Is your phone's touchscreen driving you crazy because no amount of tapping or swiping is making it responsive to your given input? Touchscreens are like a central hub through which, by swiping or tapping, we perform different functions on smartphones. Unfortunately, there are several factors that can hinder your device's touchscreen performance. The good news? Most of these issues can be solved without expensive repairs. From simple cleaning tricks to troubleshooting tips, you can get your touch interface to work at its best.
Throughout this post, we will thoroughly explain why touchscreen problems arise and how to fix them, from the basic to advanced level. Touchscreen problems often occur after physical damage, such as a cracked phone screen. If your phone isn’t responding even when plugged in, learn how to fix a phone that won’t charge for a full understanding and prevention tips.
What are the Common Touchscreen Issues?
Before jumping into fixing things, it is crucial to understand the problem and its root cause, let us take a moment to talk about some frustrating problems your touchscreen might be throwing your way. Knowing what these issues are is the first step in getting things back to normal.
Here are some of the most common touchscreen issues that one can face:
Unresponsive Touch Input
It happens when your touchscreen is unable to process touch inputs or stops giving responses to user interactions. It can happen due to multiple factors, such as damaged screen, water or moisture exposure, excessive dirt or debris exposure, or due to software or hardware malfunction.
Inaccurate Touches
Faulty touches make the screen feel not much more like a guessing game than a precision tool. It happens when you tap on a screen to open a specific app, but it opens the other. This happens mostly when your touchscreen sensors are not working effectively.
Ghost Touches
One of the most irritating issues is when your phone starts acting on its own, like some kind of invisible hand is tapping and swiping. Apps open by themselves, texts are sent, and chaos ensues without you even touching the screen.
Calibration Errors
Ever feel like your screen has a mind of its own when you try to tap? This might be because your touchscreen's calibration is off, creating a mismatch between where you touch and where the phone thinks you tapped. It isn't very pleasant and makes every interaction a challenge.
Quick Fixes for Unresponsive Touchscreens
The minute your phone's touchscreen starts acting up, you experience issues with its responsiveness and accuracy. In response to these troublesome screen issues, here are some quick fixes you can try to get your touchscreen back to working normally:
Restart Your Phone
Sometimes, all your phone needs is to restart to refresh the system. This clears minor glitches, deletes temporary files that may be interrupting your device's functionality and resets responsiveness in your touchscreen.
How to do it:
Press and hold the power button until the 'restart' option pops up; then, tap it. Wait for your phone to reboot. The problem should now be resolved.
Clean the Screen Properly
Dirt, oil, and smudges can affect the sensitivity of your touchscreen. Cleaning the screen with a microfiber cloth resolves responsiveness issues. Avoid using rough fabric or harsh chemicals to wipe your screen.
How to clean:
Switch off your phone.
Use a microfiber cloth slightly dampened (if necessary)with water or an approved screen cleaner. Wipe in a circular motion across the screen to remove the grime, smudges and fingerprints.
Remove Screen Protector
Sometimes, screen protectors made with thick or improper materials can cause problems, mainly if misaligned, cracked, or dirty. You may try removing it and see if the functionality of touchscreen improves.
Tip: Replace your screen protector today with a high-quality, thin protector that will not mess with touch sensitivity.
Close Background Apps
Too many running applications can really bog down your phone and impact the performance of your touchscreen. Freeing up system resources can make a big difference.
How to do it:
Open the app switcher, usually by swiping up or tapping a button.
Swipe away the apps you are not using. Closing the apps you are not using boosts your device's overall performance.
Update Your Software
Bugs and glitches in outdated software may cause touchscreen problems. Keeping your phone updated ensures smooth operation.
Steps to update:
Go to Settings on your phone and look for "System" or "Software Update." Check for any available updates and install them.
Reset Touchscreen Settings
If your phone supports touch sensitivity, reset it to the default.
How to reset:
Look for touch sensitivity options under "Settings" > "Accessibility" or "Display". Reset them to their default setting.
Perform a Soft Reset, Not a Factory Reset!
A soft reset means a restart in which more of the temporary system errors are cleared without necessarily deleting your data.
How to do it:
This usually requires holding multiple buttons down at once, so refer to your phone's manual for specific instructions. Soft reset settings vary for different mobiles.
How to Calibrate a Touch Screen
This process helps you restore your touchscreen's accuracy and responsiveness more accurately. The process is different for Android and iOS devices, so let me guide you through the steps in detail for perfect touchscreen recalibration.
For Android Devices
Use Built-In Calibration Settings
Many Android devices have options to re-calibrate the touchscreen. Though most phones do not have those, it is worth having a look.
Follow These Easy Steps:
- Open the Settings on your device.
- Go to Display or Touchscreen, depending on the mobile option.
- Look for a setting labelled calibration or sensitivity and follow the prompts.
Tip: This can be found most on older versions of Android; it is less common on modern versions.
Use Calibration Apps
If there is no option available by default, you can download a touchscreen calibration app from the Google Play Store. Those apps evaluate the touchscreen's accuracy and help improve its responsiveness.
- Download the application and install it.
- Tap on the screen in certain areas, following the on-screen instructions.
- Restart your phone for the best results.
- Access Developer Options for Advanced Calibration
- The Developer Options menu offers tools for advanced users.
- Enabling these features can help you fine-tune touchscreen performance.
Steps to Enable Developer Options:
- Open your mobile Settings, then click on About Phone or About Device.
- Tap on Build Number seven times until you get a notification that Developer Options are unlocked.
- Head back to Settings and find Developer Options under Additional Settings. Now, you can enable or disable many advanced features on your device.
For iOS Devices
Unlike Android, iOS devices do not have direct calibration tools for touchscreens. However, there are other ways to improve touchscreen accuracy.
Adjust Touch Sensitivity Settings
iOS also supports adjusting touch sensitivity for more intuitive interaction.
Steps:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility.
- Navigate to Touch and select Touch Accommodations.
- Adjust settings such as Hold Duration or Ignore Repeat to customize touch response.
Use Assistive Touch for Specific Actions
Assistive Touch is an alternative for users struggling with inaccurate touchscreen response.
How to Enable:
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Assistive Touch.
Switch it on and customize gestures or shortcuts to ease navigation.
Check: Useful for testing touch accuracy and dead zones.
Final Thoughts
While touchscreen problems and calibration issues in phones can be a real headache, most of these issues can be resolved quickly with the proper knowledge and steps. Be it a simple cleaning, a software update, or a professional repair, there is always a way to get your phone back to its best performance. Remember, regular care of your device can go a long way in preventing multiple issues in the future.
If these tips do not help solve your phone's touchscreen issues, you can get expert help. Doctor Mobile Profix diagnoses and fixes all sorts of hardware or software issues related to smartphones, including problematic touchscreens.
Ready to get your phone fixed? See us today for fast and reliable mobile repair services. Call our team now for a free consultation and affordable repair. If touchscreen problems persist after following the above-mentioned tips, our technicians in Grande Prairie are here to assist.
