How to fix delayed touchscreen response on iPhone 11, atypical screen reactions

Hardly ever you will hear of a new device acting up. But unexpected things like delayed touchscreen responses can occur even among recently released smartphones like Apple’s newest iPhone flagships. A typical display behaviors in new devices are mostly attributed to some random software errors from rogue apps, malicious software, corrupted files, invalid settings, and firmware crashes. If this happens to your new iPhone 11 handset, then this post might be able to help you out. Read on to find out how to deal with the problem on delayed touchscreen response on your new iPhone 11.

Before moving on, feel free to browse through our troubleshooting pages to find potential solutions to other problems with your other Apple devices. If your iPad is in the list of our supported devices, then you can visit its exclusive troubleshooting page and find the problem that you need help dealing with. You can refer to or use our provided solutions and workarounds if needed. In the case where you’d prefer to get direct assistance from us, simply fill up our iOS issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

Troubleshooting a problem on delayed touchscreen response on the iPhone 11

The problem on delayed touchscreen response if transpiring in old devices is usually attributed to performance issues depicted by sluggishness. Often times, memory issues particularly low internal memory are the underlying cause. But since the affected device is new and entrenches a higher storage capacity, low memory isn’t likely the main cause of the problem. Thus the factors you should try ruling out are software-related. Rogue apps, malwares and software bugs, invalid settings preferences and corrupted iOS data are common factors you shouldn’t miss looking into. Performing the following solutions can help eliminate each of these possible triggers.

First solution: End all background apps.

Rogue apps or apps that are misbehaving are usually the main triggers and therefore must be ruled out first. When apps are acting up, there’s a great chance that the entire system functions get affected. Apps that usually ended up going rogue are those that were left suspended or running in the background for long. When this happens, various types of problems can be triggered and atypical screen behaviors are among them. Fortunately, minor symptoms inflicted by a glitching app are usually resolved by ending all background apps. So this is what you should try first:

  1. 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.
  2. In the app switcher, swipe sideways to navigate through the app cards/previews.
  3. Swipe up on the card preview to force close individual apps.

Repeat the same steps to end all other background apps on your iphone 11.

ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone XR that’s not responding after iOS 13 update [Troubleshooting Guide] 

Second solution: Force restart your iPhone 11.

If ending background apps doesn’t solve the problem, try to force restart your iPhone next. As the name implies, a force restart forcibly ends all running services and system processes, including those that have been corrupted. Any transpiring issues like delayed touchscreen response and other atypical display issues triggered by corrupted system files will therefore be eliminated and your device will be able to run properly again. If you haven’t already, then simply follow these steps to force restart your iPhone 11:

  1. Press then quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Press then quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Finally, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
  4. Release the button when you see the white Apple logo to let your device execute and finish its boot-up sequence.

When the phone is finished rebooting, try to use it as you normally do and see if the delayed touchscreen response issue has been resolved.

Third solution: Update your apps.

Display issues inflicted by bad apps can also be dealt with by installing pending app updates on your iPhone. Similar to firmware updates released by Apple, app updates from software developers also embed some dedicated fix patches that are programmed to eliminate existing bugs that trigger apps to go rogue. Your phone must have a stable internet connection and sufficient storage in order to get this done. Once you’ve met the said requirements, follow these steps to begin checking and installing available update for your apps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap on App Store to open it. 
  2. Tap on Today tab at the bottom. 
  3. Then tap on the user profile icon on the top right corner of the screen. 
  4. You should see the account details. 
  5. Scroll down to the Available Updates section. 
  6. Tap on Update next to the app to update individual apps.
  7. If multiple app updates are available, then tap on Update All to update all apps simultaneously.

To apply the recent software changes and in-app bug fixes, reboot or soft reset your iPhone 11 when all apps are finished updating. 

ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone XS stuck on blank, black screen after iOS 13 update [Troubleshooting Guide] 

Fourth solution: Install new iOS update to fix delayed touchscreen response on your iPhone 11.

A few days ago, Apple rolled out the latest iOS update for iOS devices in a form of iOS version 13.2. This update not only brings in system enhancements but also embeds new bug fixes to address existing issues found in the previous version. Try to check if this update is already available by heading to your iPhone Settings-> General-> Software Update menu. You should see a notification containing the details of the new iOS update available. You can then download and install the update wirelessly or manually through iTunes. The latter will likely be a better option considering that your iPhone is not behaving or responding the way it should. Just follow these steps whenever you’re all set:

  1. To get started, open Finder (if you’re using a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15). Otherwise, open iTunes on your macOS Mojave or earlier or on a Windows computer. Be sure to use the latest version of iTunes app on your computer.
  2. Connect your iPhone to your computer using the original USB cable/Lightning cable.
  3. Locate your iPhone 11 on your computer.
  4. Then click General or Settings.
  5. Click the Check for Update button.
  6. Then click Download and Update to start updating.
  7. Enter your passcode if prompted to proceed.

Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to finish updating your iPhone. Once the update is completely installed, disconnect your iPhone from iTunes and then do a soft reset to ensure that all new system changes and bug fixes are properly implemented.

Fifth solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone 11.

As mentioned earlier, incorrect settings or invalid system preferences can also trigger occurrence of atypical system behaviors. If the delayed touchscreen response happens to be one of the transpiring symptoms, resetting all settings on your iPhone will likely solve the problem. This reset will reset all system settings and restores the original values without affecting any saved data on your device. That said, there’s no need to back up your iPhone data. Just refer to these steps to get this done:

  1. From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
  4. Tap Reset All Settings from the given options.
  5. Enter your passcode if prompted to continue.
  6. Confirm action by tapping on Reset All Settings again

Your iPhone should then start resetting all system settings and then restores the default values. After the reset, your phone reboots on its own. As soon as it’s finished rebooting, you can start enabling individual features that you’d like to use on your phone again. And that includes necessary wireless functions.

Last resort: Erase your iPhone and restore its factory default settings.

What you’re dealing with is likely not just a minor symptom and thus, it isn’t resolved by any of the prior solutions. To deal with recurring symptoms, particularly those that are inflicted by complex system errors, performing a complete system reset or factory reset is usually needed. This is when you’ll need to erase your iPhone and restore its factory default settings. If you wish to proceed, be sure to back up all your important files so that you’d still be able to restore them afterwards. Once you’ve secured the backup, follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone 11 through its settings menu:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Tap General from the given options.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen then tap on Reset.
  4. Select the option to Erase All Content and Settings.
  5. If prompted with a warning message, tap on Erase iPhone to proceed.
  6. Enter your passcode to continue.
  7. Tap Erase iPhone twice to confirm.

In the case where your iPhone’s touchscreen is responding very slowly, carrying out a factory reset using the aforementioned procedures may take too long to complete. This is when iTunes play an important role. If you have a computer that has the latest version of iTunes app and is compatible with your iPhone system, you can use iTunes to manually erase and restore factory default settings on your iPhone 11 through a computer. Here’s how:

  1. Open iTunes on your computer, if you haven’t already.
  2. Connect your iPhone to the computer with the USB cable or Lightning cable that came with it.
  3. Wait for iTunes to recognize your device and when it does, you should see your iPhone’s icon in iTunes.
  4. Click to select your iPhone 11 when it appears in iTunes.
  5. Then navigate to the Summary section.
  6. Click on the Restore [iPhone] button.
  7. If prompted, click on the Restore button again to confirm.
  8. This should prompt iTunes to start erasing your device and then installs the latest version of operating system available.

Software-related issues including those inflicted by major system errors are usually taken care of by a factory reset. If that did not solve your iPhone problem on delayed touchscreen response and you’d like to troubleshoot further, restoring your device in recovery mode or DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode can be considered among the last options. These methods usually render positive outcomes but they also cause permanent data loss. That said, back up all your critical files beforehand if possible.

ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 11 Pro Max that is not recognized in iTunes

Still experiencing delayed touchscreen response on your iPhone 11?

If your iPhone is still acting the same and that you’re still experiencing delayed touchscreen responses after applying all the above-mentioned solutions, then that’s when you should consider ruling out hardware damage. Although it’s too early for such problems to occur on a new device, they can exist especially if your phone was previously dropped or exposed to some liquid. At this point, taking your device to an authorized-Apple service center nearby is recommended. That way you can ask an iPhone technician to run a thorough check-up on the phone’s hardware components. If hardware damage is present, then availing for warranty either for service or new unit replacement would be your next option. For further assistance and official recommendations, you can report the problem to your iPhone carrier or talk to an Apple support representative.

Connect with Us

We are committed to helping our readers fix the problems with their phones as well as learn how to properly use their devices. So, if you have other issues, you may visit our troubleshooting page so you can check by yourself the articles we’ve already published that contain solutions to common problems. Furthermore, we do create videos to demonstrate how things are done on your phone. Visit our Youtube Channel and please subscribe to it. Thanks.

Leave a Comment