How to Fix Ghost Touch on iPhone. Have you ever noticed that your iPhone is doing things even when you’re not touching it? it is like a ghost playing with your smartphone. If you have found yourself in this kind of situation, don’t worry, you’re (maybe) not haunted. You may be experiencing a phenomenon called “ghost touch. This is where the screen reacts like it’s been pressed, even when you’re nowhere near it.
How to Fix Ghost Touch on iPhone
There are a lot of reasons why it may happen, from hardware to software issues. If you’re ready to start busting ghosts, here are some tips for how to fix ghost touch on an iPhone.
- Clean the Screen
You have to check if there is anything in it and clean your phone screen. Debris, sweat, or body oils on the screen could be the cause of your ghost touch issues. Carefully rub the surface of your screen to remove any dirt or debris. If your phone is an iPhone 11 or newer, you can try warm soapy water. If the damp cloth doesn’t work, be careful not to get any liquid in the charging port or other openings.
It is ok to use a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe on your Apple device’s screen, a 75 percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or a Clorox disinfection wipe to gently wipe over the surfaces of your iPhone and your screen. You should avoid products containing hydrogen peroxide or bleach, as these can cause serious damage.
- Remove Your Screen Protector
Yes, the screen protector may be the cause of the ghost touch problems, especially if there is dirt or debris trapped under the screen protector. Carefully peel off the protector on the screen. You can start from one corner until the entire product has been removed.
After that, you can now clean the screen just like described above, and then try using your iPhone again. Keep reading. If you still experience ghost touch, try one of the other possible fixes below.
- Remove Your iPhone’s case
If you have a headphone case, it can sometimes cause the screen to warp slightly, especially if it has been dropped. This could cause ghost touch issues. Remove the iPhone case. If the case does appear twisted, remove the case carefully to avoid any further damage to your iPhone. See if the ghost touch issues persist with the case removed.
- Restart your iPhone
Your ghost touch issues may be a software issue rather than an issue with your screen. If this is the case, one of the first things to try is restarting your iPhone.
Steps to restart an iPhone X or later
- Press and hold both the side buttons and the volume down.
- When the sliders appear, slide the slide to power Off the slider to the right
- The iPhone will shut down.
- Once the iPhone has shut down, wait a few seconds, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
That is all you have to do to restart an iPhone:
Steps to restart an earlier iPhone
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button, which is located on the top or side of your iPhone.
- Slide the power off slider to the right.
- Then, the iPhone will shut down.
- Once the iPhone has finished shutting down, wait a few seconds, and then hold the sleep/wake button until the Apple logo appears.
These are the steps you need to follow to restart your iPhone.
Force Restart your iPhone
If the ghost touch issue still occurs, you may not be able to swipe the necessary slider to turn off your iPhone. In this case, you will need to force restart your iPhone. This will restart your iPhone using only the physical buttons and without requiring the use of your screen.
Steps to force restart an iPhone 8 or later:
- Press the volume up button and release it.
- Press the lower volume button and release it.
- Then, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
- This will make your iPhone restart.
Steps to force restart an iPhone 7:
- Press and hold the side button and the volume down.
- When the Apple logo appears, release the buttons.
- Your iPhone should restart.
Update iOS and Apps
Another possible cause of ghost touch on your iPhone is that your operating system is out of date or you’re running an app that needs updating. Try to update your apps and install the latest version of iOS to see if this fixes the problem.
Steps to manually update iOS:
- Go to the set
- Tap General
- Select the software update.
- If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
Steps to manually update apps on your iPhone
- Open the App Store
- Enter your profile in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
- Scroll down to the list of apps and click Update all.
Reset Your iPhone’s settings
If all the methods above don’t fix the ghost touch on your iPhone, you can try resetting your iPhone. You can try resetting your iPhone settings. This is a slightly less nuclear option than a factory reset. It will restore settings such as sound settings, display settings, and network settings, but your apps, photos, video files, and other data will remain untouched.
Step to reset your iPhone’s settings
- Open the settings app.
- Select General
- Scroll down and click “Transfer or Reset iPhone”.
- Click on Reset.
- Select “Reset All Settings”
- Your iPhone will erase all of your data and return to its original state.
- If you have a backup, you can now restore your iPhone.
Set Up Your iPhone from Recovery Mode:
Most of the time, even a factory reset won’t fix your problem. You may find that your iPhone gets stuck on the Apple logo for a long time instead of restarting, with no progress bar. In such a case, you’ll need to try to set up your iPhone in recovery mode This allows you to either update or restore your iPhone when you can’t get it to work any other way.
Steps to update or restore your iPhone in recovery mode:
- Connect your iPhone to a Mac or PC. If you’re running macOS, it’s up-to-date. If you’re running an earlier version of macOS or using a PC, ensure that iTunes is up-to-date.
- For macOS or newer, open Finder. On earlier versions of macOS or PC, open iTunes. If iTunes is already open, close the app and open it again.
- Put your iPhone into recovery mode using one of the following methods:
- For iPhone 8 or later Quickly press and release the Volume Up Do the same with the Volume Down button, then press and hold the side button.
- On the iPhone 7, press and hold the side and volume down buttons at the same time.
- For iPhone 6s or earlier, press and hold the Home and Top (or side) Buttons at the same time
- When the Apple log papers, keep holding the button down until your iPhone enters recovery mode. When you see the restore on your iPhone, you can release all the buttons.
Get Your Screen Repaired or Replaced
You may have a hardware issue with your screen that you won’t be able to fix yourself. That is if none of the fixes above work. The only option is to send it away for a replacement. You can either contact Apple support, or visit an Apple retail store or an authorized Apple repairer, and they will be able to repair or replace the screen of your iPhone.
It is always advisable to make a backup of your iPhone before you take it for repair, in case your data is erased during the repair process.
Keep your iPhone running smoothly.
Understanding how to fix ghosts on an iPhone helps you to get a smarter phone running the way it should. Apple products have a reputation for working seamlessly, but occasionally things can go wrong. You can try resetting the keyboard on your iPhone when your keyboard is feeling sluggish. You can try closing any app if you think it is slowing your phone down. There are other ways to get water out of an iPhone if you drop it somewhere you shouldn’t.
Frequent Asked Questions
Can ghost touch be fixed?
To fix any ghost touch issues on your iPhone, make sure you remove the case and screen protector to prevent overheating issues. After that, install the latest iOS update and scan your system for malware. Also, disable gestures and have your screen repaired.
Is Ghost touching a hack?
According to the researchers, an attacker can use Ghost Touch to carry out severe types of malicious actions. However, this includes initiating calls and downloading malware.
Can touchscreens be hacked?
Do you know if your touchscreen can be hacked? Well, the answer is “Yes.” Hackers can control your touchscreen remotely during an EMI attack. They don’t have to be nearly as long as the equipment is no more than 40 mm away. In other words, this could be under the table where your smartphone is lying face down.
Why does my iPhone touch itself?
One of the possible causes of ghost touch problems on an iPhone is a faulty display or damaged screen component. This is usually the case if some pins are out of place and your iPhone display is not seated correctly in such a case.
Can a charger cause a ghost touch on an iPhone?
If there is some sort of voltage fluctuation, your wall outlet or charger can trigger a ghost touch and cause your iPhone screen to glitch. This makes it better to charge your phone when it is resting and use it when you have disconnected it from the charger.
