Whenever your iPhone starts performing actions by itself, you may think it’s a virus or a bug, but usually it’s because of Ghost touch. When this happens, apps tend to open without your input or the screen reacts to touches that don’t exist.
These strange behaviors can be annoying, but you can fix it even though sometimes it’ll require you to take the phone to Apple or a certified Apple repair store.
Mostly, ghost touch affects iPhone X. if you’d recall, Apple admitted that it found issues with this model’s touchscreen and even announced it’d offer free repairs to affected owners. However, several reports show that the issue spills over to other models including the iPhone 6, 7, 8, XS and XR.
Ghost touch is a rare issue that can affect any iPhone but you can fix it with some of the solutions here below.
How to fix Ghost Touch on iPhone
Quick fixes
- Clean the touchscreen to remove any dirt, dust, or debris that can interfere with how your device detects touch. Don’t use household cleaning liquids as they contain hydrogen peroxide or corrosives that may erode the coating on your iPhone’s screen
- Remove the screen protector as it may disrupt how the iPhone’s touchscreen operates
- Remove the iPhone’s attached hard case as it may twist the screen and cause ghost touch issues
- Restart your iPhone to clear any software or technical glitches that may cause the problem
Force restart your iPhone
For iPhone 8 or later, do this:
- Press and release the Volume up button and then do the same with the volume down button
- Hold the side button until the Apple logo appears and release it
For iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, hold down volume down and sleep/wake buttons and release after the Apple logo appears. Do the same for iPhone 6 or 6S except press volume down and Home buttons.
Update iOS
A software bug may be the cause of ghost touch on your iPhone. To fix this, update your ios by taking these steps:
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Now tap Software Update
- Tap Download and Install, or install if you have the update already
Factory reset your device
To do this:
- Make sure your iPhone is backed up because factory resets wipe all saved data
- Open Settings>General
- Tap Reset and then tap Erase all content and settings
- Now tap Erase
- Set up your iPhone all over again, or restore it from a previously saved backup
Use Recovery Mode and reinstall ios
To do this in iPhone 8 or later:
- Connect your iPhone to a Mac or PC and open iTunes
- Press and quickly release Volume Up and do the same for volume down button
- Hold the side button until you get into Recovery Mode
- iTunes will now show a message saying: There’s a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored
- Tap Update or tap Restore (the latter wipes all data so back it up before you restore)
If nothing works, contact Apple support or visit a certified Apple repair store.
Elsie is a tech writer with 8+ years professional experience. For Tech News Watch, she brings rich experience contributing to topics such as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS among others. In her spare time, she loves checking out the latest tech trends, gadgets, and news, listening to music and cars.