How to Fix an Unresponsive iPhone Touchscreen – DIY in 5 Ep 259

Опубликовано 5 октября 2025, 13:00

Struggling with your iPhone touchscreen? Whether you are or aren’t, we have some tips that will help when you have this problem.

Simple issues
If you’re watching this video, you’ve probably already checked, but just in case—is this problem limited to a specific app? If so, the fault is probably with the app and not the phone. Try rebooting your phone so you can check.

Some wired peripherals don’t play well with general iPhone functionality. Disconnect any accessories attached to the phone and see if that’s the cause.

Is your iPhone overheating? If it’s hot to the touch, the system might not be working as intended. You can shut it down and leave it for up to half an hour to see if cooling down helps.
Touchscreens accumulate a lot of dirt. Dirty phone screens affect the phone’s ability to track changes in charge, and therefore can’t respond to your touch. Only cleaning your phone screen can fix this issue. Turn your phone off via force restart, then using a clean, damp microfiber cloth, thoroughly wipe the screen. Turn it back on and see if it now responds to your touch.

Operating system issues
If you’re still struggling, the problem may still be software-related. Even Apple’s proprietary OS is not immune to software glitches that can temporarily disable touchscreen functionality. 99% of the time, a restart will fix the issue. However, no touchscreen means a force restart is needed. Simply press and release the volume up and volume down buttons, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

No luck? Time to do some updates. Hard to do with no touchscreen function, but not impossible. Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable. On Windows, go to Apple Devices or (or iTunes if that’s not an option). On Mac, open the Finder. Do the force restart sequence on your iPhone, holding the side button until you see ‘Connect to computer’. Locate your iPhone on your computer and when you see the option to Update or Restore, choose Update, and wait for the download to complete.
If that didn’t work, it’s time to look at the factory reset. This is a drastic course of action since it may mean formatting your phone, wiping all apps, software updates, and personal data. Go back to Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes. Do the force restart sequence one more time, holding the side button until you see Connect to Computer, but this time you’re going to choose Restore instead of Update. After the restore is complete, you’ll have the option to set up your device as new or from an iCloud backup, if one’s available.

Technical issues
Screens are expensive to repair. Using a screen protector and phone case to keep your phone from sustaining preventable damage is prudent. However, not all protectors fit quite right. If your screen stops responding after you installed a new screen protector, try removing it to see if that makes a difference. You may need a different brand. Similarly, low-quality iPhone cases can cause displays to be unresponsive. Remove the case and see if your touchscreen works without it.
Unfortunately, sometimes damage is the cause. iPhones have IP68 ratings, meaning they’re resistant to water and dust. Resistant is not immune, so taking one in the pool is still not a good idea. Those ratings are for devices in perfect, factory conditions. Every time you knock it, drop it, or accidentally throw it, you jeopardize that IP68 rating.
You might be able to take your iPhone to Apple for repair. You can reach out online, via phone, in-person at an Apple store, or even via mail.
What are your remedies for touchscreen issues? Was there something we couldn’t cover in this video? Share your tips below!

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0:00 Intro
0:36 Simple issues
1:33 Operating system issues
3:06 Technical issues