There are many types of post-update problems you could encounter after installing every new iOS update Apple releases. Some are deemed common post-update issues while others are tagged as rare. Common post-update problems on an iPhone usually includes battery draining, stuck displays, and rogue apps. Rare problems on the other hand are those only a few iPhone owners have encountered. Tackled in this post is one of the rare issues faced by some owners of the new iPhones. And it’s on the so-called ghost touch bug. As the name implies, it’s when your iPhone screen moves on its own. If you happen to encounter the same post-update issue after updating your iPhone 11 Pro to iOS 13.2.3, then this post might be able to help you.
Read on to find out what to do if your new iPhone is affected with the so-called ghost touch bug after updating to iOS 13.2.3.
Troubleshooting ghost touch bug on an iPhone 11 Pro after updating to iOS 13.2.3
Performing these subsequent solutions will help you eliminate common software-related factors that trigger the so-called ghost touch bug on your iphone 11 pro following the recent iOS update installation. Any of these methods should be able to resolve the issue for as long as no damaged physical components are involved.
First solution: End all background apps then restart your iPhone.
Apps that were left open or suspended during the system update will likely end up going rogue. When this happens, any of these rogue apps can also cause conflicts with other apps and system functions. And this is when adverse symptoms arise. To eliminate rogue apps from the possible triggers, follow these steps to force close or end all background apps on your iPhone 11 Pro:
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen then stop when your finger reaches the middle and pause until the app cards/previews show up.
- In the app switcher, swipe sideways to navigate through the cards or previews.
- Swipe up on the card preview to force close individual apps.
Repeat the same steps to end all other background apps on your device. After you’ve cleared out all background apps, restart or soft reset your iPhone to dump all system cache. Here’s how:
- Simultaneously press and hold the Side and Volume Up buttons for a few seconds.
- Release both buttons when the Slide to Power off bar appears.
- Swipe or drag the bar to turn your device off.
- After about 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button and then release when the Apple logo appears.
In the case where your iPhone display seems to get stuck or not responding properly, performing a force restart would be necessary. It’s an alternative way to restart a stuck or unresponsive iPhone. Just follow these steps:
- Quickly press then release the Volume Up key.
- Quickly press then release the Volume Down key.
- Press and hold the Side button for about 10 seconds then release when you see the Apple logo.
Allow your device to finish booting up to the Home screen and then see if that solves the ghost touch or atypical display motions on your phone.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 11 Pro that’s stuck on white Apple logo after iOS 13.2.3 update
Second solution: Install pending app updates.
Apps that aren’t up to date can also be deemed among the possible culprits, especially if any of them have gone rogue from the recent system update. If your iPhone is still able to respond and can connect to the internet, try to check and install all pending app updates with these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap on the App Store icon to open the application.
- Tap on Today tab at the bottom.
- Then tap on the user profile icon (Apple ID header) on the top right corner of the screen. You should see the account details.
- Scroll down to the Available Updates section.
- To update individual apps, tap the Update button next to the name of each app.
- If multiple app updates are available, tap on Update All to update all apps at once.
App updates also embed some dedicated patches that are programmed to keep apps stable and bug-free. Software developers usually push special updates soon before or after a new iOS version is rolled out in order to keep their apps able to adapt with the recent system changes and work smoothly with the new platform.
Third solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone.
Some system updates override your current settings automatically, thus making it possible for some settings errors or conflicts to arise. This is usually what happens if you’ve customized your iPhone settings according to your preferences and the recent overrides have ruined them. To clear this out, try to reset all settings on your iPhone 11 Pro to erase all current settings including erratic system alterations that trigger a ghost touch symptom. Just follow these steps:
- From the Home screen, launch the Settings app.
- Select General.
- Scroll to and select Reset.
- Tap on Reset all settings option.
- Enter your device passcode when asked to continue.
- Then select the option to confirm all reset settings on your iPhone.
When the reset is finished, your iPhone restarts on its own and then loads up the default values and options. This means you’ll have to re-enable necessary features, particularly those that are disabled by default, so you can use them again on your iPhone.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 11 Pro that’s stuck on recovery mode after iOS 13.2.3 update
Fourth solution: Factory reset to fix ghost touch bug on your iPhone 11 Pro after updating iOS.
Resorting to a factory reset is usually needed to deal with recurring symptoms. That said, your next option to try if all prior methods failed to fix the ghost touch bug would be a factory reset. But before you proceed, back up all your important files from the phone to iCloud or iTunes. Failure to do so will result in permanent data loss because all your iPhone data will be erased during this reset. Once you have secured your iPhone backup, follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone through settings:
- From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select General.
- Scroll down and tap on Reset.
- Tap Erase all content and settings from the given options.
- Enter your passcode if prompted to continue.
- Confirm action by tapping the option to erase and reset your iPhone.
You can also use iTunes to manually erase and restore factory default settings on your iPhone 11 Pro through a Windows or Mac computer.
When the reset is finished, use the start-up wizard to set up your iPhone as new.
Fifth solution: Restore your iPhone from a previous iOS backup.
System problems that could not be dealt with by a factory reset usually require a system restore via recovery mode. Given that the onset of the problem was when the recent iOS update was installed, it’s very likely that something from the new update is the main trigger. And since the ghost touch bug continues after performing the previous methods, your next option would be to restore your iPhone from a backup. If you’ve managed to create a recent backup of your iPhone on your computer before updating to iOS 13.2.3, then you can use iTunes to restore your iPhone from that backup via recovery mode. Just follow these steps:
- Connect your iPhone to a computer using the original USB cable or Lightning cable that came with it.
- Open iTunes on your Windows and/or earlier Mac computer or Finder on your Mac running macOS Catalina.
- While your device is connected, quickly press and release the Volume Up key.
- Then quickly press and release the Volume Down key.
- Next, press and hold the Side button until the Connect to iTunes or recovery mode screen appears. Do not release the button if you see the Apple logo as you’ll need to boot your phone in recovery mode.
Shortly after you see the Connect to iTunes or recovery mode screen, you will be prompted with the next instructions via message prompts. If prompted to Update or Restore your iPhone in iTunes, select Restore to erase your device and restore it from a recent iOS backup saved on your computer drive via iTunes.
Follow the rest of the onscreen prompts to finish restoring your iPhone from a previous iOS backup files. You can disconnect your iPhone from the computer when everything is finished. Just force restart your iPhone to exit recovery mode and switch back to normal mode.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 11 Pro that’s stuck on portrait or landscape mode after iOS 13.2.3 update
Still experiencing ghost touch bug on your iPhone 11 Pro in iOS 13.2.3?
The recent iOS update might have transported some complex system errors that ruined the touchscreen system and thereby triggered unusual display behaviors that could not be fixed by the previous methods. At this point, the remaining option to try if you wish to troubleshoot further would be a DFU mode restore. This will put your device in a special state wherein iTunes would be able to access and communicate with the iPhone’s operating system even when it’s totally corrupted. Thus, there’s a higher chance for iTunes to repair any major system damage, particularly those affecting the display functions.
For further assistance and official recommendations, you can report the matter straight to your iPhone carrier or Apple Support. This would be necessary for them to note that such a problem exists after the recent iOS update implementation. And if that’s proven and confirmed to be another post-update bug, Apple will be obliged to program a dedicated fix patch.
ALSO READ: Fixing different types of display issues on an Apple iPhone 11 Pro