Touchscreen not responding? Causes and fixes

Before assuming the screen is broken, rule out the simple causes. Most touch problems come from something on or around the screen, not inside it.

Find out where it fails

Open the touch test and swipe over the whole screen. If one area never turns green, the problem is likely physical. If the whole screen is unreliable or it changes from minute to minute, it's often software, moisture or electrical noise.

Fixes to try, in order

1. Clean and dry the screen. Water, sweat and grease confuse capacitive touch.
2. Remove the screen protector or case. Thick, cracked or bubbled protectors and tight case edges often cause dead zones near the edges.
3. Unplug the charger. Cheap or faulty chargers can create electrical noise that causes ghost touches. If the problem only happens while charging, try another charger and cable.
4. Restart the device. A frozen app or system process can make the screen look unresponsive.
5. Update the system and remove recently installed apps that draw over the screen.
6. On Android, try safe mode to see whether a third-party app is the cause.

When it's hardware

If an area stays dead after all of this — especially after a drop, pressure or water exposure — the touch layer (digitizer) is probably damaged and needs repair. Ghost touches that continue without a charger and with a clean screen point the same way.

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