11 Tips to Fix iPhone Touch Screen Not Working (iOS 18/17)

Is your iPhone touch screen not working after updating to iOS 18? Maybe the screen won't respond, freezes, or lags when you tap it. Don't worry, you're not along. In this article, we'll show you 11 easy tips to fix the unresponsive iPhone touch screen. These methods are simple and work for most users. Try them one by one, and your screen should start working again soon.

Why is My iPhone Touch Screen Not Working?

There are several reasons why your iPhone touch screen might stop working. It could be a small software issue or a more serious hardware problem. Here are some common causes:

• Software Bugs: After updating to iOS 18 or iOS 17, bugs in the system can cause the screen to freeze or stop responding.
• App Issues: Some apps might glitch and make the screen unresponsive when opened.
• Low Storage or Overload: If your iPhone is low on storage or running too many tasks, it may slow down or freeze the screen.
• Dirty or Wet Screen: Dirt, water, or even a screen protector can affect how the screen responds to your touch.
• Screen Damage: If your iPhone screen is cracked or exposed to water, it might stop working properly.

1. Clean Your iPhone Screen

If your iPhone’s touch screen isn’t responding, start by checking the screen’s condition. Sometimes, a layer of dust or grime can interfere with touch sensitivity.

Gently clean the screen using a soft, dry, lint-free cloth - avoid any liquids or cleaning agents. Also, make sure your hands are clean and dry before using your device, as moisture or dirt can affect touch response.

2. Restart Your iPhone or iPad

If your iPhone or iPad touch screen isn't working properly, try restarting the device. Just make sure the screen responds at least a little, as you'll need some touch input to perform the restart.

• For iPhone X and later: Press and hold either volume button and the Side button until “slide to power off” appears. Slide to turn off, then turn it back on.
• For iPhone 8 and earlier: Hold the Side/Top button until the power off slider appears, then slide to restart.

3. Force Restart  iPhone

If a simple restart doesn’t solve the touch screen problem, or you can’t use the "slide to power off" option, try a force restart. This method doesn’t need any touch screen input and might help fix the issue.

• iPhone 8 and later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button. After that, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
• iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold both the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time until the Apple logo appears.
• iPhone 6s or earlier: Press and hold both the Home and Power buttons together until the Apple logo shows up.

4. Remove Screen Protector or Case

To protect their iPhone screens, many people use screen protectors or cases. However, these accessories can sometimes interfere with touch sensitivity. Try removing the screen protector or case to see if that fixes the touch screen not responding issue.

Sometimes, iPhone touch screen issues can be caused by connected accessories. Try unplugging any Lightning or USB-C accessories. If the screen starts working after that, try using a different charger, cable, or power outlet.

5. Force Close Background Apps

Having too many apps open in the background can slow down your iPhone and cause the touch screen to lag. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom and pause to see open apps. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-press it instead. Then swipe up on the apps you don’t need to close them.

6. Free Up iPhone Storage

Sometimes the iPhone touch screen may stop working properly due to low storage space. To fix this, make sure your device has enough free space.

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to check available space. If storage is low, delete unused apps, old photos, videos, or messages. Try to keep at least 1–2 GB of free space for smooth performance.

7. Uninstall and Reinstall Problematic App

If your iPhone touch screen only stops working when using a specific app, the problem is likely with the app itself. First, you can try to close the app and reopen it.

If that doesn't fix it, update the app from the App Store or deleted and reinstall it. If the app isn’t well-optimized or doesn’t work well with iOS 17 or 18, switching to another similar app might be the best option.

8. Update to the Latest iOS

Apple regularly releases iOS updates to fix bugs and improve performance. If your touch screen stopped working after an update, installing the latest version might help.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates. Make sure your device is on Wi-Fi and has enough battery or is plugged in.

If your screen doesn’t respond at all, you can update your iPhone using a computer with Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (on Windows or older macOS).

9. Factory Reset Your iPhone (Data Loss)

If your iPhone or iPad touch screen still isn’t working after trying the above methods, a factory reset might be your last option. This will erase all your data and settings and return the device to its original state.

Before doing this, be sure to back up your data to iCloud or a computer so you can restore it later. Since your iPhone touch screen isn't working, you can use another device to do the reset.

• Visit iCloud.com and sign in with the Apple ID used on your iPhone.
• Go to Find My, and you'll see a list of devices linked to your account.
• Choose your iPhone, click Erase This Device, and then tap Continue to start the factory reset.

10. Fix iPhone Touch Screen Issue without Data Loss

If the previous solutions don't resolve your issue, you can try using FoneGeek iOS System Recovery. It is designed to fix touch screen problems on iPhone with simple clicks. This tool can also help with various iOS system issues, such as being stuck on the Apple logo, not charging, or having a black screen. The best part is that no data will be lost during the repair process. Follow the steps below to use this powerful tool.

Step 1: Download and install the correct version of FoneGeek iOS System Repair on your computer. Once installed, open the program and select "Standard Mode."

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the computer. If the software doesn’t detect your device automatically, follow the on-screen steps to enter Recovery Mode or DFU Mode.

Step 3: Once your iPhone is in Recovery/DFU mode, the software will detect it and display available firmware versions. Choose the appropriate version and click "Download."

Step 4: After the download completes, click "Fix Now." This will begin repairing your iPhone and should resolve the touch screen issue without any data loss.

11. Contact Apple Support

If none of the above tips work, the issue might be hardware-related. The screen or logic board could be damaged due to impact, water, or internal faults. In this case, it’s best to contact Apple Support, visit an Apple Store, or go to an authorized repair center to get a professional diagnosis and fix.

Conclusion

To resolve the issue of an unresponsive iPhone touch screen, the solutions provided in this article should be helpful. For those who prefer not to lose any data, FoneGeek iOS System Recovery is an excellent choice to fix the touch screen not working problem without data loss. We’d love to hear which method worked for you, so feel free to share your feedback in the comments below!