This post highlights potential solutions to a display issue on the 3rd generation special edition iPhone that’s acting or responding touches erratically. Read on to learn how to deal with the ghost touch issue on iPhone SE 3 (2022).
iOS 15 Ghost Touch Bug
Apart from the hefty price, iPhones are likewise known for having optimum system performance by mainly basing on how it responds to touch inputs. You can tell that the device is responding promptly and very smoothly the moment you touch the screen.
However, this isn’t always the case given that there are a lot of factors that could inflict some flaws and make the iPhone touchscreen deteriorate. The underlying causes may be software-related if not faulty hardware.
One of the display issues that could affect both new and old iPhones is the so-called ghost touch bug. As the name implies, it describes a problem in which the iPhone’s touchscreen is acting weird and seems to be responding to unexecuted touches. As a result, random apps would open by themselves while other running services close unexpectedly. In other cases, the iPhone touchscreen responses may appear to be a little or too delayed, making you think that your device is slowing down. In worst case scenarios, the iPhone screen appears to be stuck or frozen and becomes totally unresponsive.
In earlier iOS devices, a ghost touch bug has been linked to a faulty update, an errant application, settings conflicts, corrupted files, and certain malware.
There are also many cases in which the ghost touch bug was directly attributed to a damaged screen component on the iPhone. This is usually the case when there were previous incidents of dropping or liquid exposure on the device.
Before heading straight to an Apple Genius bar, there are some basic workarounds that you can do on your end in order to eliminate common software-related culprits.
Feel free to try these outlined solutions should you need additional input on how to deal with the ghost touch bug on your new iPhone SE 3.
Troubleshooting Ghost Touch Issue on iPhone SE 3 (2022)
Performing the following workarounds will help rule out software-related factors that might have caused your iPhone’s touchscreen to become flawed and respond to ghost touches. This is going to be a trial and error approach given that the underlying cause is still unknown.
Feel free to start whenever you’re all set to troubleshoot your flawed iPhone touchscreen.
Solution #1: Reboot your iPhone.
Performing a soft reset or force restart is often deemed among the first potential solutions to different types of software problems in iOS devices.
Depending on the transpiring symptoms, you may begin with the normal system reboot (soft reset). A soft reset or normal restart is applicable only if your iPhone is still able to respond properly. Otherwise, do a force restart.
Both a soft reset and force restart don’t affect any saved user data from the internal storage so you won’t lose any important downloads and other saved content from your iPhone.
To soft reset/reboot the iPhone SE 3 (2022), just follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Side button on the top-right edge and then release when the Power off slider appears.
- Drag the Power Off slider to the right. Doing so powers off the device.
- After a few seconds, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
To force restart the iPhone SE 3 (2022), do this:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button then press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Finally, press and hold the Power/Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Allow your device to finish booting up and re-establish network connections. By then, try to observe how your iPhone acts. If the ghost touch continues, try the next applicable solutions to rule out other possible triggers.
Solution #2: Update apps and iOS to the latest version available.
Display issues including the ghost touch bug may also be among the transpiring symptoms of performance issues due to outdated apps or iOS. That said, keeping apps and operating system updated is highly recommended.
Software updates are not only pushed to bring in new features but more importantly, they embed essential patches that are programmed to obliterate any existing bugs and malware that might have caused conflicts and/or ruined apps and made the entire system a bit shaky.
- To check for new iOS updates on the iPhone SE 3, just head over to Settings-> General-> Software Update menu.
- To manually check for pending app updates on the iPhone SE 3, just open the App Store and then navigate to the Updates section. You may opt to update apps individually by tapping on the Update button next to the name of the app or Update all apps at once by tapping on the Update All option.
Another way to access the App Store updates menu is by doing a long-press on the App Store icon from the Home screen of your iPhone and then tap Updates from the quick menu options.
You will be routed to the same page where pending app updates are listed.
Your device must stay connected to the internet to ensure all pending app updates are completely installed.
Sufficient storage space and battery life are also among the key requisites to ensure successful updating of apps.
Solution #3: Enable Touch Accommodations.
Newer iPhones do embed a lot of useful display features including those that are mainly designed for touchscreen enhancement. Among the said features is the so-called Touch Accommodations.
Turning this feature on is recommended whenever you have trouble using the iPhone’s touchscreen. You can also adjust other relevant settings to change how you’d like the screen to respond to touches.
- To access and enable this feature, just head over to your iPhone Settings-> Accessibility-> Touch -> Touch Accommodations menu and then tap to turn the Touch Accommodations switch ON.
Among the Touch Accommodations options you can adjust are the Hold Duration, Ignore Repeat and Touch Assistance.
