iPhone 6s Plus Touchscreen Not Responding or Slow? Try These Fixes

If your iPhone 6s Plus screen is slow to react or doesn’t respond at all, it could be due to anything from a buggy app to internal hardware damage after a drop. Some users also notice the touchscreen becomes finicky after installing certain updates or when storage is nearly full. The good news? You can often fix it yourself with a few simple steps.

Here’s what to try if your iPhone 6s Plus touchscreen is laggy, freezing, or completely unresponsive.

1. Try the MacGyver Method (If You Dropped Your iPhone)

This one’s a bit unconventional but has helped many after accidental drops.

Use your thumb to gently press on the top-right side of the screen (just above the display).
That’s where the display cables connect to the logic board. If they’ve come slightly loose, this may temporarily reconnect them.

⚠️ Be gentle to avoid further damage.

2. Remove the Case or Screen Protector

Poorly-fitted cases or thick screen protectors can interfere with touch sensitivity.

Take off any third-party case or screen protector.
Test the screen again without anything covering it.

If touch performance improves, replace the accessory with one that’s better fitted or thinner.

3. Clean the Screen and Your Fingers

Sometimes, it’s just grime getting in the way.

Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to clean the screen.
Make sure your fingers are clean and dry before using the phone.

4. Soft Reset or Force Restart the iPhone

If the screen is acting up due to a software glitch, a reset might help.

Soft Reset (if screen is still responsive):

Press and hold the Power button until “slide to power off” appears.
Slide to power off. Wait 30 seconds.
Press the Power button again to restart.

Force Restart (if screen is frozen):

Hold down the Home and Power buttons at the same time.
Let go when you see the Apple logo.

5. Uninstall or Disable Problematic Apps

If the touchscreen only acts up in certain apps, the app could be the problem.

To delete the app:

Tap and hold the app icon until it jiggles.
Tap the X, then confirm Delete.

Or go to:

Settings > General > iPhone Storage
Tap the app you want to delete and select Delete App

After removing it, reboot and check if the screen works better.

6. Adjust 3D Touch Sensitivity

Sometimes 3D Touch settings mess with touch response.

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > 3D & Haptic Touch
Adjust the sensitivity to Light or Medium.
Test the screen again after rebooting.

You can also turn off 3D Touch altogether to see if it helps.

7. Free Up Storage

Low storage can make your phone sluggish or freeze the screen entirely.

Check and manage your storage:

Settings > General > iPhone Storage
Review what’s using up space.
Delete old photos, videos, messages, or unused apps.

You can also move important data to iCloud or a computer for backup.

8. Restore from a Backup

If touchscreen problems started after a recent update, try restoring to a previous backup using iTunes.

Connect your iPhone to a computer and open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and newer).
Select your iPhone, go to the Summary tab.
Click Restore Backup, then choose an earlier backup that worked fine.

Let the process finish before testing the touchscreen again.

9. Do a DFU Restore (Advanced)

If nothing else worked, a DFU (Device Firmware Update) restore might fix deep system issues.

⚠️ Don’t attempt this if your phone has liquid damage — it might brick your iPhone.

To enter DFU mode:

Plug your iPhone into your computer and open iTunes.
Hold the Power and Home buttons for 8 seconds.
Let go of the Power button but keep holding the Home button.
When iTunes says it has detected a device in recovery mode and your screen stays black, you’re in DFU mode.
Click Restore iPhone and follow the prompts.

This will wipe your phone and reinstall a fresh copy of iOS.

Still Not Working? It Might Be Hardware Damage

If the touchscreen still doesn’t respond after all these steps, the issue is probably physical. A damaged digitizer or logic board cable might need repair. Take it to:

An Apple Store
An authorized service center
Or contact Apple Support directly for options.