Mobile electronic devices like smartphones are susceptible to various types of issues that are associated with either software or hardware damage. Even the sturdiest devices can succumb into any of these problems randomly or at some point. Among the widely raised issues is on the display including damaged or unresponsive touchscreen. These problems have manifested in various smartphones including Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus flagship device. Many of these touchscreen problems occurred due to hardware damage like when the iPhone got wet or dropped. In this case, some of the physical components particularly those within the display circuit board might have been dislodged or damaged from the drop or liquid exposure.
As a result, the iPhone touchscreen suddenly becomes problematic, responding to touches very slowly or not working at all. Aside from hardware damage, touchscreen problems can likewise be triggered by some software issues on the iPhone. For example, the iPhone 7 Plus touchscreen may sometimes get sluggish, frozen, or stuck in black or white display because of some bugs or software glitch like corrupted files or applications. If by any chance you’ve came across this page while searching for some help in dealing with similar display issues on the same iPhone, then read on to find out how these symptoms are triggered and what are the possible culprits.
But before anything else, if you have other concerns with your iPhone 7 Plus, make sure you drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most commonly reported issues with this new iPhone. If you need further assistance or if you can’t find what you’re looking for in that page, fill up our iPhone issues questionnaire and hit submit. Don’t worry, it’s a free consultation service so you don’t have to worry about anything. Just give us more information about the problem and we’ll do our best to help you fix it.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone touchscreen that is not working, unresponsive
Possible causes of unresponsive touchscreen problems on your iPhone 7 Plus
You’re probably wondering what is causing your iPhone 7 Plus touchscreen to suddenly respond very slow, keeps freezing, or not working. So to give you some clues on what has probably gone wrong and how to get started in getting your iPhone touchscreen to get working normally again, here’s a rundown of all the possible causes along with a brief explanation on how each of these factors can yield to such a dilemma.
Generally, touchscreen problems can either be due to software glitches or faulty hardware.
Other software issues transpiring on the iPhone can also trigger problems on the iPhone display. Memory problems, corrupted files or apps, and software bugs or apps glitches are among the widely known triggers of touchscreen malfunctions in mobile devices like your iPhone 7 Plus.
Memory problems like insufficient internal storage space on the iPhone usually inflict performance issues to certain apps. For example, the app might load up very slow, keeps freezing, or doesn’t work as the device runs low in storage space. While this may not be the case for new powerful devices like Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus, memory problems can occur due to certain factors. Downloading and installing corrupted apps or other files that contain certain bugs can also cause your device to respond very slow. All these symptoms can be thought of a touchscreen problem but actually the underlying cause is on the iPhone’s memory.
Software bugs and glitches are also among the possible causes of touchscreen issues to occur on the iPhone. Many bugs or software glitches can cause certain apps to misbehave or become dysfunctional. Just like when attempting to run an application and then suddenly the app crashes or gets stuck. As a result, the iPhone touchscreen won’t respond to touches as the app gets frozen. The same thing can happen when attempting to load a corrupted file like photos, videos, or other media files that gets corrupted after updating. Something went wrong with the file, which resulted to the iPhone screen to become frozen or unresponsive. What happened in this case was actually triggered by the faulty app or file you are trying to use.
Hardware damage is among the possible causes of touchscreen problems on your iPhone. Given the fact that what you have is a hefty device, getting it damaged from accidental fall or liquid exposure can be very frustrating. Unfortunately, touchscreen problems that are tied to physical or liquid damage would already require service as remedy. This denotes the need for you to take your iPhone to an authorized service center for hardware assessment, repair, or replacement of damaged components. And this also means that you have to pay some extra cash in return.
Basically, these are the usual factors that you need to consider looking into when dealing with display issues including those that are manifested by unresponsive or slow touchscreen response on the iPhone. If you are certain that your iPhone has no damage to any of the relevant components, then you still have a chance to fix the problem on your end. All you have to do is try performing some workarounds and potential solutions including the ones highlighted below.
Recommended solutions and workarounds to deal with touchscreen problems on your iPhone 7 Plus
While there is no guarantee that these methods will give you the ultimate remedy, other iPhone owners who have encountered similar display issues were able to obtain positive outcomes from doing so. Thus, these too could be worth a try on your end. For as long as your iPhone hardware is all good, your chances of resolving the underlying cause with these subsequent methods is definitely higher. You have the option to skip to these troubleshooting if you suspect that your iPhone has hardware damage. In this case, you can save time and effort from doing unnecessary troubleshooting by taking your device to an authorized technician instead.
