When your iPhone XR’s screen won’t react—or reacts painfully slowly—every swipe feels like a struggle. Before you assume the display is dead or rush to the Genius Bar, run through these proven fixes. Most of the time, a simple restart or settings tweak is all you need to get your touchscreen back on track.
1. Give Your iPhone a Quick Restart (Soft Reset)
- Press Side button + either Volume button until the “slide to power off” bar appears.
- Drag the slider right to power down.
- After the screen goes dark, wait 15 seconds, then press Side button again until you see the Apple logo.
Why it helps: A soft reset flushes out minor glitches in iOS and clears temporary memory, often restoring normal touch response.
2. Force Restart If the Screen Is Frozen
- Press and quickly release Volume Up.
- Press and quickly release Volume Down.
- Press and hold Side button until the Apple logo shows (may take up to 30 seconds).
Why it helps: Simulates a battery pull on an iPhone with a non-removable battery—great for screens stuck mid-gesture or totally unresponsive.
3. Clean the Screen and Remove Accessories
- Wipe the display with a lint-free microfiber cloth.
- Peel off screen protectors or cases that overlap the edge.
- Dry the phone if there’s any chance of moisture.
Why it helps: Dirt, oils, liquid, or poorly-fitted accessories can block or confuse touch sensors.
4. Close or Delete the App That Triggered the Problem
- Swipe up from the bottom and pause to open the App Switcher (if the gesture still works).
- Swipe the suspect app up and off the screen to force-quit.
- Still glitchy? Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap the app, then Delete App, and reinstall it from the App Store.
Why it helps: A single rogue app can hog system resources or crash the touchscreen driver.
5. Free Up Storage Space
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Aim for at least 1–2 GB free: offload unused apps, delete large videos, or clear old messages.
- Restart the phone and test the screen.
Why it helps: iOS needs free space to swap temporary files. When storage hits rock bottom, the UI—including touch—can lag or drop taps.
6. Turn Off Reachability and Touch Accommodations
- Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Reachability → toggle off.
- In the same Touch menu, open Touch Accommodations and disable if enabled.
Why it helps: These accessibility features sometimes conflict with normal touch thresholds, especially after accidental toggles.
7. Update iOS to the Latest Version
- Connect to Wi-Fi and power.
- Settings > General > Software Update → Download and Install if one’s available.
- Reboot when done.
Why it helps: Apple patches touchscreen driver bugs and performance issues in almost every iOS revision.
8. Restore iOS in DFU Mode (Last-Ditch Software Fix)
- Plug your iPhone into a computer with the latest Finder/iTunes.
- Quickly press Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold Side button until the screen turns black.
- Once black, hold Side button + Volume Down for 5 seconds, then release Side button while keeping Volume Down pressed for 10 seconds more.
- The display stays black—Finder/iTunes should detect a device in recovery. Click Restore and follow the prompts.
Why it helps: DFU wipes and reloads every line of firmware, eliminating deep software corruption.
9. Suspect Hardware? Call Apple Support
If the screen is cracked, was recently exposed to liquid, or none of the fixes above revive touch input, schedule a visit at an Apple Store or authorized service provider. Physical damage to the digitizer or logic board requires professional repair, not DIY tricks.