How to fix OnePlus 6 screen flickering issue

OnePlus 6 users recently reported a screen flickering issue on the device. Users started facing this issue after the OxygenOS 5.1.8 update. The problem basically pops up when the display is exposed to extreme light or the sunlight. The display starts flickering between two different brightness levels. As a result, the user is unable to see the screen while moving outdoor or in the extreme light.

It was expected that OnePlus will fix the issue with the next OTA update. However, the issue was still there on the OxygenOS 5.1.9. OnePlus has taken the notice of this issue and it has promised to fix the issue in the next OTA update. It’s not known when OnePlus will roll out the next OTA to fix this problem. In the meanwhile, you can try the solutions listed here to fix OnePlus 6 screen flickering issue.

Why the screen flickers? My wild guess!

At the moment, all you can do is to turn off the auto-brightness. Since I haven’t faced this issue on my OnePlus 6, I am unable to test the solution. On Auto-Brightness or Adaptive Brightness, the phone is supposed to maximize its brightness in extreme lighting conditions. This is done in order to keep showing the user the phone’s display properly. Lower brightness in extreme light does not show the display. Therefore, the phone tries to auto-adjust the brightness levels with the changing lighting conditions. My very own guess is that, if the auto-brightness is turned off, the phone will not try to adjust the brightness and it will not let the screen flicker either. So, here is how you should turn off the Auto-Brightness on your OnePlus 6.

Turn off Auto-Brightness

1. On your phone, pull down the notification panel.
2. Tap the “A” appearing next to the brightness bar to turn off Auto-Brightness.
3. Alternatively, go to Settings > Adaptive Brightness > Tap the radio button to turn off.
   

4. Now try exposing your phone to extreme light and see if the screen still flickers or not.

This is all you can do right now. The other solution is to patiently wait for the update. Update your phone as soon as the new update appears. OnePlus is quick enough to note down all such issues and come up with an answer. The update shouldn’t take very long as the issue is widespread and users from all over the world have reported it.