Before you start doing any of the recommended procedures, try these first few workarounds and see what happens afterwards.
MacGyver method
Although this is not recommended, some users were able to deal with minor touchscreen problems on their iPhone by performing this workaround. It works by pressing down on the part of the iPhone screen where the cables connect to the logic board. Usually, it’s on the upper-right side of the display. This is only recommended if you happened to drop your iPhone before the touchscreen started to misbehave. It is possible that some components in the display circuit board get loose or dislodged from the drop, thus resulting to a touchscreen problem you are having right now. Should you wish to give it a try, be sure to do it carefully so as not to cause more damage to your iPhone screen.
Remove any third-party accessories like casing or screen protector
There is a chance that any of these accessories does not actually fit the iPhone’s original scheme so you may be able to use them but doing so can also cause you some troubles, particularly with the iPhone unresponsive touchscreen.
Clean your iPhone screen
Sometimes the iPhone touchscreen shows delayed response to touches or unresponsive touchscreen because the screen is covered with dirt, dust or oil. If necessary, clean it using a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Also make sure that your fingers are clean.
Update to the latest iOS version
If you haven’t yet updated your iPhone’s iOS and you suspect that a bug is causing your touchscreen to become dysfunctional, then consider installing the latest iOS update for your device. You can check for available updates by going to Settings-> General->Software Update. If an update is available, backup your iPhone and then follow the instructions to Download and Install the update.
Alternatively, you can use iTunes to update your iPhone 7 Plus. Consider this a better option if your iPhone touchscreen is not working. You will need to secure a computer that runs the latest version of iTunes to proceed with this process. Otherwise, refer to the following solutions.
First Solution: Perform a soft reset on your iPhone 7 Plus.
A soft reset is another term for reboot or restart on the device. It’s called a soft reset because the process will quit running apps, rectifies software glitches, and gives apps and your device a fresh start without losing any data from your iPhone. It is deemed the simplest yet most effective solution to many various types of software-related problems affecting different mobile devices like your iPhone. Most of the time, the main issue is fixed after the reboot given of course, there is no damage to any of hardware components of your iPhone.
Aside from software bugs or glitches, a soft reset can also help rectify issues that are associated with memory problems like insufficient memory. The process can free up some space of your iPhone’s internal storage as it eliminates corrupted cached files from certain apps. Here’s the proper way to perform a soft reset on your iPhone 7 Plus:
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the slider appears.
- Drag the slider to Power off the iPhone completely.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds.
- After the elapsed time, press the Sleep/Wake button again until the Apple logo appears.
Test your device when your iPhone finished rebooting and then see if the touchscreen is already working properly.
In the case where your iPhone 7 Plus touchscreen gets stuck and frozen in the middle of using an app or content, you may need to do a force restart. The process gives the same positive result as soft reset does but done in a slightly different manner. For those who need more help on how a force restart is done on this iPhone, here’s how:
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
- Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
- Wait until the iPhone completes the reboot process.
No data will be affected or erased from the iPhone in the process, thus it’s safe.
Second Solution: Manage third-party apps to fix unresponsive touchscreen.
One of the new features entrenched into the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices is the Safe Mode feature. This mode allows you to access the iOS layer for troubleshooting. This means that you can enable safe mode on your iPhone 7 Plus if any of your apps is not working properly, if your iPhone is misbehaving or not working as intended. All third-party apps and services are temporarily disabled in this state. You can uninstall faulty apps securely without damaging your device while in safe mode. Should you suspect that a faulty app is causing your iPhone 7 Plus touchscreen to become problematic, you can try putting your iPhone in safe mode and then see whether the problem is gone or not. Here’s how:
- Hold the Power and Home button for a few seconds.
- When the screen goes black, release the Home button but keep holding down the Power button.
- When you see the Apple logo, hold the Volume Up button until the springboard loads up.
You will know if you’ve successfully entered safe mode if you see Safe Mode label at the bottom left corner of the screen.
Observe your device for a few minutes while in safe mode and see if the touchscreen problem goes back or not. If not, it means that a third-party is causing the problem. Try to remove or uninstall the most recent app or content you suspect and then see what happens. Once you have located the problematic app or service, follow these steps to remove the app.
- Tap and rest your finger over the app icon until all the icons start to jiggle.
