How to Troubleshoot an Unresponsive Touch Screen

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Troubleshoot touchscreen issues on Android, iOS, & Windows

Co-authored by Megaera Lorenz, PhD Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: March 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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General Fixes

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Android Phones & Tablets

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iPhones & iPads

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Windows Laptops & Tablets

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If the touchscreen on your phone or tablet is unresponsive, glitchy, or blank, don’t panic. Most touchscreen issues are easy to fix. In this article, we’ll offer general tips for fixing a touchscreen on any device, as well as specific solutions for Android, Apple, and Windows devices.

How to Fix Common Touchscreen Issues

To fix simple glitches, force-restart your device. If that doesn't work, clean your touchscreen. Remove accessories, including cases, screen protectors, and plug-in devices. Check the screen for physical damage. If you suspect a software issue, update to the latest operating system. Reset your device as a last resort.

Section 1 of 4:

General Fixes

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Force-restart your device. Your touchscreen might be unresponsive due to a simple glitch. If this is the case, you can often get things working by restarting your device. If you can’t use your screen at all, you can force restart most devices using physical buttons:
- Android phones and tablets: Press and hold the power button for about 30 seconds to force your phone or tablet to reboot.^{[1]
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- iPhone/iPad: Press and release the volume up button, then the volume down button. Then, press and hold the top or side (Sleep/Wake) button. Let go once the Apple logo appears.^{[2]
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- Windows laptops and tablets: Press and hold the power button until your computer or tablet restarts.
  - For some devices, such as older Surface tablets, you might need to hold down a combination of buttons (like volume up and power).^{[3]
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    Microsoft Support
    Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
    
    Go to source} If you’re not sure, check the manual that came with your device.
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Clean the touchscreen. Dust, oil, or dirt on your touchscreen could affect how it responds. Turn off your device, then clean the screen with a dry microfiber cloth. You can use a cloth lightly dampened in water to remove stubborn gunk, or purchase a cleaning spray or wipes specifically designed for touchscreen devices.
- If you use a cleaning spray, it’s best to spray it on a cleaning cloth instead of directly onto the screen.
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Screen protectors, cases, and other accessories can interfere with your touchscreen. Plug-in accessories can also cause problems in some cases.^{[4]
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Research source} Remove everything from your device and see if the screen starts responding again. If that works, try re-adding your accessories one by one until you pinpoint which one was causing the problem.
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Update your operating system. An outdated OS could be causing glitches. If you can, go into your device’s settings and check for updates. If that’s not possible, you might need to update or restore your device in Recovery Mode (see specific instructions for Android and iPhone/iPad below. If you are able to access your device’s settings, use the following steps to update:
- Android: Go to Settings > System > Software Updates or System Updates. On a Samsung, go to Settings > Software Update or System Updates. If an update is available, follow the instructions on the screen to download and install it.
- iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, follow the instructions onscreen to install it.
- Windows: Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for Windows updates (Windows 11) or Start > Settings > Update & Security > Check for Windows updates (Windows 10).
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Try a touchscreen testing app. If you still have at least partial use of your screen, you might be able to download and run an app that can diagnose specific issues, like dead pixels or poor touch sensitivity. The right app depends on what kind of device and operating system you’re using.
- Android: Touch Screen Test is a popular free app that allows you to test touchscreen functionality and identify specific problems with your screen. There is a free version, although the paid version offers more features.
- iPhone/iPad: TouchScreenCheck is a super simple free app that allows you to test touchscreen responsiveness on iPhone or iPad. Users report that it’s especially helpful for diagnosing ghost touch issues.
- Windows: Easy Screen Tester is a simple app that allows you to test a variety of screen issues, including touchscreen responsiveness.
- All devices: This browser-based screen tester from OnlineMicTest.com works with all touchscreen devices to detect hardware issues. Once you’ve run the test, problem areas on your screen will be highlighted in blue. You can take a screenshot) and show the test results to a repair technician.
An unresponsive, glitchy, or blank touchscreen can be a sign of a hardware problem. Look for cracks, chips, or other signs of obvious damage to your screen.^{[5]
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Research source} If your device got wet, it’s possible that there’s internal water damage you can’t see. If you suspect there’s a physical problem with your screen, you’ll probably need to take it to a professional to be fixed or replaced.

