Missing Lines or Blank Areas

Try the following actions to resolve the issue. If the issue persists, proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

Ensure that all Plastic Screen Covers Have Been Removed

The customer might not have removed the plastic film off the screen; removing the plastic film resolves this issue.

Ensure that the BlackBerry Smartphone is Fully Charged

Also verify that the customer has not had any issues with charging the BlackBerry® smartphone. Screen issues can occur because the battery is not fully charged. Charging the battery could resolve this issue.

Visually Inspect the BlackBerry Smartphone for Indications of Customer Misuse or Physical Damage

If you uncover physical damage, follow your wireless service provider’s policies to service or return the BlackBerry smartphone. Here are some common examples of physical damage:

  • Cracked or scratched screen
  • Signs of potential liquid damage, such as the following:
    • An active liquid damage indicator in the battery compartment or near the trackball
    • Sticky residue around the battery
    • Green or white corrosion around the battery
    • A foggy screen
  • Missing keys
  • Missing trackball or trackpad
  • Cracked housing
  • Missing SIM card door or bent pins in the SIM card tray
  • Cracked camera lens
  • Bent pins or debris on the USB port
  • Loose USB port (USB cannot connect tightly)

Check the Light Sensor

The customer might have an issue with the light sensor under her LCD screen.

To check that the light sensor is functioning, complete the following steps:

  1. Cover the LED/light sensor with your thumb while the LCD screen is bright.
  2. Hold your thumb in place until the LCD screen dims.
  3. Uncover the LED/light sensor in bright light. The LCD should now be bright.

Check the Backlight Settings

The backlight on the customer’s LCD screen might not function correctly.

To change the backlight settings, complete the following steps.

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0

  1. On the Home screen, click Options.
  2. Click Screen/Keyboard.
  3. Set the following fields to adjust the settings:
    1. Backlight Brightness
    2. Backlight Timeout
    3. Automatically Dim Backlight
    4. LED Coverage Indicator
  4. Press the Menu key.
  5. Click Save.

BlackBerry Device Software 6.0 to 7.0

  1. On the Home screen, click Options.
  2. Click Display.
  3. Click Screen Display.
  4. Set the following fields to adjust the settings:
    1. Backlight Brightness
    2. Backlight Timeout
    3. Automatically Dim Backlight
    4. LED Coverage Indicator
  5. Press the Menu key.
  6. Click Save.

Check the Contrast

Change the contrast and see if this solves the issue the customer is having. You can set the color contrast of application interfaces, menus, and dialog boxes to Normal, Grayscale, or Reverse Contrast.

To change the color contrast, complete the following steps.

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0

  1. On the Home screen, click Options.
  2. Click Advanced Options.
  3. Click Accessibility.
  4. Set the Color Contrast field to Normal, Reverse Contrast, or Grayscale.
  5. Press the Menu key.
  6. Click Save.

BlackBerry Device Software 6.0 to 7.0

  1. On the Home screen, click Options.
  2. Click Accessibility.
  3. Set the Color Contrast field to Normal, Reverse, or Greyscale.
  4. Press the Menu key.
  5. Click Save.

Perform a Hard Reset

A hard reset is similar to restarting a computer that stops responding. A hard reset closes all running BlackBerry applications, restarts the BlackBerry smartphone operating system, and restarts the hardware components of the BlackBerry smartphone, including the wireless transceiver.

Note: A hard reset does not delete any settings or data on the BlackBerry smartphone.

To perform a hard reset, complete the following steps:

  1. Turn the BlackBerry smartphone off.
  2. Remove the battery.
  3. Reinsert the battery.
  4. Wait for the BlackBerry smartphone to turn on.

Note: If the customer reports that the issue returns after performing a hard reset, the customer should be directed to technical support for further investigation.

Back up Device Prior to Reloading the Device Software

For more information, visit www.blackberry.com/support to read article KB23680 for BlackBerry® Desktop Software 6.0 to 7.0, KB12487 for BlackBerry® Desktop Manager 5.0, and KB18776 for Mac.

  1. Connect the BlackBerry smartphone to the computer running the BlackBerry Desktop Manager or the BlackBerry Desktop Software.
  2. Click Backup Now.
  3. Select backup type full.
  4. Choose a location to save the backup file, then click Backup.

Update the BlackBerry Device Software

If your wireless service provider approves performing software upgrades in store, update the customer’s BlackBerry Device Software. If you cannot perform an update in the store, ask the customer to update their BlackBerry Device Software using a computer.

If you already have BlackBerry Desktop Manager or Blackberry Desktop Software installed, you can update by completing the following steps:

Warning: If you install BlackBerry Device Software older than the current version installed on your BlackBerry smartphone, you could cause your BlackBerry smartphone to malfunction.


BlackBerry Desktop Manager 5.0

  1. Connect your BlackBerry smartphone to your computer and open the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
  2. Double-click Application Loader.
  3. Click Start under Update Software to start the installation process.
  4. Type the BlackBerry smartphone password, if prompted, and then click OK.
  5. Select Options under Device Software Options.
  6. Select the check boxes next to the names of the applications you want to load, and then click Next.
  7. Click OK > Next > Finish.When the process is complete, the message "The loading operation was successful" appears.
  8. Click Close to return to the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.


BlackBerry Desktop Software 6.0 to 7.0

  1. Connect your BlackBerry smartphone to your computer and open the BlackBerry Desktop Software.
  2. On the Home screen of the BlackBerry Desktop Software, click Device.
  3. Click Update My Device in the list.
  4. Type the BlackBerry smartphone password, if prompted, and then click OK.
  5. Click Install.
  6. Click Install Update.

To add or remove additional applications on the BlackBerry smartphone, select Applications.

Note: It can take several minutes for the applications to appear.

To perform a web-based BlackBerry Device Software update, complete the following steps:

  1. Open www.blackberry.com/update
  2. Click Check for Updates.
  3. In the File Download window, click Run.
  4. In the Security Warning window, click Run.
  5. After the Device Connection window appears, connect your BlackBerry smartphone.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Get Update.

If this issue is still not resolved, follow your wireless service provider’s procedures to service or return the BlackBerry smartphone.