Your iPhone Ghost Touch Problems Solved: 11 Easy Fixes

Co-authored by Shavo Hacopian and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: December 15, 2024 Fact Checked

Does your iPhone's screen seem to have a mind of its own? If apps are opening on their own or your icons are moving erratically as if a ghost is touching your screen, you're not alone—especially if you're using an iPhone X or iPhone 11, as both models are known to have issues with defective display modules. Fortunately, most ghost touch problems are easy to fix. This wikiHow article will teach you 11 easy ways to fix ghost touch on any iPhone.

1

Restart your iPhone.

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Restarting your iPhone can clear up ghost touch problems if they're caused by an app or process gone awry.^{[1]
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2

Disconnect third-party charger and accessories.

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If you're using an iPhone charger or an accessory that isn't Apple-certified, disconnect the accessory and see if the problem continues. Some third-party charging cables, headphone jack converters, battery charging cases, and other accessories that connect to your Lightning port can cause strange screen movements while connected. If you're only experiencing ghost touch when an accessory is connected, that accessory is likely the culprit.
- If you determine the problem is related to a charging cable, you may also want to try plugging the charger into a different outlet or device, such as using your computer instead of a wall outlet. This can help you rule out grounding problems with problematic wall outlets, extension cords, and power strips.

3

Clean your screen.

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Remove dirt, dust, and debris using a soft, lint-free cloth. If your iPhone is detecting phantom touches, it might be reacting to something on your screen. A microfiber cloth will work best, such as one you'd use to clean a pair of glasses. If you don't have a microfiber cloth, you could use a soft cotton t-shirt. Gently wipe the screen with the cloth until there's nothing left on the surface.^{[2]
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- Turn your iPhone off while cleaning to avoid opening apps and sending accidental messages.
- For sticky or grimy substances, you could lightly dampen the cloth with a small amount of distilled water before gently wiping the screen.

4

Remove or replace your screen protector.

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Screen protectors can sometimes cause touch screen problems. This is especially true if there is dirt, hair, dust, or an air bubble between the tempered glass protector and the screen, or if the screen protector is misaligned. Cracks in the screen protector can also cause problems, replace your screen protector any time you notice a crack.
- You can remove the screen protector by hand, using a credit card, or by lifting it with duct tape. Applying low heat to the screen protector before you attempt to remove it will help loosen the adhesive.

5

Try a different iPhone case.

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While manufacturers do their best to create cases that properly fit all iPhone models, there may be areas of the case that are touching the screen corners or edges. If you don't have ghost touch problems without a case, it's time to invest in a new case.

6

Check your Accessibility settings.

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Many Accessibility settings change how your iPhone's screen responds to touch. You may have accidentally changed the touch duration, turned on AssistiveTouch, enabled Touch Accommodations, or even turned on a feature that registers taps on the back of your phone. Here's where to look:^{[3]
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- Open your iPhone's Settings and tap Accessibility.
- Tap Touch.
- If "AssistiveTouch" is enabled, your iPhone will behave differently when you touch the screen or perform custom gestures. To turn off this feature, tap AssistiveTouch and toggle off the switch.
- If "Touch Accommodations" is enabled, your iPhone might be ignoring repeated taps or requiring you hold the screen much longer to record the tap. To turn this feature off, tap Touch Accommodations and toggle off the switch.
- If "Back Tap" is enabled, your iPhone will register double or triple taps on the back side of the phone to perform certain actions, such as opening apps, changing the volume, or activating Siri. To turn this off, tap Back Tap and select None for both Double and Triple Tap.
- Tap Haptic Touch to see whether the touch duration (the time you must hold your finger to the phone to register a long tap) is too fast or slow.

7

Update to the latest version of iOS.

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Apple also addresses known bugs in each update, so if your ghost touch problems are related to a bug, updating iOS will fix the problem. If you haven't updated your iPhone in a while, go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if an update is available.^{[4]
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8

Update apps in the App Store.

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If the apps on your iPhone don't update automatically, you may have some updates waiting to install. You can check for app updates in the App Store by tapping your profile icon at the top-corner and scrolling down to the "Available Updates" section.^{[5]
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Research source} If any updates are available, tap Update All at the top-left corner to install them now.

9

Reset your iPhone's settings.

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This action is different from restoring your iPhone to its original factory settings—when you reset your settings, you're just returning your network, privacy, keyboard, home screen, location, and Apple Pay settings back to their defaults. You won't lose any other data by doing this. To reset your settings, open the Settings app and tap General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings.^{[6]
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10

Do a factory reset.

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Erase and restore your iPhone to rule out all other issues. Before scheduling service with an authorized technician, try restoring your iPhone to its original factory settings—this means completely erasing your iPhone and starting from scratch.^{[7]
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- Before doing a factory reset, back up your iPhone so you don't lose any important data.

11

Contact Apple if the problem persists.

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If your screen still misbehaves after troubleshooting, contact Apple for a screen replacement. Depending on your iPhone model and warranty, the replacement might even be free. You can contact Apple directly for support, or head into an Apple Store or Authorized Apple Service Provider to get service.^{[8]
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- iPhone X: Apple is aware of ghost touch issues on this model and will replace the defective display for free for three years after purchase.^{[9]
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- iPhone 11: If your screen is not responding to your touch and was manufactured between November 2019 and May 2020, Apple will replace your defective display for free.^{[10]
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  Research source} To see if your iPhone 11 qualifies for free screen replacement, visit https://support.apple.com/iphone-11-display-module-replacement-program and enter your serial number into the field.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Can I use compressed air to clean my iPhone?

Shavo Hacopian
Smartphone Repair Specialist
Shavo Hacopian is a Smartphone Repair Specialist. With over 17 years of experience repairing and customizing smartphones, Shabin has a follower base of over 119,000 YouTube subscribers on his channel PBKreviews, and has over 29 million views. He specializes in teaching people how to take smartphones apart, repair or replace parts, and make informed decisions about what the right products are for them.

Shavo Hacopian

Smartphone Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

It depends. Most phones have a type of filter on the air mesh speaker area or like the bottom and loudspeaker area. It prevents debris and stuff from getting in. So just a little bit of compressed air shouldn't do anything.

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