Samsung Galaxy touch screen not working? What to do

Imagine you're on the treadmill and streaming your favorite workout playlist on your Samsung Galaxy®, when the touch screen suddenly stops working. Annoying, right? Don't worry, there are some easy ways to get you—and your device—back up and running.

Here at Asurion, we find and fix any issue—fast. Whether your phone battery is draining faster than normal or you're having trouble getting your Nintendo Switch® controller to connect, our experts can help. Here are some quick fixes to try when your Samsung Galaxy touch screen stops working.

1. Remove chargers, cables, and headphones

Before getting started, you'll want to remove or disconnect any accessories you may have connected to your Samsung Galaxy. This includes chargers, cables, and headphones. This step will make sure these accessories aren't causing your issue.

If you have wireless accessories connected via Bluetooth® and your screen is still functioning, turn that feature off in Settings > Connections > Bluetooth.

2. Check your phone for damage

If your Galaxy touch screen is not responding, one of the first things to determine is whether your problem is internal or external. Start with this checklist:

• Allow the device time to fully charge.
• Make sure your screen is clean and isn't cracked, chipped, or damaged.
• If you have a case or screen protector on the phone, remove them.
• Dry your screen completely and test it to see if it works.
• If you're wearing gloves, take them off.
• If you've put any stickers over the screen or sensors, peel them off.

3. Restart your Samsung Galaxy

It almost sounds too simple, but restarting your Samsung Galaxy can sometimes fix your touch screen by clearing out what's causing the issue. Here's how to do it:

1. With your phone on, press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button for 10+ seconds. On Samsung phones without a dedicated Power key, press and hold the Volume Down key and Side key for 10+ seconds.
2. Hold until the Samsung Galaxy logo appears.

4. Restart your Samsung Galaxy in Safe Mode

If your Samsung touch screen still is not working, you may want to try Safe Mode. This feature disables apps that didn't come pre-downloaded on your Galaxy, allowing you to see if they're causing the issue with your screen.

1. With your phone on, press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button for 10+ seconds. Keep holding them until the Samsung Galaxy logo appears.
2. When the device begins turning on, press and hold the Volume Down button. Keep holding the button until you see “Safe mode” at the bottom of the screen.

If the screen works in Safe Mode, remove recently downloaded apps one by one. Test the phone outside of Safe Mode until the screen responds normally. To exit Safe Mode, restart your device.

If you're still experiencing problems but are able to use your touch screen at least some of the time, continue on to the following steps. If it's not functioning at all, contact an expert.

5. Check for software updates

Samsung frequently makes updates to its operating system to help improve its software and fix security issues. Running an old operating system may be the problem with your touch screen. To update your Samsung Galaxy, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Software update.
2. Tap Check for software updates.
3. If you have the latest operating system, you should see a message saying your phone is up to date. If a new update is available, follow the instructions to download and install it.

6. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy's TalkBack feature

This feature tells you what's on your screen so you can use your device without looking at it. Which is cool. But if you don't know how to use TalkBack, and it's enabled, it can make using your touch screen confusing. For example, to scroll you have to use two fingers at the same time, and to select an item or an app you have to double-tap. To turn this feature off, simply go to Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack and tap the switch.

7. Disable gestures

Gestures is another feature you'll want to turn off. It's a series of shortcuts designed to make navigating your Samsung a bit easier, but if you use them incorrectly, it can sometimes cause your screen not to respond. To turn off gestures, follow these steps:

1. From the phone's Settings screen, scroll to and select Advanced features, then select Motions and gestures.
2. Tap all of the switches on the screen to turn them off and disable all motions and gestures.

8. Disable or enable touch sensitivity

This feature increases the sensitivity of your screen, which is useful if you have a screen protector. If you don't have one, however, and the setting is enabled, it may be the reason your Samsung Galaxy's touch screen isn't working Here's how to check your touch sensitivity settings:

1. Open Settings, then select the Display menu.
2. Find Touch sensitivity. If it's enabled, tap the switch to turn it off.

9. Factory reset your Samsung Galaxy

If you've tried all the recommended fixes and your phone's touch screen still won't work, try completing a factory reset on your Samsung Galaxy—but only as a last resort. This step will erase all your data and restore your phone back to its factory default settings. Make sure to back up your Samsung phone before completing this step. That way you won't lose any personal information such as photos, videos, and texts.