Are touchscreen issues on your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 ruining your day? Well, it’s time you crack a smile as we’ll give you all the directions to settle the issue — and fast.
The touchscreen issues on the iPhone 12/13 can be fixed by removing the obstructions on its display and any faulty accessories. You can also soft reset or factory reset the device and update, restore, or repair its system software.
Don’t let all the data overwhelm you. Our guide contains 11 fixes that will chop all these into bite-sized instructions with pictures to learn how to fix touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13 in as little as 30 minutes, so read to the end to not miss a beat!
Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○○ |
Duration | 28 to 30 minutes |
Number of Fixes | 11 |
Things You Need | iPhone 12 or 13Mac or Windows PCLightning to USB-C cableA working internet connectionA cleaning clothA replacement screen protector |
Troubleshooting Tricks to Fix Touchscreen Issues on iPhone 12/13
There’s wisdom in being orderly. To bring your iPhone touchscreen back to life, we strongly recommend you do the solutions below from top to bottom and not in a random manner.
So, without much ado, let’s get it on.
1. Wipe your iPhone’s screen clean.
The iPhone 12/13’s touchscreen sensors can fail to recognize your touch inputs if the display screen is dirty or wet. Wipe the display using a soft, lint-free microfiber or lens cloth to gently remove dirt and moisture.
Slightly dampening the cleaning cloth removes any dirt from the display’s surface. However, you have to be careful not to moisten the openings in your iPhone, such as the charging port, speaker, and microphone.
Apple also recommends dampening the cleaning cloth with a 70% isopropyl or 75% ethyl alcohol solution to disinfect your iPhone without damaging its hardware.
2. Remove or change the screen protector.
Have you recently put on a screen protector on your iPhone? If yes, it’s probably the cause of your phone’s touchscreen issues.
A simple way to fix an unresponsive touchscreen on iPhone 12/iPhone 13 is to remove or change the screen protector. A thick screen protector can affect the touchscreen’s sensitivity, causing it to be unresponsive or slow to respond.
When replacing the screen protector, ensure no air pockets or dirt are trapped between the protective film and the iPhone’s display. Also, we recommend only using Apple-supported screen protectors compatible with iPhone devices.
3. Remove connected accessories.
When your iPhone uses a faulty cable or adapter, it can result in the display screen being too sensitive and responding abnormally to your touch inputs. Removing any Lightning or USB cables should fix touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13.
If the touchscreen works normally after removing all accessories, replace them with a different Lightning or USB-C accessory. Try plugging your phone into a different socket and have the previous one checked in case it damages your chargers.
4. Soft reset your iPhone.
iPhones, like other devices, should be soft-reset whenever they experience any issues. Soft resetting can be done by shutting down the phone and turning it back on or via a restart.
IPhone will shut down its apps and system processes during a soft reset to refresh its memory. After the reboot, this action improves overall performance for overcoming touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13.
If your iPhone’s touchscreen is slow but still responsive, you can turn off your phone like normal and turn it back on afterward.
Follow these steps to shut down and turn on your iPhone:
Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
Number of Steps | 8 |
Duration | 30 seconds |
- Press/release the volume up button.
- Press/release the volume down button.
- Press/hold the side button.
- Swipe right on the power slider.
- Wait for your iPhone to shut down.
- Press/hold the side button.
- Keep holding the side button until Apple’s logo appears.
- Wait for your iPhone to boot up.
If the touchscreen is unresponsive or frozen, use the trick below to forcefully restart your iPhone 12/13.
Use the following steps to restart your iPhone:
Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
Number of Steps | 5 |
Duration | 30 seconds |
- Press/release the volume up button.
- Press/release the volume down button.
- Press/hold the side button.
- Ignore the power slider and wait for the screen to shut down.
- Keep holding the side button until you see Apple’s logo.
