Is your phone screen acting unusual? Is it flickering and flashing? Or does the touch function select something else when you tap on a specific area? 

A touchscreen suddenly not working can happen due to a variety of reasons. So, without further ado, let’s dive in to learn why the touchscreen is not working on either Android or iPhone and how to fix it.

The two fundamental reasons for a touchscreen not working on a phone are hardware issues and software issues. Now, let’s look into more detail on such issues. 

A static charge is when the negative and the positive charges are not in balance. It’s natural for our phone screens to have a lot of static charge buildup due to us using them very often. 

Additionally, changes in the environment, like cold, wind, or heat can also encourage static charge on your phone. Another reason your phone has a lot of static charges is when it comes in contact with other items, like woolen clothes, hair, or aluminum foil.

So, when you touch your phone screen, the static charge can spread static electricity signals to some vulnerable electrical components. As a result, the touchscreen can stop working. 

Did you know that even the pixels on your screen have a lifetime? Depending on your phone model, you get anywhere from hundreds of thousands to several million touches. After the expected lifetime ends, the pixels can stop responding, and the touchscreen stops working. 

Potential malware from a suspicious app on your phone can also result in the touchscreen not responding. This is because the virus can attack all or if not most of the phone’s internal components and system.

So, if the touch screen is behaving abnormally, like lagging, freezing, and working only for a few seconds, malicious apps can be one of the reasons. 

Any other element, like water between your touch and the screen, can act as an obstacle, preventing the touchscreen from responding properly. If your phone had recently suffered water damage, it could be one of the reasons your touchscreen is lagging. 

Similarly, if you had left your phone on its own for a long time after water damage, your phone could be experiencing corrosion. This is when the internal hardware components on your phone slowly start to decay after not using the phone for a prolonged time. The touchscreen not working can simply be one of its symptoms. 

Although it’s pretty self-explanatory, any physical damage to your phone screen can lead to a problematic touch screen. This is because the damage can cause the pixels on your screen to be dead. As a result, the touch signals on your phone screen can stop becoming receptive. 

Having a screen protector on your phone for a very long time can lead to dirt buildup, which can degrade the quality of your touchscreen. Especially if the tempered glass is very old and has a lot of scratches, the touchscreen can stop working properly. 

Before we explore the solutions, we suggest trying out some basic fixes. Take off the screen protector. Then, clean the screen’s surface with a microfiber cloth to remove excess dirt off your phone screen. If you find some moisture or water droplets in any area of your phone, use a cotton swab to dry it. 

Once you’ve made sure the screen is clean, we can proceed to test the touchscreen. We can now move on to other solutions: 

One of the easy fixes you can try is rebooting your phone. This is because sometimes app or system bugs can lead to your touchscreen crashing or not responding. So, restarting your phone will reset all background processes and help fix minor glitches. 

On Android: If you can’t tap on the screen to select the Restart option, keep holding down the Power button for a few seconds to turn it off. It’s helpful to remember that the methods to force restart your Android phone may vary depending on the brand. 

On iPhone: To force restart an iPhone without touching the screen, follow these steps. Hold and let go of the volume up button. Then, hold down and let go of the volume down button until you can see the Apple logo on the screen. If your iPhone model is 7 or earlier, you’ll need to follow different methods to force restart your iPhone.  

Along with rebooting your phone, you can also remove your SIM card, memory cards, and such. Doing so can help your phone to restart properly. Now, you can try and check if the touchscreen is starting to work again.

To remove any static charge buildup on your phone, you can simply use a humidifier in your room. It’s also best to always moisturize your hands gently before using your phone. However, make sure not to over-moisturize your hands. Another option to neutralize static charge on your phone is by using a product, like a static eliminator. 

Since viruses can also affect the phone screen, we recommend deleting suspicious apps. You can easily do this using a computer. Simply connect your phone to your PC using a USB cable.

Access all the existing apps on your phone and delete the ones you believe carry the virus. Besides that, also check and delete any suspicious documents you recently downloaded. 

It’s a good idea to update the software on your phone to eliminate any bugs or glitches and fix the touchscreen error. Whether you use an Android or an iPhone, you can update their OS version using a computer. 

Typically, you’ll need third-party apps to update the software of your phone. For example, you can use the Smart Switch app for all Samsung phones. Here’s an example of how you can use it to update your OS version. 

Similarly, you can use iTunes to update your iOS version. Here’s how you can do it: 

If your phone’s touchscreen is not working, but you need to complete a task on your phone, you can still use voice commands. You can either say “Hello Google” and say a command out loud, like “Set a reminder,” “Call someone,” or “play music.” 

On the iPhone, you can use your Siri to assign similar tasks.  

Factory resetting your iPhone data can also help fix an unresponsive touchscreen. However, this method will require you to wipe all of your data.

So, we recommend performing this step only if you already have a backup of your data or if no other solutions are working. Here’s how you can factory reset your phone without touching the phone screen: 

You can easily factory reset your iPhone using iCloud on a computer. 

Finally, if you’re still having issues fixing your touchscreen, it’s best to leave it to a professional. You can take your phone to any local repair center and diagnose the problem. You can also look up some repair services online if it’s more convenient for you. 

I'm a Content Editor, freelance Voice-Over artist, and a self-proclaimed singer. When I'm not scrutinizing grammar online, you can find me scribbling on a canvas, writing a poem, or in a corner with a book. If you want to talk about the meaning of life, I'm always ready with a cup of coffee and a pair of eager ears.

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