If that doesn’t solve the problem either, then resorting to iOS resets can be regarded among the next options.
Solution #4: Reset all settings.
Different types of reset options are available on every iOS device. Each of these reset options has a specific function and purpose.
Resetting the iPhone is usually considered among the last options when dealing with recurring system issues including post-update errors and performance issues transpiring from a series of settings reset.
The applicable reset to deal with persistent software issues, particularly those that started from a series of settings alteration is the reset all settings.
To reset all settings on the iPhone SE 3, just follow these steps:
- Go Settings-> General menu.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone
- On the next screen, tap Reset to continue.
- Select Reset All Settings.
- Read the reset details then tap Reset settings.
- On the final warning prompt, tap Reset settings to confirm.
The phone will then start erasing all custom settings and then restore the default values and options. It’s going to be a quick process. After the reset, the phone reboots automatically and then loads up all the default options.
This means the need for you to re-enable features that are disabled by default and set individual app preferences and default apps.
All your downloads and saved documents aren’t affected so you don’t lose any important information in the process.
Solution #5: Restore factory defaults (factory reset).
A drastic solution to deal with complex system issues in iOS devices is a factory reset. As the name implies, this reset wipes everything from your iPhone system including all downloaded apps, custom settings, saved files and documents. Any software bug and malware that embedded in recent updates and downloads will also be obliterated, making the system free from any associated symptoms.
Should you wish to proceed, be sure to back up all your important files so you can just retrieve and use them afterwards. You can back them up to your iCloud account or to a secure directory on your computer or other external storage device.
Once you’ve secured all your backups, follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone SE 3 via settings menu.
- Open the Settings app then go to General-> Transfer or Reset iPhone menu.
- To factory reset your iPhone, tap Erase all Content and Settings.
- Read the following details then tap Continue.
- Enter your device PIN and Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.
Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to finish wiping all your iPhone data and restore the system back to its factory state.
After the reset, automatic system reboot instigates. Just wait for your iPhone to finish rebooting and after that you can start setting it up as new.
Is your iPhone screen still erratic?
Software-related display issues in iOS devices are usually addressed with the aforementioned procedures. If none of them works, then something else is likely causing the ghost touch problem. At this point, the next options you can try are as follows.
1. Make sure that the iPhone screen is clean.
Oil and dirt that got stuck on your iPhone’s screen could likewise be the main reason as to why the touchscreen is acting up or not working as intended. Any debris or dust might have been interfering with how your device detects and responds to your touches.
If necessary, turn the iPhone off completely and then find a fiber cloth or any soft, clean and lint-free cloth that you can use for cleaning glasses. You can slightly dampen the cloth with alcohol to clean the touchscreen gently.
2. Remove iPhone case and/or screen protector.
If the ghost touch symptoms have instigated after installing an iPhone case or screen protector, there’s a good chance that the accessory you installed does not fit on your iPhone perfectly. As a result, it triggers the iPhone ghost touches as it could squeeze at certain parts of the display.
Try removing the case or the screen protector and see if the erratic touchscreen behavior continues.
3. Restore iOS with iTunes.
If the problem started after installing a software update and it persisted after performing the basic software solutions, then there’s a higher chance that a stubborn software bug is the main culprit.
To resolve complex post-update display issues with recurring symptoms, restoring the device is recommended among the last options. At this point, your next option is to restore your iPhone in iTunes.
But before you do, it’s worth to note that restoring your iPhone will delete all your saved information including downloaded apps and documents. Thus, be sure to back them up to iCloud or to a dedicated directory in your computer firsthand.
Once you’ve secured the backup, you may proceed with the iOS restore via recovery mode or DFU mode using iTunes on your computer.
Restoring an iPhone in recovery mode will put your device in a recovery state and lets iPhone to restore iOS from a previous iOS back up or set it up as new.
Restoring an iPhone in DFU or device firmware update mode will put your device in a deep state that allows it to communicate with iTunes even without activating the boot loader. This allows iTunes to fix any critical system errors that trigger recurring symptoms.
A DFU mode restore is often carried out by iPhone technicians at the Genius bar when attempting to fix a fatal system issue that makes an iPhone totally dysfunctional.
Just like a recovery mode restore, you may opt to restore your iPhone from a previous iOS backup or restore factory defaults and do a fresh system install through iTunes after a DFU mode restore.
4. Repair Options
Your last option is to take your device to an authorized Apple service center. Since the ghost touch problem is not resolved by any of the software solutions, opting for hardware repair is likely needed. This is often needed if the ghost touch issue is directly attributed to a damaged screen component on your device.
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