Apple’s own guidance for an iPhone screen that has stopped responding comes down to three moves, in this order: clear whatever is covering the screen, force restart the phone, and book service if the restart does not help. Work through them in that order.
What to check before you do anything else
An unresponsive touch screen is one that does not react when you touch it. That is a description of what you can see, not a diagnosis, and Apple’s first instruction is about what is on the screen rather than what is inside the phone: Users should ensure the screen is clean, dry, and free of debris, and remove cases, screen protectors, or accessories to resolve touch interference.
None of this needs you to tap anything in iOS, which matters when the touch screen is the thing that does not work.
Take the case and screen protector off
Apple names cases, screen protectors and attached accessories as things to remove when touch is not working. Take all of them off before you try anything else, so that whatever you test next you are testing the phone rather than what is wrapped around it.
Clean and dry the screen, and your hands
Apple’s guidance is that the screen should be clean, dry and free of debris. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth, dry your hands, and try again before you go further.
Check whether any part of the screen responds
Find out how much of the screen is dead before you restart anything. Touch each corner and the middle, and try a swipe up from the bottom edge. A screen that responds nowhere and a screen that responds in one strip lead to the same next step, but it is worth knowing which one you have before you describe it to anybody.
How to force restart an iPhone with no Home button
A frozen iPhone without a Home button can be force restarted with two quick presses and a hold. Press and release Volume Up. Press and release Volume Down. Then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Keep holding the Side button past the point where the screen goes dark. The logo appearing is what tells you the sequence worked.
If pressing the buttons seems to do nothing
The sequence is easy to get wrong because it is quick. Press and release each volume button rather than holding it, do them in that order, and start holding the Side button straight after the second one. If the phone shows nothing at all, plug it in, leave it a while, and try the sequence again.
What not to try on a screen that has stopped responding
Do not press harder, do not tap with anything sharp, and do not try to open the phone.
Stop if the screen is cracked
Pressing harder on an unresponsive screen or prying at its edges can add damage on top of whatever is already wrong. If the glass is cracked, book service rather than testing it any further.
How to fix an unresponsive iPhone screen
Work through these in order and stop at the one that changes something.
- Take off the case, the screen protector and anything else attached to the phone.
- Wipe the screen clean and dry, and dry your hands.
- Touch each corner and the middle to see whether any part of the screen responds.
- Press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
- If the logo appears and the screen is still unresponsive, run the force restart once more.
- If more than one restart makes no difference, book service with an Apple Store Genius Bar or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
What each fix addresses, and when to move on
The same three moves, with the point at which each one stops being worth repeating.
| What to try | What it addresses | Move on when |
|---|---|---|
| Take off the case, the screen protector and anything else attached to the phone, then clean and dry the screen | Touch interference from debris or from something covering the screen | The screen is bare, clean and dry and still does not respond |
| Force restart: press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears | A phone that has frozen rather than failed | The Apple logo appears and the screen is still unresponsive |
| Book service through an Apple Store Genius Bar or an Apple Authorized Service Provider | A hardware fault that restarting cannot reach | This is where troubleshooting at home ends |
What if my iPhone has a Home button?
The button sequence in this article is the one Apple gives for an iPhone without a Home button. Models that still have one use a different combination, so check Apple’s own support page for your model rather than holding these buttons and hoping.
When to book service with Apple
If multiple restarts fail to restore display responsiveness, Apple’s guidance is to set up hardware service through an Apple Store Genius Bar or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Restarting cannot reach a hardware fault, which is why the advice moves on rather than repeating itself.
Mention anything else that changed at the same time when you book. If the phone was dropped, say so, and if the phone is also charging slowly, say that too.
Getting your iPhone responding again
Three moves, in order, and none of them takes long: clear the screen, force restart, then stop guessing. If the screen is bare and clean and the phone has been force restarted more than once with no change, book it in with an Apple Store Genius Bar or an Apple Authorized Service Provider rather than trying more of the same.