Although fairly rare, it’s possible for an iPhone’s touch screen to stop working or become unresponsive. Usually, the problem occurs when the iPhone has been dropped or smashed.
However, various software bugs and glitches or faulty apps could also lead to frozen iPhone screens. Additionally, sometimes a screen protector could also hinder your touch and display of the iPhone. But we found several workarounds to fix the problem.
Let’s get started!
Note: The below methods apply to all models of iPhone.
- Uninstall problem apps
- Force restart your iPhone
- Clean your iPhone
- Update your iPhone using a computer
- Reset your iPhone
- Perform DFU
- Hardware defect
- Fix it yourself with Self Service Repair
1. Uninstall problem apps
If you’ve noticed that your iPhone’s screen becomes unresponsive while using a particular app, that app might be the cause of the issue. Buggy apps can also be the reason for your iPhone screen not responding to touch. What you can do here is try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.
If your iPhone screen refuses to read touch inputs and stops working when you’re using a particular app, the app is most likely at fault. To fix this, go to the homescreen and try restarting your iPhone.
If that doesn’t help, uninstall and reinstall the app. Here’s how:
- Press and hold the app icon on the home screen.
- Tap Remove App.
- Next, tap Delete App.
- Tap Delete.
- Now, open the App Store.
- Search for the app’s name. Download the app back onto your iPhone and see if it causes any further problems.
If your iPhone’s touch screen responds well without the app, you’ve probably found your culprit. You can try contacting the app’s developers and report your troubles so they can work out a fix.
If the problem persists, move on to the next solution.
2. Force restart your iPhone
Now, restart your device. You may wonder how you will turn off your iPhone when the touch screen isn’t working. Well, there’s a way to reboot your iPhone even without using the touchscreen.
To do so,
On iPhone 8 or newer:
- Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
- Then quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
- Finally, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo pops up.
On iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold either the Volume Up/Volume Down button along with the power button until you see the Apple logo.
On iPhone 6S or earlier: Press and hold the Power button and Home button simultaneously until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
This method fixes the unresponsive touch screen issue and also other issues like blur iPhone corner.
3. Clean your iPhone
Even though the iPhone 7 and later models are water-resistant, they have a limit. Any liquid on the iPhone’s display or your finger can hinder your touch inputs with the screen, making it unresponsive. Clean off any liquid or debris that may be on your iPhone with a dry cloth.
If your iPhone was submerged in a pool or fell in a liquid, turn off your iPhone first. Let it dry completely, and then turn it on. If you feel the liquid has entered your iPhone’s speakers and microphone, read our guide on how to eject liquid from your iPhone.
Note: Never plug a wet iPhone (or any device) into a charger, computer, or external power source.
4. Update your iPhone using a computer
Sometimes, software updates can help fix the bugs or glitches of the existing software version. Try updating your iPhone by connecting it to a Mac or PC which you normally use.
This guide on updating should help you to get along with the process. Moreover, if that doesn’t work, you can try making a backup and restoring your iPhone through your Mac or PC. In some cases, this helps unresponsive iPhone touch screens.
5. Reset your iPhone
If your iPhone’s screen is completely unusable, head on to the next solution. However, if it’s a little responsive, try to reset your iPhone.
6. Perform DFU
DFU stands for “Device Firmware Upgrade”. If your iPhone’s touch screen still isn’t working after trying DFU mode, you can have some degree of confidence that it’s a hardware-related issue.
DFU removes everything from your device and reinstalls all software again. All of your data will be lost if not backed up to iCloud, pCloud, any other cloud service of your choosing, or an external harddrive.
Again: make sure you do this only if you have a recent backup or have no essential data on the iPhone that you cannot download from the cloud.
Check out the following guide to know how to put your iPhone in DFU mode.
7. Hardware defect
If none of the above steps work, it’s surely the hardware problem. Consider contacting Apple Support to get the screen replaced. However, the replacement can be a bit costly.
8. Fix it yourself with Self Service Repair
If you’ve narrowed it down to a hardware issue, it may be time to visit Apple Support as we mentioned.
But if you’re keen on getting under the hood yourself, Apple wants to give you the chance.
Apple’s Self Service Repair is here, and you have the option to fix your touch screen issues in your own home. Make sure you do your research and proceed with caution here.
Who knows, you might find you enjoy fixing things.
Video: How to fix iPhone touch screen not working issue?
These were some of the ways to fix an unresponsive iPhone touch screen. I hope one of the methods listed above was helpful.
If you know of any other solutions to this problem, please share them with us in the comments below. And if you have any other questions about Apple products, ask away!
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