iPhone Ghost Touch Problem: Causes & Solutions

How to stop your iPhone screen from acting possessed

Co-authored by Shavo Hacopian and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: July 7, 2025 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 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, or iPhone 14 Pro Max, as these models are known to have issues with ghost touches. 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.

Fixing iPhone Ghost Touch

First, try restarting your iPhone, and disconnect any non-Apple cables and accessories. If that doesn't fix it, try cleaning your screen and removing or replacing your screen protector and case. Check your Accessibility settings, or reset your settings entirely. Contact Apple if the problem persists.

1

Restart your iPhone.

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Reboot your phone to clear out glitches or bugs. If your iPhone's screen is reacting even when you haven't touched it, start with a quick reboot. Restarting your iPhone can clear up ghost touch problems if they're caused by bugs, or by an app or process gone awry. ^{[1]
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- To restart an iPhone without a Home Button, press and hold the side button and either volume button, then slide the slider to turn off your phone. After a few seconds, press and hold the side button to turn the phone back on.
- If your iPhone does have a Home Button, press and hold the side button to get to the screen where you can turn off your phone. ^{[2]
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2

Disconnect third-party charger and accessories.

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Avoid using non-Apple-certified cables and accessories. 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 or USB-C 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, consider 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. ^{[3]
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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 touchscreen 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, so replace your screen protector anytime 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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Accessibility settings can change how your iPhone 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: ^{[4]
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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 to 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. ^{[5]
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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 in the top corner and scrolling down to the "Available Updates" section. ^{[6]
X
Research source} If any updates are available, tap Update All to install them now.

9

Reset your iPhone's settings.

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If the problem is related to a setting you've customized, you can go back to your iPhone's default settings. 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 . ^{[7]
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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. ^{[8]
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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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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. ^{[9]
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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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iPhone Ghost Touch Problem: Causes & Solutions

Fixing iPhone Ghost Touch

Steps

Restart your iPhone.

Disconnect third-party charger and accessories.

Clean your screen.

Remove or replace your screen protector.

Try a different iPhone case.

Check your Accessibility settings.

Update to the latest version of iOS.

Update apps in the App Store.

Reset your iPhone's settings.

Do a factory reset.

Contact Apple if the problem persists.

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