There's nothing more frustrating than using your smartphone or tablet and then, suddenly, it's not responding anymore. Like that touchscreen becomes completely useless, for some reason. What to do? Keep reading, and we'll explain how to fix an unresponsive touchscreen and get back to using your device.
Clearly, that problem can be caused by many issues, for example, if you dropped your device and the screen is cracked, well, there's not much we can do. But in case of other issues, such as how to fix a speaker crackling and how to clean a charging port, you can try some quick fixes.
So, let's look at what can be done when dealing with an unresponsive touchscreen on your device.
How to fix your device's unresponsive touchscreen
There are several things you can try, from restarting your phone to drying out your device or upgrading your firmware. Let's look at the options:
Restart your device
The first thing to try is definitely a restart, but since the touchscreen is not working, you might be wondering how to do it. Try restarting your Android/iOS device and see if it has worked.
Put your device into Safe Mode
This might be a good idea if you suspect that there are apps interfering with the touchscreen. But how to do it, again, without using the screen? Follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Power button, as mentioned before, to restart the device.
- Now turn it back on by holding the Power button, once you see the logo of the phone company, release the button.
- Now hold the Volume Down button.
- The device should boot into safe mode.
Now try out the touchscreen and see if it works. Note that this applies only to Android devices.
Dry out your device
If your device has gotten wet, it is definitely a good idea not to use it (or turn it on, if it's off) until it's fully dried. In order to make sure the device will be fully dry, it might be a good idea to first remove all the removable parts of the device, which could be nothing.
Now, use alcohol to wash your device to remove any dirt that might be on it. Then, put the device in a packet of rice and keep it sealed for several hours. Check back on your device and see if it's working again.
Remove any connected accessories
Next, try disconnecting any peripherals connected to the Lightning or USB-C port. Sometimes, external devices connected to your Android/iOS device make the display malfunction. Remove any connected devices, restart your device, and see if the unresponsive touchscreen starts working. Also, remove any cases or screen protectors.
Take your device to the nearest service center
If none of the troubleshooting steps work, the screen itself may be damaged. In that case, it's best to visit the nearest service center to have the display inspected and potentially replaced.
Alternatively, the issue could be caused by a corrupted software update or a buggy app. Let the service advisor know, and ask if they can either roll back your device to a previous stable software version or perform a full system reset if appropriate.
We know how frustrating a frozen or unresponsive screen can be, but with the right steps, you might be able to fix it without needing a repair.
Have you faced this issue before? Did one of these fixes work for you, or did you try something else that did the trick? Let us know in the comments — your experience might help someone else!