How do I fix my Samsung unresponsive screen?

Last Update date : Aug 13. 2021

Is the touchscreen of your mobile device unresponsive or responding incorrectly? When trying to touch a certain part of the screen but end up selecting something else instead? It could be something as simple as a misbehaving app causing the phone to freeze, or cracks in the screen making it respond slowly or not at all.  Here are a few tips and quick ways on how to fix touchscreen issues.

How do I fix my Samsung unresponsive screen?

Before you try out below recommendations as to your solutions, be sure to check if your device's software and related apps are updated with latest version. Please check how to update your mobile device's software in following order. 

Step 1. Go to Settings > Software update.

Step 2. Tap on Download and install.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions. 

Please Note: Before continuing, remove all non-Samsung certified screen protectors, cases, or any other accessory that may be touching the screen. Make sure the touchscreen is dry and clean, and remove gloves if you're wearing them. The screen may not recognize touches through gloves or extremely dry and chapped fingers.

Force the phone to reboot Click to Expand

Press and hold the Volume Down and Power key for 7 to 10 seconds to perform a forced reboot or soft reset. On phones without a dedicated Power key, press and hold the Volume down key and Side key for 7 to 10 seconds.

Optimize device performance Click to Expand

The Device care feature will improve your phone's overall performance by scanning for wasted storage space and other potential issues. Navigate to and open Settings. Tap Device care, and then tap Optimize now.

Reboot the phone in safe mode Click to Expand

Booting your smartphone in safe mode is also another option to find out if the screen still flickers or not. Safe mode is like a diagnostic tool to help identify the problems on your device.

Step 1: Turn off your device then power on.

Step 2: When the Samsung logo appears by itself, press and hold the Volume down key.

Step 3: The device will switch on in Safe mode. Safe mode will be displayed on the bottom left of the screen.

If the screen works in safe mode, an app is most likely causing your issue. Remove recently downloaded apps one by one until the problem is fixed. If the problem persists when your device is running in Safe mode, the problem might not be related to an app.

To exit safe mode, restart your device

Back up and Factory Reset Click to Expand

A factory reset, also known as a hard reset or master reset, is an effective, last resort method of troubleshooting for mobile phones. It will restore your phone to its original factory settings, erasing all your data in the process. Because of this, it's important to back up the information before you do a factory reset. 

For step by step instructions on Factory Resetting your device, check out our guide Factory Data Reset a Samsung mobile device or check out our page Backing up my Samsung device for backing up assistance.

If you're experiencing unusual behavior on Samsung mobiles, tablets, or wearables, you can send us an error report or ask us a question in the Samsung Members app. (remove paragraph break) This allows us to take a closer look at what is happening. The data is anonymized and only held for the duration of the investigation. Find out more about how to send an error report here: How to use the Samsung Members app.

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What do you do when your Samsung phone touch screen stops working?

To force restart your Galaxy S20: Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power/Bixby button. Wait 10 seconds while continuing to hold the buttons until your phone screen goes black. Once the phone starts back up, check to see if the touch screen issue persists.

How do I fix an unresponsive touch screen?

On most phones, press your phone's power button for about 30 seconds, or until your phone restarts. On the screen, you might need to tap Restart ..
Turn on safe mode..
Touch the screen. ... .
Turn off safe mode..

How do I unfreeze my Samsung screen?

If your device is frozen and unresponsive, press and hold the Power button and the Volume down button down simultaneously for more than 7 seconds to restart it.

How do I reset an unresponsive screen?

If your phone is frozen with the screen on, hold down the power button for about 30 seconds to restart.