- When the X appears on the upper-left side of the icon, tap on the X.
- If prompted, tap Delete to confirm action.
The app will then be removed. See if that will fix the problem, otherwise, proceed to the next method(s).
If the problem still occurs while in safe mode, then you can eliminate third-party apps and services from the possible causes. In this case, the problem lies within your iPhone system and what went wrong is the next thing you need to find out.
Third Solution: Adjust touchscreen settings and display options.
Sometimes, your iPhone touchscreen may not work as intended due to misconfigured or incorrect configuration on the display settings and options. In fact, many iPhone users who have dealt with unresponsive touchscreen problems were able to find remedy by adjusting the 3D touch settings on their device. It won’t hurt if you too would give this a try and then see how it does. Here’s what you can do:
- Tap Settings to launch the Settings menu.
- Scroll to and tap General from the options.
- Tap Accessibility to continue.
- Tap 3D Touch to view and access more options.
- Try to adjust or change the sensitivity settings.
- After making changes to the 3D Touch settings, reboot your iPhone.
Problems like those associated with 3D Touch presses that are not responding properly are usually rectified by this workaround and hopefully, it will do the same on your end.
Fourth Solution: Check and manage memory or internal storage on your iPhone 7 Plus
To rule out the possibility of insufficient memory or internal storage space causing your iPhone 7 Plus to show touchscreen inconsistencies as symptoms of performance issues like unresponsive touchscreen triggered by low memory, check the available memory storage space on your iPhone. If necessary, manage apps, move or remove some contents to free up more space on your iPhone. Here’s how to access internal memory information and manage internal storage if necessary:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Tap Storage & iCloud Usage.
- Tap Manage Storage.
You will then be prompted with a new screen that contains more details on current memory status, available memory, and how much memory space each apps and services used up. If it shows that your iPhone 7 Plus is running low on memory, remove all unwanted and old apps or contents from your device. You can also backup your other information either through iCloud or iTunes for safekeeping and at the same time, freeing up more space on your iPhone’s internal storage.
Fifth Solution: Restore your iPhone 7 Plus through DFU mode
Device Firmware Update or DFU mode restore is deemed the deepest type of iOS restore usually done by Apple technicians in an attempt to fix various types of problems that are associated with software damage. Should the unresponsive touchscreen problem you are dealing with is caused by major software bugs or glitches that are tough enough to withstand the usual troubleshooting methods, then you may consider taking a chance on DFU mode restore. However, you also need to note that while this type of restore can potentially fix the problem, you too can end up having a bricked iPhone if you do it wrong. Many iPhone users were not lucky enough as they ended up having a totally unusable iPhone because the DFU mode was not successful. That being said, only perform a DFU mode restore if you are certain that there is no liquid damage on your iPhone. If there is liquid damage on your device, the restore might not be completed. Also make sure that your iPhone has sufficient charge before doing a DFU restore to prevent any interruptions. You can connect your iPhone to a power outlet and let it charge while doing a DFU restore.
Whenever you’re decided to give DFU mode restore a try, here’s how it’s done:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer.
- Open iTunes on the computer.
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and Volume button simultaneously on your iPhone 7 Plus for about 8 seconds.
- After the elapsed time, release the Sleep/Wake button but keep holding down the Volume button until you see the iTunes screen saying that iTunes has detected your iPhone in recovery mode.
- Release the Volume button when you see that screen then.
- When your iPhone screen becomes completely black, that means you have successfully entered DFU mode. If not, go back to the very first step.
- Restore your iPhone using iTunes in DFU mode.
Your computer will then start to erase and reload every bit of code that controls the software and hardware on your iPhone.
Alternatively, you can skip DFU mode and seek further assistance from Apple Support instead. It would be a safer and wiser decision especially if you are not confident enough to take the risks from doing a DFU mode restore.
Alternatively, you can take your iPhone 7 Plus to an authorized service center and have a technician do the assessment on what exactly went wrong with the iPhone unresponsive touchscreen and what’s causing the problem. This can be the safest yet costly option you can consider should all else failed to resolve the underlying cause.
Engage with us
If you have other issues with your Apple iPhone 7 Plus, we are always willing to help. Contact us through our iPhone issues questionnaire and provide us with all necessary information about your problem so we can find a solution to your issue. You can also visit our Youtube channel and equip yourself with more knowledge on how to deal different issues.