Seeing a completely black screen on your OnePlus 13 can be a real scare, but it's often a temporary glitch rather than a permanent failure. The phone might be on but the display is frozen, or a software crash has locked everything up. Let's get it working again.
Force Restart Your OnePlus 13
This is almost always the first step you should take. Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button at the same time. Keep holding them for about 10 seconds until you feel the device vibrate and see the OnePlus logo appear. This process works even if the screen is totally unresponsive and can clear up many minor software freezes.
Charge the Phone Properly
A battery that's drained to absolute zero will show nothing but a black screen. Grab your original OnePlus 100W charger and USB-C cable and plug it in. Let it charge undisturbed for at least 20 to 30 minutes before you try to turn it on again. If you don't see a charging indicator after that time, try a different cable and power adapter to rule out a faulty charger.
For wireless charging, place it on a compatible Qi2 or MagSafe charger. The 50W wireless charging is fast, but if the battery is completely dead, it may take a few minutes on the pad before any sign of life appears. I'd recommend using the wired charger for this initial recovery attempt, as it's more reliable for a deeply drained battery.
Check the Screen and Physical Condition
Take a close look at the display under a good light. Look for any cracks, deep scratches, or unusual dark spots that weren't there before. If the phone still vibrates for notifications, makes sounds, or responds to the "Hey Google" hotword, then the device is on but the display hardware itself is likely damaged. This would require a screen replacement.
Connect to a Computer
If a force restart did nothing, connect your OnePlus 13 to a Windows PC or Mac using a USB-C cable. On your computer, see if the device is detected as a drive or if any connection sound plays. If it is recognized, you may be able to use official OnePlus tools or ADB commands to try and reboot the system, though this requires previously enabled developer options.
A more thorough step is to try a software restore. OnePlus provides a local upgrade tool, but accessing it typically requires a functioning phone to initiate the process, which isn't possible with a black screen.
Enter Recovery Mode
If the computer isn't seeing the phone normally, you can try booting into Recovery Mode. First, power the phone off if you can (hold power for 15+ seconds). Then, with it powered off, press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button together.
When you feel the vibration, release the Power button but keep holding Volume Down. You should eventually see the Recovery Mode menu. From here, you can use the volume keys to navigate and the power key to select Wipe data/factory reset or Reboot system now. Be warned that a factory reset will erase all your data.
Consider Software and Overheating
The OnePlus 13 runs OxygenOS 15, and early software builds can sometimes have bugs that cause instability. If you recently installed an update and then encountered the black screen, it could be related. Keeping your software updated is one of the best ways to prevent these issues once you get the phone running again.
Also, consider if the phone was under heavy load. Known issues with the model include potential overheating during intensive gaming sessions. If the phone overheated, it may have shut down to protect itself and could be slow to respond. Let it cool down completely before attempting to charge or restart it.
Look for Signs of Liquid Exposure
While the phone has some water resistance, exposure to liquids can still cause problems. If it was recently around water, moisture may have gotten into the display connector or other internal components. Don't try to turn it on. Power it off and leave it in a dry, warm place for at least 48 hours to let any internal moisture evaporate completely.
