iPhone 12 Ghost Touch Problem? Here’s How to Fix It

Is your iPhone 12 acting like it’s possessed—opening apps or typing on its own? That’s what users call a “ghost touch,” and it can be incredibly frustrating. While sometimes caused by hardware issues, there are a few software-based solutions you should try first before heading to the Apple Store.

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Force Restart Your iPhone 12

This is a quick way to clear out minor glitches that could be messing with your screen’s responsiveness.

1. Press and release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

Let your phone boot up fully, then test the screen to see if the issue persists.

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Turn Off AssistiveTouch

Some users noticed ghost touches started after enabling AssistiveTouch. Try turning it off:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Accessibility > Touch.
3. Tap AssistiveTouch.
4. Toggle it off.

If your screen calms down after this, it’s likely a software quirk worth reporting to Apple.

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Update All Your Apps

Outdated apps can sometimes glitch and trigger odd screen behavior. Keeping them updated might help.

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner.
3. Scroll to Available Updates.
4. Tap Update All, or update individual apps as needed.

Once updated, force restart your iPhone again just to lock in any performance improvements.

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Factory Reset Your iPhone

Still seeing ghost touches? A factory reset can wipe out any deeper software conflicts.

⚠️ Important: Back up your data before doing this.

To back up with iTunes:

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer with the latest iTunes.
2. Open iTunes and back up your data.

Then, factory reset:

1. Go to Settings > General > Reset.
2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Enter your passcode, then confirm.

Set your iPhone up as new and test it before restoring your backup.

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Try a Recovery Mode Restore

If the issue is tied to serious iOS corruption, this method reinstalls the operating system cleanly.

Here’s how:

1. Connect your iPhone 12 to your computer via Lightning cable.
2. Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later).
3. Quickly press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down.
4. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Recovery Mode screen (not the Apple logo).

When prompted on your computer, choose Restore.
If the download takes longer than 15 minutes and your phone exits recovery mode, repeat the steps.