An iPhone is known for its smooth touch and quick response time. However, it pretty much becomes a paperweight if the touchscreen stops working. Luckily, it’s very easy to solve this problem.
Your iPhone screen may not work due to a hardware or software problem. To fix a software problem, restart your iPhone. Cleaning the screen and disconnecting accessories can also help solve touchscreen issues. In case of a hardware problem, visit your nearest Apple Store.
You need your phone to work correctly to make calls, stay connected on social media, access your photos, etc. However, if your iPhone screen isn’t responding to your touch, you must find a solution immediately. Let’s look at the steps to fix your iPhone’s unresponsive screen.
Why is Your iPhone Screen Unresponsive?
Before you can work on finding a solution for your unresponsive touchscreen, you need to figure out the reason behind this problem. Typically, this problem occurs when there’s something physically wrong with the iPhone display, the digitizer stops working correctly, or a software problem. (And before you get too far, note that if it’s only part of the screen that’s blurry, you should see our related post.)
Troubleshooting software problems on an iPhone are pretty straightforward and don’t cost anything. If you’ve recently dropped your iPhone, your unresponsive touch screen could be a hardware problem. However, software problems can also cause apps to slow down.
Dropping your iPhone can damage its delicate parts, which is why your touchscreen may stop working. The most obvious sign of a damaged screen is a cracked display, which can cause a number of problems with your touchscreen.
In most cases, restarting your iPhone makes your screen start working again. However, it’s also possible that your screen protector is the reason for your touchscreen problem. Try removing the screen protector to see if that’s the case.
How to Fix an Unresponsive iPhone Screen
An unresponsive iPhone screen can make you feel quite frustrated. However, there’s no need to feel down as this problem can be easily fixed. Following are some steps that you can take to get your touchscreen working again:
Restarting Your iPhone
The first thing that you should do is restart your iPhone. Follow the steps below to restart iPhone X and later models:
- Hold the Side button and Volume Up button simultaneously (for iPhone 8 and earlier models, hold only the Side button).
- The Slide to Power Off will appear. Swipe to shut down your iPhone.
- Press the Side button until the phone boots again.
You’ll have to force restart your phone if you cannot shut it down. For iPhone 8 and later models. You should:
- Hold and release the Volume Up button quickly.
- Next, hold and release the Volume Down button quickly.
- Now hold the Side button.
- Release it when the Apple logo appears
If you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, then:
- Press both the Side and Volume Down buttons.
- Release when the Apple logo appears.
For an iPhone 6 or earlier model:
- Press both the Home and Top buttons.
- Release when the Apple logo appears.
Restarting your iPhone typically fixes an unresponsive touchscreen; this is the first option you should try before looking for another solution.
Checking the Outside of Your Phone Screen
If your touchscreen isn’t responding, then try the recommendations below to get it working again:
Check the Screen Protector
The screen protectors available nowadays are typically very thin; however, in some cases, they might be the cause of your unresponsive touchscreen.
Be sure to apply the protector properly. It’s even better to apply a new screen protector if available.
Your iPhone touchscreen may also stop working if the screen protector is too thick, making it difficult for the screen to detect the electrical capacitance in the fingers.
If your touchscreen is working intermittently or isn’t working, then it’s also a good idea to remove everything around or on the screen, including the phone case and the screen protector.
If the touchscreen starts working after removing the accessories, look for a thinner screen protector and a different case.
Clean the Screen
Your device’s capacitative screen may not work due to moisture, dust, and dirt. That’s why it’s essential to clean the screen of your iPhone regularly. Gently wipe the screen with a dry microfiber cloth until it looks spotless.
Remember that you won’t be able to use the touchscreen properly if you’re wearing mittens or gloves. So take these off before using your iPhone.
If you live in a region that experiences frigid climates, it may be better to invest in specialized gloves designed with capacitive fingertips. These gloves will help you use your iPhone outdoors, even in icy conditions.
Disconnect Accessories from the Lightning Port
Sometimes, USB-C accessories connected to your iPhone’s Lightning port can disrupt the working of your touchscreen. Unplug anything connected to your device, including the charger or power bank.
If your touchscreen starts working after removing the accessories, it might be a compatibility issue. Try replacing the cable or accessory with another product to see if things improve.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your iPhone’s touchscreen still doesn’t work after trying the steps above, then the following troubleshooting tips might help:
Update the App
If your device’s touchscreen stops working when you use a particular app, the problem could be with the app and not your iPhone. Find out if there’s an update available for that app. For this, you’ll need to:
- Go to the App Store.
- You’ll see your account icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Tap on it.
- A list of available updates will appear. Scroll down to see if an update is available for the particular app causing the problem.
Delete and Reinstall the App
If you experience problems running the app even after updating it, try deleting and reinstalling it. This will remove all the previous data and give the app a fresh start.
Follows the steps below to delete the app:
- Hold the app’s icon to open the menu.
- Press Remove App, then Delete App, and then Delete.
If needed, you can easily reinstall the app.
Update Your iPhone
If you’ve tried all the steps above and your device’s touchscreen still doesn’t respond, the next option is to update your iPhone. As your screen isn’t working, you’ll need to connect your phone to your computer and put it in Recovery Mode before updating.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Make sure your iPhone is connected to your computer. Now launch iTunes if you’re running Windows or macOS Mojave 10.14. If you’ve macOS Catalina 10.15, then launch Finder.
- For an iPhone 8 or later model, first, hold and release the Volume Up button. Then hold and release the Volume Down button. Now hold the Side button until the Recovery Mode appears.
- If you’ve got an iPhone 7 Plus or 7, hold both the Volume Down and Side buttons until the Recovery Mode appears.
- A window will pop up on your computer, giving you two options: update or restore your iPhone.
- Tap Update.
Watch Out For Other Common iPhone Issues
If you’ve found some use from this guide, we hope you’ll consider checking out some of our other iPhone troubleshooting posts when you’re in need! We have guides on what to do if your iPhone storage won’t load, how to stop the screen’s auto-dimming, and how to fix a black screen (as opposed to one that isn’t functioning at all). Be sure to bookmark us!