Section 2 of 4:

Android Phones and Tablets

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Test your phone in safe mode to eliminate problematic apps. Some apps can cause problems with your touchscreen functionality. To test if an app might be the problem, boot up your Android in Safe Mode. If it works, then there’s definitely a software issue. You can then uninstall any apps that you recently installed and see if that fixes the issue.^{[6]
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Research source} Here’s how to enter Safe Mode on a stock Android or Samsung phone or tablet:^{[7]
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- Turn off your Android and restart it.
- Once the startup animation begins, press and hold the volume down button.
- Keep holding the volume down button until you see text that says “Safe mode.”
- Check and see if your touch screen works the way it’s supposed to.
- Uninstall any apps that you installed around the time the problem started.
- Reboot your phone or tablet and see if the problem is solved.
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Do a drag test to figure out if a specific part of the screen is affected. If you suspect there’s a hardware problem with just part of your screen, you can do this simple test to pinpoint the issue. Touch the top left corner of your screen, then slowly drag your finger diagonally across the screen to the bottom right corner without breaking contact. You should drag slowly enough that you can count to 10 before you reach the bottom corner.^{[8]
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- If you’re able to drag your Quick Settings bar and notifications all the way from the top of the screen to the bottom, the problem isn’t linked to a specific part of your screen. In this case, you probably have a software issue. You might need to reset your device to factory settings if other troubleshooting steps don’t work.
- If the Quick Settings bar and notifications snap back up to the top of the screen before you reach the bottom, repeat the test again to see if you can replicate that result. If it happens again, make note of the location on the screen where the problem occurred. There’s probably a hardware issue that you’ll need to get professionally repaired.
Developer Options is a special menu that lets you take more control of your apps and system software. However, having it enabled can sometimes cause issues with your touchscreen. To turn it off, go to Settings > System > Developer options. If you don’t see Developer options, you don’t have it enabled. If you do see it, toggle off Developer options.^{[9]
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If you started having issues after adding a screen protector, you might need to make your screen a little more sensitive to touch. Likewise, if you recently removed a screen protector and your touchscreen is a little too responsive, you can run off enhanced sensitivity (if it’s enabled). Go to Settings > Display and scroll down until you find the Touch Sensitivity option. Toggle Touch Sensitivity on or off to make your touchscreen more or less responsive.^{[10]
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Reset your Android in Recovery Mode. If you’re still able to use your touchscreen at all, you can try resetting your Android without going into Recovery Mode. If you absolutely can’t get your screen to work, your best bet might be to boot up into Recovery Mode. From there, you can factory reset your Android using the buttons on your device. This should be a last resort, since it will wipe all your settings and data. Here’s how to do it:^{[11]
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- Press and hold the power button until your Android powers down.
- Press and hold the power button and the volume down button at the same time for about 10 seconds. If that doesn’t work, check the manual for your device to find the right button combo.
  - If you do this correctly, a special menu screen will appear. If your Android reboots as it normally does, you’ll need to try again.
- Use the volume buttons to cycle through the menu options, then press the power button to select Recovery Mode.
- If you see a screen that says “No Command,” press and hold the power button while pressing and releasing the volume up button. Let go of both buttons. You should now see the Recovery Mode menu.
- Use the volume buttons to cycle through the menu options. Select the option that says Wipe Data or Factory Reset by pressing the power button.
- You may need to select an option called Format Data or Factory Data Reset to confirm. Wait for the process to complete and follow any prompts you see on the screen.

Section 3 of 4:

