Touch screen issues in mobile devices can be due to hardware or software problem. For example, when using certain apps and your smartphone suddenly freezes and not responding to touches, touchscreen response delayed or when you accidentally dropped phone and then it won’t respond to touches or show no display at all. Some touch screen problems are just minor and therefore can be remedied by certain workarounds like a device reboot or soft reset. While majority of pertinent issues are rectified by this said method, other touch screen problems are just tough enough to withstand the power of a soft reset. This is where a more advanced troubleshooting would be necessary. Meanwhile, hardware-related touchscreen problems would already require a technician’s aid for repair or screen replacement. These are just a few of the several touchscreen issues encountered by a number of iPhone SE users. In an attempt to help those who are dealing with software-related touchscreen problems on the iPhone SE particularly on unresponsive or no display issues, a rundown of potential solutions and applicable workarounds are highlighted in this post. Should you wish to troubleshoot a pertinent touchscreen issue on the same iOS device, the following methods might be able to help.
Now, before we proceed with our troubleshooting, if you have other concerns with your new iPhone SE, drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already published some guides and tutorials. You may also contact us by completing our iPhone issues questionnaire. This is a free consultation servicer we offer and all we need is information about the problem. So please give us that so that we can help you better.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone touchscreen that is not working, unresponsive
Why is your iPhone SE touchscreen not working or not responding?
There are various factors that can trigger a touchscreen issue to occur in mobile devices. In order to determine the underlying cause, looking back into what has happened before the onset of the very first symptom is recommended. Did the problem start right after making some changes to certain apps or configure iPhone settings? If so then that’s most likely the case. Perhaps the recent changes made are not right. In the case where the touchscreen problem instigate after updating apps or installing iOS update, a faulty update can be the main culprit. Another possible reason as to why your iPhone touchscreen is not working as intended is hardware damage. You can consider hardware damage as the underlying cause if the onset of the problem happens after previous incidents of dropping or liquid exposure. Most likely the iPhone got physical or liquid damage, which yields to an unresponsive or not working touchscreen in general. Following this troubleshooting approach will help you towards isolating the problem and obtaining quick possible solution. Here’s how each of these factors can affect the iPhone’s normal touchscreen functions or cause your iPhone touchscreen to become inconsistent or completely dysfunctional.
- Software glitches – Every app is susceptible to random glitches. Invalid user inputs, incorrect settings modification as well as faulty update installation are the usual triggers. Even major iOS updates can yield to adverse symptoms or cause an app or device itself to misbehave. Running of corrupt files or apps can also cause the iPhone touchscreen to become inconsistent or suddenly unresponsive.
- Memory issues – Aside from software glitches, there are other also other cases in which the iPhone SE touchscreen suddenly becomes inconsistent or not working as intended because of another transpiring issue on the iPhone’s internal or external memory components. Insufficient or corrupted memory can directly affect the device’s normal functions. Common indications are slow or sluggish performance, frozen and unresponsive display. Relevant memory error prompts will also show up and somehow tend to interrupt normal operations. Download and update operations might as well be halted or worst won’t work.
- Hardware damage – When physical or liquid damage is present on the iPhone, particularly on the display circuit board, touchscreen functions are likely to be affected. Consider this the underlying cause if there were prior instances of dropping or liquid exposure on the iPhone. Symptoms may not manifest early but there is a higher chance for later problems to arise, including touchscreen issues especially if the iPhone has accumulated damage from a drop or exposure to liquid. In most cases, touchscreen issues on the iPhone that are associated with physical or liquid damage already require a technician’s aid for repair or screen replacement.
Meanwhile, touchscreen problems on the iPhone SE that are software-related can be rectified without having to take a trip to an Apple Genius bar. There are a few workarounds you can try should you wish to troubleshoot the problem on your end. Below is a rundown of the recommended workarounds and potential solutions to different types of iPhone display problems including inconsistent or unresponsive touchscreen. Feel free to refer to the subsequent troubleshooter whenever you needed.
Potential Solutions and Suggested Workarounds to Touchscreen Problems on iPhone SE
Typically, fixing software-related problems won’t cost you anything. All you need is to give some workarounds a try and then see what happens. For as long as everything in the hardware layer is okay, it is very possible for you to fix it on your end. The key to finding a quick fix is by starting to work on the possible causes. For example, if the touchscreen problem started to show after making changes to your iPhone settings, try to revert the recent changes you’ve made or put it back to the way before the problem started. If you did so but the problem persists, try other applicable solutions as highlighted below.
The following are generic solutions and workarounds that are applicable to various types of touchscreen issues on the iPhone SE device including slow or delayed, inconsistent screen response, or frozen display. Be sure to test your iPhone display after performing each method to see if the problem has been resolved. Try other applicable methods if necessary.
First Solution: Restart your iPhone SE (Soft Reset).
Not only that a simple restart can fix minor issues but also can clear up space of your iPhone’s internal memory. This is deemed the simplest yet effective solution to a number of software-related issues in mobile devices. Otherwise referred to as a soft reset, a restart is recommended when your device suddenly gets sluggish, apps stopped working, or not responding. All you have to do is power off your iPhone for a few seconds and then turn it back on. For those who are new to iOS and first time iPhone users who are dealing with the same touchscreen problem, here’s how a soft reset is done on the iPhone SE:
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the slider appears.
- Drag the slider to Power off the iPhone completely.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds.
- After the elapsed time, press the Sleep/Wake button again until the Apple logo appears.
- Wait for your iPhone to complete the reboot process and then try to see if the problem has been fixed. If it won’t do good after the first restart, give it a second or up to third restart attempt and then see what happens.
