out of memory while it works.
Think of it like a projector that keeps losing power for a split second. The image disappears, comes back, disappears again. Your device is doing the same thing — it is refreshing the screen faster than the app can feed it new information, so it shows a blank frame while waiting for the next piece of content.
Key Takeaways
- Flickering usually means the app is running out of memory or the display settings do not match what your device can handle.
- Restarting the app or your device fixes flickering about half the time because it clears out temporary data the app was holding.
- If flickering only happens in one app, the problem is almost always that app's code, not your device.
- Updating the app or your device's operating system often fixes flickering because developers release patches for display problems they discover.
- If flickering persists after a restart and an update, the app may need more memory than your device has available, and you may need to close other apps or uninstall it.
When the app itself is the problem
If only one app flickers and others work fine, the issue lives in that app's code. The app developer wrote instructions that do not work smoothly on your specific device — maybe they tested it on a newer phone with more memory, or they did not account for your screen size or refresh rate.
The fastest fix is to check whether an update is waiting. Open your device's app store (Google Play on Android, the App Store on iPhone), search for the app by name, and look for an "Update" button. If one is there, tap it. App updates often include fixes for flickering that the developer discovered after the previous version shipped. If no update is waiting, the app is already at its latest version, and flickering may be a known issue the developer has not yet solved.
Memory and background processes eating your device's resources
Every app running on your device uses a portion of your device's memory — the temporary storage it uses to think and work. When too many apps are open at once, or when one app is trying to do something very demanding (like loading a large image or video), your device runs low on memory. The app flickers because it cannot hold all the information it needs in memory at the same time.
Close other apps you are not using. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and swipe up on each app you want to close. On Android, tap the three-line menu button (or swipe up from the bottom, depending on your device) and swipe up on each app. Then open the flickering app again. If it stops flickering, you know memory was the culprit.
If closing other apps does not help, restart your device entirely. Power it off, wait ten seconds, and turn it back on. This clears out all the temporary data every app was holding and gives your device a fresh start. Flickering often stops after a restart because the app now has more memory available.
Display settings and refresh rate mismatches
Your device's screen refreshes — redraws itself — a certain number of times per second. Older devices refresh 60 times per second. Newer devices often refresh 90, 120, or even 144 times per second. If an app was built for a 60 Hz screen but you have a 120 Hz screen, or vice versa, the app and your device can get out of sync, and you see flickering.
You cannot change which refresh rate an app uses — that is built into the app's code. But you can check whether your device is set to use a lower refresh rate to save battery. On many Android phones, go to Settings, then Display, and look for "Refresh rate" or "Screen smoothness". If it is set to 60 Hz and your device supports higher, try switching to a higher rate and see whether the flickering stops. On iPhone, this setting does not exist — iPhones handle refresh rate automatically.
When flickering means your device is overheating
If your device feels hot to the touch and the app flickers, your device may be throttling — slowing itself down to cool off. This is a safety feature. When a device gets too hot, it reduces how fast the processor runs, which means the app cannot refresh the screen as quickly, and you see flickering.
Stop using the device for a few minutes and let it cool down. Close the app, close other apps, and set the device on a table in a cool room. Do not put it in the freezer or run it under water — that can damage it. Once it cools, the flickering should stop. If your device regularly overheats when you use one particular app, that app may be poorly written or may be running something demanding in the background. Consider uninstalling it and looking for an alternative.
Checking for system-wide problems
If multiple apps flicker, or if the entire screen flickers, the problem is usually your device's operating system, not individual apps. Check whether an update is waiting. On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update. On Android, go to Settings, then System, then System Update (the exact path varies by manufacturer). If an update is available, install it. Operating system updates often include fixes for display problems that affect many apps at once.
If no update is waiting and multiple apps still flicker, try restarting your device. If flickering continues after a restart and an update, the problem may be hardware — something inside your device that handles the display is failing. At that point, contact the device manufacturer's support line or visit a repair shop.
When to uninstall and reinstall
If one app still flickers after you have restarted your device, closed other apps, and updated both the app and your operating system, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Sometimes the app's files get corrupted — damaged in a way that makes them unreadable. Reinstalling replaces those files with fresh copies.
On both iPhone and Android, press and hold the app icon, then tap "Remove" or "Uninstall". Go to your app store, search for the app by name, and install it again. Open it and see whether flickering has stopped. This fixes the problem about 30 percent of the time when nothing else has worked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is flickering a sign my device is about to break?
Not usually. Flickering is almost always a software problem — something the app or operating system is doing — rather than hardware failure. If your device is not overheating and flickering stops after a restart or update, your device is fine. If flickering continues across multiple apps even after updates and restarts, hardware may be involved, and you should contact the manufacturer.
Why does one app flicker but others do not?
That app's code does not work smoothly on your device. The developer may have tested it on different hardware, or the app may be demanding more memory or processing power than your device has. Update the app first — the developer may have already fixed the problem. If flickering continues, the app may not be compatible with your device.
Can I fix flickering by changing my screen brightness?
Changing brightness will not fix flickering, but it can make flickering less noticeable while you work on the real problem. Flickering happens because the app and display are out of sync, not because the screen is too bright or dim. Focus on restarting the app, closing other apps, and updating instead.
Does flickering use more battery?
Yes, slightly. When your device is flickering, it is working harder to refresh the screen repeatedly. The battery drain is usually small, but if an app flickers constantly, you may notice your battery drains faster than normal. Fixing the flickering will also improve battery life.
What if flickering only happens when I use WiFi or mobile data?
The app may be struggling to load content from the internet while also updating the screen. Try closing other apps that use the internet, or switch from WiFi to mobile data (or vice versa) to see whether the problem is your connection speed. If the app flickers only when downloading large files or streaming video, your internet connection may be too slow for what the app is trying to do.