The iPhone 12 ghost touch issue has been providing a bad experience to some users. This is why this post has been created to address this problem. If you are one of the affected iPhone 12 users with the ghost touch problem, learn how to fix it as you read further.
How to Resolve a Ghost Touch Issue on iPhone 12
A ghost touch is where the touch screen responds oddly to commands. This problem causes abnormal touch response and causes the screen to perform tasks that are not intended. For some, the screen will open apps on its own and that’s where the ghost touch is derived from.
While a bad screen hardware is mostly the main cause of this issue, we cannot deny the fact that software problems could also cause a ghost touch to occur. So before you rush to a physical service center to fix the iPhone 12, follow the procedures below and see which one could resolve the iPhone 12 ghost touch issue.
First Solution: Force Restart the iPhone 12
A force restart procedure has been a big help to cure minor glitches on iPhones. It allows a reset to be possible even without touching the screen as it uses button commands to initiate the process. If you haven’t performed it yet or don’t know to do a force restart, here’s how:
- Press and release the Volume Up button quickly.
- Press and release the Volume Down button quickly.
- Lastly, press and hold the Side button for a few seconds until you see the Apple logo.
Once the phone has fully restarted, check out the screen response if it has resumed to normal or if it still has a ghost touch problem.
Second Solution: Disable Assistive Touch on iPhone 12
Some affected users have reported that enabling assistive touch would activate a ghost touch issue on their device. While this must be a glitch on the iPhone’s system, it might be worth giving it a try, especially if you have enabled the assistive touch on your iPhone but are not using it most often.
- Access Settings from the Home screen.
- Go to and select Accessibility.
- Select Touch.
- Tap on Assistive Touch.
- Tap the toggle switch to disable it.
If the iPhone 12’s screen is responding properly after disabling the assistive touch, then report this problem to Apple so that they can take a look on why the ghost touch issue would appear once the assistive touch feature is enabled.
Third Solution: Update Apps on iPhone 12
Irrelevant screen response can be brought up by in-app glitches on your device. These bugs could be due to outdated app versions and affects the phone’s performance. It is always a must to update the apps on your iPhone 12 as it helps in addressing several app bugs and improves their performance.
- From the Home screen, tap on the App Store to open it.
- Tap on Today tab at the bottom-left corner.
- Then tap on the user profile icon on the top right corner of the screen.
- You should see the account details.
- Scroll down to the Available Updates section.
- Tap on Update next to the app to update individual apps.
- Tap on Update All to update all apps simultaneously.
Once the apps are updated, force restart your iPhone 12 to implement necessary changes and check if the ghost touch issue has been rectified.
Fourth Solution: Factory Reset your iPhone 12
Deleting the contents on the device is necessary if the ghost touch persists up to this point. There might be some sort of a disturbance on the phone’s system caused by glitches on different third-party apps or installed settings on the phone. Factory reset should be able to clear them out and might resolve this issue. Create a backup first before you resort to a factory reset.
To create a backup via iTunes:
- Prepare a Mac or Windows computer with the latest iTunes installed.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer using the Apple-supplied USB/lightning cable.
- Open iTunes on your computer. Then allow iTunes to sync with your iPhone and backup files.
Factory reset your iPhone 12 by:
- Access Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll down to and then select Reset.
- Tap the Erase all contents and settings option.
- Enter your device passcode once prompted.
- Then tap to confirm all settings reset.
Set up your phone once the master reset has been completed and check if the issue is gone already.
Fifth Solution: Perform a Recovery Mode Restore on iPhone 12
If this ghost touch problem is caused by a major software glitch, performing a recovery mode restore might be able to help. This procedure will redownload the iOS on your iPhone and should help in clearing those glitches on the system.
To carry out this process, you’ll need to prepare a Mac or Windows computer with the latest iTunes installed. Also ensure that your computer runs on the latest operating system that is compatible with your iPhone and it has a stable internet connection. After preparing those things, follow the steps below to execute a recovery mode restore on your iPhone 12:
- Using the supplied USB/Lightning cable, connect your iPhone 12 to the computer then open iTunes on your computer.
- Press and release the Volume up button quickly.
- Press and release the Volume down button quickly.
- Then press and hold the Side button until you see Recovery Mode on your phone. Do not release the Side button if you’ll see the Apple logo screen as you will need to enter recovery mode to restore your device.
- Once iTunes prompts you to Restore or Update, select Restore. This will allow iTunes to download the software for your device. Your phone will exit recovery mode if the download takes more than 15 minutes. If that happens, just repeat the steps to enter recovery mode again.
Once the process has been completed, check out if your iPhone 12 still experiences a ghost touch issue.
Still Having an iPhone 12 Ghost Touch Issue
If the ghost touch problem did not go away after trying the steps above, then it is time to consult with an Apple technician. This problem might be due to a hardware issue, relatively with the screen department. Visit the nearest Apple service center in your area and have the device checked properly for official recommendations on how to deal with the ghost touch issue on iPhone 12.
Also Read: How to Fix Quick Battery Drain on iPhone 12
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