iPhone touch screen not working? 8 easy fixes

Is your iPhone touch screen not working? While panic is the most natural reaction in such a scenario, there are some fixes that you can try at home to restore the functionality. Whether it’s a frozen display, delayed swipes, or taps that register incorrectly, touch screen issues on iPhone are real, but most touch problems aren’t permanent.

iPhone touch screen not working

As soon as your iPhone’s touch screen fails to work properly, the first thing to do is not assume it’s a hardware failure. If your iPhone touch screen not working, try these quick and effective troubleshooting steps before visiting a service centre.

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1. Force restart your iPhone
2. Remove the screen protector
3. Clean and dry the screen
4. Disconnect accessories
5. Update software
6. Free up storage
7. Reset all settings
8. Restore your iPhone in DFU Mode

1. Force restart your iPhone

This is a no-brainer. The first fix to try when your iPhone’s touch screen stops working is a force restart. When you force restart your phone, it clears temporary glitches affecting the performance of the touch screen. To force restart an iPhone, press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and quickly release the volume down button. Now press and hold the side button, and when the Apple logo appears, release it.

2. Remove the screen protector

Another common reason for the iPhone touch screen not to work is a poorly applied screen protector or a thick tempered glass capable of interfering with the digitiser. You can try removing it and testing the touch functionality. If the touch screen works normally, replace the screen protector with a quality one.

3. Clean and dry the screen

Your screen’s touch sensitivity is also affected by sweat, dust, oil, and moisture. You can use a clean microfibre cloth to wipe the screen and if you have washed your hands or used hand sanitiser, you should make sure your fingers are fully dry.

4. Disconnect accessories

Your iPhone touch screen response can also be disrupted by poor-quality accessories like cheap charging cables, faulty adapters, or low-quality car chargers. If you have an accessory connected while the touch screen fails to function properly, unplug all accessories and check if the touch screen works.

5. Update software

The iPhone is no longer immune to bugs, and if your iPhone has a touch-related bug, then Apple should push an update to fix the same. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for a software update, and if your phone’s touch screen isn’t working, connect your phone to a Mac/PC and update via Finder.

6. Free up storage

When your iPhone’s storage runs full, it inadvertently leads to a slowdown, and one potential victim is the touch screen. You might feel the screen lag or freeze, and you can fix this by deleting unused apps, old videos, or large files.

7. Reset all settings

If the above fixes don’t solve the iPhone touch screen issue, you should try to reset the device. To do this, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. Please note this will only reset some settings but won’t erase your data.

8. Restore your iPhone in DFU Mode

When everything else fails, a DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) restore will reload the firmware and software from scratch. First, connect your iPhone to a Mac or PC and enter DFU mode using steps for your model and then restore via Finder or iTunes.

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If your iPhone’s touch screen is still not working then it might need a hardware fix. When there is a hardware issue, you can look out for clear signs such as screen flickers, shows lines, has dead zones, or works only when pressed hard.

From faulty display or damaged digitiser to internal connector failure, a touch screen might stop responding for a number of reasons. However, you can try these simple fixes to save time, money, and visit to an Apple authorised service centre.