iPhone/iPad

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Your iPhone or iPad might become unresponsive if it’s exposed to extreme temperatures. If your device is overheated, allow it to cool for a while and try again. Move it to a cool environment, and once you’re able to do so, close any apps that use a lot of system resources (like Maps or some game apps). Similarly, if you’re out in the cold, bring your iPhone or iPad inside or put it in your pocket to warm up for a while.
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Adjust your touch settings in Accessibility. If you can use your screen at all, you might be able to adjust how it reacts to your touch so it works better for you. Open the Settings app and navigate to Accessibility > Touch. From there, you can adjust settings like:
- Haptic Touch: From this menu, you can adjust how long it takes for your touchscreen to react to a long press.
- Touch Accommodations: Here you can enable or disable features like Hold Duration (lets you adjust the amount of time you have to touch the screen before it recognizes your touch), Ignore Repeat (registers multiple touches within a certain amount of time as a single touch), and Tap Assistance (allows gestures like swipes or drags to be recognized as a single tap on either the start or end location).
- Tap or Swipe to Wake: Enable this setting if you want to be able to wake your iPhone by tapping the screen or swiping up from the bottom when it’s locked or asleep.
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Update or reset your device in Recovery Mode. If no other troubleshooting techniques are working, you might need to factory reset your iPhone or iPad. This should be a last resort, as it will wipe all your device’s data and settings (although you can restore them if you have a backup). If your iPhone or iPad is completely unresponsive to touch, you can try resetting it in Recovery Mode. You’ll also have the option to try updating it first, which may be enough to fix the issue. Here’s how to do it:^{[12]
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- Plug your iPhone or iPad into a computer. If it’s a Mac, make sure it’s running the latest version of macOS. If it’s a Windows PC, you’ll need the latest version of iTunes or Apple Devices.
- Open Finder (Mac) or Apple Devices or iTunes (Windows).
- Press the correct sequence of buttons on your iPhone or iPad to enter recovery mode:
  - iPhone 8 or later and iPads with no Home button: Press and release the volume up button, then the volume down button. Then, press and hold the power button until you see the Connect to computer screen (it looks like an icon of a computer with a cable pointing towards it).
  - iPhone 7 or 7 Plus: Press and hold the volume down and top or side button at the same time until you see the Connect to computer screen.
  - iPhone 6s and earlier and iPads with a Home button: Press and hold the Home button and the top or side button at the same time until you see the Connect to computer screen.
- Select your iPhone or iPad in the left-hand menu bar in Finder. It should be under the Locations header. If you’re using Apple Devices or iTunes on a Windows PC, you might see it at the top left side of the app window or in the menu bar at the top.
- When a window pops up offering you the choice to update or restore your iPhone or iPad, try the Update option first. If it works, your device will be updated to the latest operating system, and hopefully the problem with your touchscreen will be resolved.
- If updating doesn’t solve the problem, return to Recovery Mode and select Restore this time. Wait for the process to complete and follow any on-screen prompts.
- Once your iPhone or iPad is finished resetting, you should be able to reboot it normally. From there, you’ll have to either restore it from a backup or set it up as a new device.

Section 4 of 4:

Windows Laptops and Tablets

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Make sure your touchscreen is enabled in Device Manager. It’s possible your touchscreen was accidentally disabled in your Windows device’s settings. If so, here’s how to re-enable it:^{[13]
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- Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Expand the Human Interface Devices section.
- Right-click HID-Compliant touch screen.
- Select Enable device. If this option isn’t available, try disabling the device and re-enabling it.
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Reinstall or update your touchscreen driver. A malfunctioning touchscreen could be a sign of a corrupted driver. To update or reinstall the driver:^{[14]
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Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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- Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Expand the Human Interface Devices section.
- Right-click HID-Compliant touch screen.
- To reinstall the driver, select Uninstall device, then restart your computer or tablet. The driver should be automatically reinstalled when you restart.
- To update the driver, select Update driver > Search automatically for updated driver software. If a new driver is available, follow the prompts onscreen to install it.
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Check your Power Management settings. Some power management settings can interfere with the way your touchscreen behaves. Try the following adjustments and see if your touchscreen starts working better:
- Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Expand the Human Interface Devices section.
- Right-click HID-Compliant touch screen.
- Select Properties > Power Management.
- If “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” option is checked, uncheck it.
- Next, go to Start > Settings > System > Power & Battery > Additional Power Settings.
- Select Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings.
- Expand the USB settings section, then set USB selective suspend to Disabled.
- Expand the PCI Express section and set Link State Power Management to Off.
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Test the touchscreen in BIOS to rule out a hardware issue. Since your computer or tablet’s BIOS runs separately from your main operating system, the touchscreen should still work in BIOS if there’s a software problem. The right way to enter BIOS depends on your specific device, but usually it involves repeatedly pressing a specific key on the keyboard (such as F2, Delete, or F10) during startup. Check your manual if you aren’t sure which key is correct. If your device doesn’t have a keyboard but you’re able to navigate your screen with a mouse, you can also enter the BIOS via Settings.
- If your touchscreen works fine in BIOS, there’s probably something wrong with your system software. Try running the System File Checker to find and repair any issues.
- If nothing else works, you might need to reset or reinstall Windows.