5. Update your apps.
Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
Number of Steps | 4 |
Duration | 10 seconds |
Using an outdated version of your application can cause you to experience all sorts of errors, including slow and unresponsive touch controls. We recommend regularly checking for any updates you can install on the app store.
Doing so makes your applications more power-efficient and makes sure that they work as intended on your iPhone. Once apps are updated, this should fix the slow and unresponsive touchscreen on iPhone 12/iPhone 13.
Follow these steps to update apps on iPhone:
- Open the App Store.
- Click your account profile.
- Scroll down/click Update All to update all pending apps.
- Click the Update buttons beside the apps to install their updates individually.
Take note that it’s best to update your apps habitually. It’s all for the best, as software updates will give you a more seamless user experience.
6. Reset your iPhone’s settings.
Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
Number of Steps | 7 |
Duration | 30 seconds |
Believe it or not, even something as minor as a touchscreen issue can arise due to a change in your phone’s settings. If you suspect this to be the case, resetting all settings should fix touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13 without fail.
After resetting the settings, you’ll lose your phone’s network, location, and privacy settings. This action will also remove previously added Apple Pay cards and keyboard dictionary data; however, your data and files should be untouched.
Follow these steps to reset iPhone settings:
- Open Settings.
- Scroll down/click General.
- Scroll down/click Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Click Reset.
- Click Reset All Settings on the pop-up menu.
- Enter your passcode.
- Click Reset All Settings.
7. Update your iPhone’s OS.
Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
Number of Steps | 10 |
Duration | 10 minutes |
It’s generally advisable to keep your iPhone updated as much as possible. Using an updated version of the software gives your phone the latest performance upgrades and software patches that will fix the errors and bugs from the previous version.
Follow these steps to update your iPhone 12/13:
- Open Settings.
- Scroll down/click General.
- Click Software Update.
- Click Download and Install.
- Enter your passcode.
- Click Agree to accept the T&C.
- Click Agree again to continue.
- Click Use Cellular Data to initiate the download.
- Wait for it to prepare the update.
- Click Install Now.
Well, you may be wondering if you can automatically do this. Update your iOS on your iPhone automatically by following these steps: Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates.
You should be able to get the latest update to your phone iOS every time.
8. Repair the iOS system using ReiBoot.
Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
Number of Steps | 11 |
Duration | 15 minutes |
If you own a Mac or Windows PC, you can use third-party system repair software for iOS devices like the Tenorshare ReiBoot. This software can fix over 150 system problems, including touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13.
Plus, ReiBoot works on all versions of iOS. With this easy-to-use application, we can vouch that you will not lose any data when using it to repair your iPhone 12/13.
Follow these steps to use ReiBoot to repair your iPhone’s system:
- Launch any web browser on your PC.
- Download and install the Tenorshare ReiBoot app on your PC.
- Open Tenorshare ReiBoot on your PC.
- Plug your iPhone 12/13 into your PC using a USB cable.
- Click the Start button on the ReiBoot app.
- Select Standard Repair.
- Click the Standard Repair button.
- Click Download to download the latest firmware.
- Click on Start Standard Repair to initialize the system repair.
- Click Done once you finish the repair.
Know that Tenorshare Reiboot has been considered the best iOS system recovery tool. This should tell you using it is highly recommended.
9. Restore your iPhone via DFU mode.
Another way to fix touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13 is by restoring the device via Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU) mode.
This feature restores your iPhone to any state, but it’s usually used to downgrade the OS when the latest updates are buggy.
To avoid any issues, we recommend paying close attention to all of the instructions listed below. While the process is simple, many users find it confusing due to the different button combinations and timing required to enter this mode.
Follow these steps to enter the DFU mode:
Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
Number of Steps | 10 |
Duration | 1 minute |
- Plug your iPhone 12/13 into your PC using its USB cable.
- Press/release the volume up button.
- Press/release the volume down button.
- Press/hold the side button.
- Press/hold the volume down button with the side button when the screen turns black.
- Release the side button after 5 seconds while still holding the volume down button.
