How to Fix iPad Touchscreen Not Working

Want to know what you can do if your iPad touchscreen is not working?

One of the key features of iPads is their huge screens. Many users buy iPads, so they have a bigger screen real-estate for working on documents, watching content, and even doing light editing. 

Despite being a world-class product, iPads are not perfect. Like any device, they can run into issues and fail. 

If you are here, we can assume that your iPad touchscreen is not working. 

Depending on the situation, this issue can be due to several factors. For one, it’s possible that third-party accessories are getting in the way of your iPad’s display. However, it can also be due to software issues, unsupported or problematic applications, and hardware failure. 

To help you out, we’ve decided to make a guide for fixing your iPad touchscreen if it’s not working. 

Let’s get right into it!


1. Force Restart Your Device. 

When you encounter issues with your iPad, the first thing you should do is restart it. However, you might not be able to restart your device the usual way if its touchscreen is not working or responding. 

If this is the case, you can force restart your iPad. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. First, press and release the Volume button nearest to the Top button
  2. After that, press and release the other Volume button and hold the Top button
  3. Once the Apple logo appears, release the Top button
Force Restart iPad

Once done, try using your iPad to check if the problem is solved. 

2. Remove Accessories. 

Some third-party accessories like flip and magnetic cases could interfere with your iPad’s touchscreen, causing it to malfunction. If you can’t interact with your iPad’s display, try removing any accessory you’ve installed and try again. 

3. Remove Gloves. 

If you wear some sort of gloves, please remove them before using your iPad. Sadly, most types of gloves don’t work with iPads or any touchscreen. Although there are some gloves that work with touchscreens, we recommend removing your gloves and seeing if your touchscreen would work. 

4. Update Software. 

If your iPad’s touchscreen doesn’t work intermittently, see if you can get into the settings and try updating your operating system. The version of iPadOS running on your device might have an underlying issue that causes your touchscreen to malfunction. 

Here’s how you can update your iPad: 

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad
  2. After that, go to General > Software Update
  3. Finally, go to Automatic Updates and enable all the options under it. Head back to the previous page and tap on Download and Install
Download and Install iPad

Once done, wait for the update to complete and see if your touchscreen works. 

5. Uninstall Applications. 

Another reason why your iPad touchscreen is not working is third-party applications. If you’ve recently installed an application and your iPad’s display started malfunctioning, remove the application and restart your device. 

Follow the steps below to uninstall applications: 

  1. First, open your device and go to the home screen. 
  2. Locate the app you’ve installed recently and hold down its icon. 
  3. On the pop-up menu, tap on Remove App and follow the prompts. 

Reboot your iPad afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

6. Clean Your Display. 

Dirt, oils, and sweat accumulate over your iPad’s display as you use it. Over time, they can interfere with the touchscreen panel, causing some parts of your screen to become unresponsive. 

For this one, get a piece of microfiber towel or any soft fabric and dampen it with water. Gently rub the surface of your iPad’s display until it’s clean and shiny. 

Try using your device for a few minutes and observe if you’ll still encounter touchscreen issues. 

7. Remove Screen Protectors. 

Screen protectors or tempered glass films are common accessories on phones, tablets, or any device with touchscreen panels. However, there are cheap screen protectors that can cause more problems than prevent one. 

If you are having a hard time using your iPad’s touchscreen panel, we recommend removing any form of protection on the display and trying again. 

8. Disconnect Wireless Devices. 

If you are using a wireless mouse and keyboard, try disconnecting them if your iPad’s touchscreen is not working. Although your iPad’s touchscreen should still work even when external devices are connected, there might be an issue with your system. 

To rule this out, head to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the toggle switch to disable your iPad’s Bluetooth. 

Restart your device afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

9. Reset iPad Settings. 

You can also try resetting your iPad’s settings if the touchscreen panel is not working. This should roll back any changes on your device’s configuration that prevents the touchscreen from functioning correctly. 

Here’s how you can reset your iPad’s settings: 

  1. First, go to your home screen and launch the Settings app. 
  2. After that, tap on General and access the Transfer or Reset iPhone tab. 
  3. Now, choose Reset and tap on Reset All Settings
ipad touchscreen not working

Set up your iPad’s configurations afterward and see if its touchscreen is now working.

 

10. Contact Apple Support. 

If you continue to face issues with your iPad’s touchscreen, we recommend that you seek help from the experts. 

Visit Apple’s support page and get in touch with a representative to report the issue with your iPad. Try to set a schedule so you can bring your device to the nearest Apple service center to have it checked. 

ipad touchscreen not working

You can also browse the guides available on Apple’s page and see if you can find other solutions. 

That ends our guide for fixing your iPad’s touchscreen if it’s not working. If you have questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to respond. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • John Sixto

    John is a staff writer at Saint and comes from a SAP ABAP development background. He has a Bachelors in IT and has been writing since 2018, with over 500 posts published. He loves to build PCs and has a deep curiosity in understanding how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time, researching and testing the software and apps, before he proceeds to write about it. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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