How do I fix an iPhone touch screen that isn't working?
Answer
An unresponsive iPhone touch screen is often caused by a temporary software freeze, interference from a case or screen protector, or moisture on the glass. A forced restart clears many freezes; if touch still fails after that, a display or digitizer hardware issue becomes more likely.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Restoring or recovering an iPhone can erase data that was not backed up first. Use iCloud or a computer backup before that step when the phone still allows it.
Follow these steps
Remove case, protector, and moisture
Take off the case and any screen protector, wipe the glass dry with a soft lint-free cloth, and try tapping again with clean, dry fingers.
You should see: Touch either starts working again, or you confirm the problem is not caused by a cover or moisture on the glass.
Force restart the iPhone
On iPhone 8 and later (including iPhone 11): quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. This is different from a normal power-off and can clear a frozen touch system.
You should see: The iPhone restarts and the touch screen responds normally, or touch remains unresponsive after restart.
Test whether any touch works
After restart, try unlocking, opening Settings or Camera, and swiping between home screens. Note whether the entire screen is dead to touch or only some areas or apps fail.
You should see: You know if the issue is phone-wide or limited to part of the screen or a single app.
Update iOS if the phone responds enough
If you can navigate at all, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update, and install any available update. A pending or buggy update can leave touch and UI controls unreliable.
You should see: An update installs and touch improves, or no update is available and the problem continues.
Restore the iPhone as a last software step
If touch is still broken across the phone after a forced restart, connect the iPhone to a computer, open Finder (Mac) or the Apple Devices / iTunes app (Windows), and use Apple’s recovery or restore process. Back up first if the phone still allows it.
You should see: The restore finishes and touch works again, or the same unresponsive touch returns, which points toward a hardware fault.
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Extra tips
What to look for: Whether the screen lights up and shows content but ignores all touch, whether touch fails only in one app or everywhere, and whether a case, screen protector, or recent drop or liquid exposure could be involved
Before you change anything: Note your iPhone model (for example iPhone 11) so you use the correct forced-restart buttons. Remove any case and screen protector before testing again. If you can unlock the phone at all, back up with iCloud or a computer before trying a restore. Do not open the phone or replace parts yourself unless you are prepared for warranty and safety consequences.