Note: You’ll know that you held the side button too long when Apple’s logo appears. This means that you failed to boot into DFU mode and have to start the process again, starting from the top.
- Keep holding the volume down button until your iPhone is detected by your PC.
- Release the volume down button and switch to your PC’s screen.
- Click OK to continue.
- Click Restore iPhone.
Follow these steps to exit DFU mode:
Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
Number of Steps | 3 |
Duration | 15 seconds |
- Press/release the volume up button.
- Press/release the volume down button.
- Press/hold the side button until Apple’s logo appears.
Now, that should be all you need to bring your touchscreen back to life. However, if you’re still dealing with the issue and your screen is still unresponsive, then it’s high time you factor in a stronger solution.
10. Factory reset your iPhone.
Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
Number of Steps | 11 |
Duration | 90 to 120 seconds |
Factory resetting your iPhone will erase your existing data and files, essentially reverting everything to default. Once this process is complete, you can think of your iPhone as a new phone.
WARNING: A factory reset will delete all personal files on your iPhone 12/13. Back up your data before doing so you won’t lose them forever. |
We highly recommend backing up your data using iCloud or a Mac. Backing up your data allows you to restore them after you complete the factory reset.
Follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone:
- Open Settings.
- Go to your Apple account.
- Click iCloud.
- Click iCloud Backup.
- Toggle the Back Up This iPhone switch on.
- Click Back Up Now.
- Return to your Apple account and scroll down/click Sign Out.
- Return to settings and scroll down/click General.
- Scroll down/click Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Click Erase All Content and Settings.
- Click Continue to begin with the factory reset.
That should do it, but if your iPhone 12/iPhone 13 is still unresponsive, know you still have one ace up your sleeve. It’s about time you call the cavalry.
Remember, however, that there may be a price tag attached to expert services. So, this should tell you that you should use this option as a last resort.
11. Reach out to Apple Support.
If none of the abovementioned solutions overcame touchscreen issues on iPhone 12/iPhone 13, the best course of action is to contact Apple Support or visit the nearest Apple Store in your area.
Their expert technicians should be able to help fix your phone’s slow or unresponsive touchscreen, especially if the cause is hardware-related. This should not cost you anything if your phone is still under warranty.
Final Thoughts
There’s no need to panic when your smartphone screen is unresponsive. You definitely don’t need it to ruin your day; with this guide, you should be able to learn how to fix touchscreen issues on your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 in no time.
FAQs About Touchscreen Issues on iPhone 12/13
Obstructions on the display screen can cause your iPhone to be unresponsive to touch inputs. Dirt, moisture, and screen protectors are some of the most common things affecting your iPhone’s screen sensitivity.
The screen may also fail to recognize your touch inputs when wearing gloves or if your fingers are wet.
Screen issues have been reported on the iPhone 12. This can be a result of external factors such as obstructions to the display screen or an internal factor like a problem with the phone’s software and hardware.
It’s worth noting that wear and tear can cause issues on your smartphone to surface. There’s hardly any model or brand today that has not been plagued by performance issues.
Soft resetting is the quickest and easiest way to fix a frozen iPhone 12. This will shut down the device and reboot it with a refresh system memory.
You can soft reset your iPhone 12 by following the instructions previously mentioned in this guide.
When touch commands initiate without any input from the user, this is considered a ghost touch. An example is when a button in the display gets pressed without the user touching the screen.
This can also refer to a phone’s delayed response to touch inputs, which makes it look like it’s performing actions without influence from the user.
Bugs, glitches, and screen obstructions can cause the iPhone 13’s touchscreen to act up. Another possible reason is sustained damage to the display screen due to being exposed to moisture or dropped.
Screen repair costs approximately $279 for the iPhone 13. This is based on the estimated cost provided by Apple’s support website.
Definitely, it’s best to factor in repairs yourself to save a ton of money. Note the figure can rise to $599 if major issues such as a broken camera are included.