This is a recommended solution to touchscreen problems manifested by symptoms such as slow or sluggish touch screen response when using certain apps on the iPhone SE. A soft reset or reboot won’t affect your iPhone data.
If the touchscreen gets frozen or your iPhone is not responding at all, try the next recommended solution.
Second Solution: Force restart.
Just like the usual reboot, a force restart won’t affect your iPhone data thus considered a safe process. It is an alternative solution to software-related problems that caused the iPhone display to become unresponsive or freeze. Here’s how a force restart is done on the iPhone SE:
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
- Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
- Wait until the iPhone finishes the reboot process.
After the reboot try to see if the touchscreen is already working normally.
Third Solution: Diagnose third-party apps in Safe Mode.
The new iOS 10 offers Safe Mode among the new features offered. If you are experiencing inconsistent touchscreen response like delayed response or random freezes when using certain apps, it is possible that the problem is isolated to an application. Consider this a possibility especially if the problem started after installing a new app or installing app update on your iPhone. Many cases of touchscreen issues on the iPhone have been tied to a faulty third-party app that’s downloaded and installed on the device. As resolution, booting the iPhone into safe mode is recommended. In safe mode, you can access the iOS and safely uninstall faulty applications if needed. Here’s how to enter Safe Mode on your iPhone SE iOS 10:
- Press and hold down the Power and Home buttons simultaneously until the screen turns black.
- When the screen turns black, release the Home button but continue holding down the Power button.
- When the Apple logo appears, hold the Volume Up until the springboard loads up.
- If you see no more tweaks under the Settings menu, then it denotes that you are already in Safe Mode. All third-party apps and services are then disabled.
Try to assess if your iPhone touchscreen is working fine while in safe mode. If the touchscreen works fine while in safe mode, you may need to disable or uninstall the most recent apps or tweaks you’ve installed as they may be triggered the problem. To exit Safe Mode, just restart your iPhone. After the reboot, your device will switch back to normal mode.
Fourth Solution: Adjust 3D Touch Settings.
Some users of new iPhones including iPhone 6s or later were able to deal with touchscreen problems by adjusting the settings for 3D Touch. That being said, this can also be a potential solution in your case. Should you wish to give it a try, here’s how it works:
- Navigate to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Select 3D Touch.
- Adjust the sensitivity of the setting and then try to see if the problem is gone after making the changes.
This method is recommended to fix a particular issue on the iPhone SE that is not responding properly to 3D Touch presses.
Fifth Solution: MacGyver Method.
The MacGyver solution refers to a user-defined method that is carried out by pressing down on the part of the iPhone screen where the cables connect to the logic board. This is one of the recommended workarounds when the iPhone gets dropped and resulted to a touchscreen problem. The iPhone has tiny cables that connect to the logic board. These cables can become dislodged when the iPhone gets dropped. As a result, the touchscreen stops working even if there is no physical damage.
Some users were able to remedy the problem with the MacGyver solution, so you might as well consider giving this a try. Be careful though because if you press down too hard, you could crack the iPhone display.
If you are decided, go ahead and try pressing down directly over the logic board connections or (upper-right side) of the iPhone screen and see what happens afterwards.
Other Recommendations
Step 1: Check the memory.
Verify and ensure that your iPhone SE has sufficient memory space. Follow these steps to check the available memory of your iPhone SE:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Tap Storage & iCloud Usage.
- Tap Manage Storage.
Doing so will prompt you with the screen that contains details of current memory status including the available memory of your iPhone. If it shows that your iPhone is running low on storage, then you may consider removing unwanted apps and contents including old texts, emails, photos and other unnecessary contents from your iPhone. Doing so will free up some space of your device internal storage. You can also move other important contents to a computer or other storage media for backup purposes.
Step 2: Update to the latest version of iOS for your iPhone SE.
Apple releases periodic updates to iOS devices. These updates contain new and enhanced features as well as bug fixes to address existing issues caused by certain bugs and software glitches affecting an iOS device. That being said, installing the latest update might be able to rectify the touchscreen problem especially if it is triggered by a software bug. If you want to give it a try, backup your iPhone SE and then check for available iOS updates to download and install.
You can use iTunes to do so or navigate to your iPhone Settings-> General-> Software Update. If an update is available, follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the update. To check, download and install iOS update via iTunes, you will need to secure a computer that runs the latest version of iTunes program to continue with the whole process.
Step 3: Remove any case or screen protector.
Some case or screen protectors, particularly those that are not Apple-made can also affect the iPhone’s touchscreen function. If you are using any of these third-party accessories, try to remove them and see if there are any changes with the iPhone touchscreen without them on.
Step 4: Clean your iPhone screen.
Sometimes, the screen may fail to respond quickly or correctly because of some dirt covering the display. You can use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to clean the screen in that case.
Step 5: Charge your iPhone.
For no display, blank or black screen issues, try to connect your iPhone SE to a wall charger and let it charge for a while. It’s possible that your iPhone has completely ran out of power and not turning on. This is another possibility for iPhone’s with damaged batteries.
Seek More Help
If none of the aforementioned solutions is able to fix your iPhone SE touchscreen, then your next option is to escalate the problem to Apple Support for further assistance and recommendation. Should you suspect any damage to your iPhone SE that is causing the touchscreen to not work as intended, you can take your device straight to an authorized service center for hardware assessment and/or repair. It’s possible that a physical or liquid damage is present and thus your iPhone screen needs repair or replacement.
Connect with us
Visit our troubleshooting page to view more solutions to other iPhone problems we have addressed in our prior posts. If you wish to reach our iOS support team for further assistance, then you may do so by filling up this form with all the required information. Be sure to provide us with the significant details of the issue that you need help with so we would be able to give you the best possible solutions and recommendations to try on. You may also open our Youtube channel and explore more troubleshooting videos.