We’ve all come across frozen screens on our iPhone or iPad. Most of the time, it happens when we’re pushing the limits of the device by running intensive apps, but it can also happen when lots of apps or tasks are running in the background or if there’s a problem with a particular app. Here’s what to do if your iPhone or iPad screen freezes up on you all of a sudden.
Instead of frantically trying to tap-tap-tap it back to life, just stop. There’s obviously something going on that you need to fix, and tapping it like you’re on drugs isn’t going to help. Try some of the methods described below, instead:
If you think it’s related to a particular app, try to restart the device and open up that app again. If that’s the problem, it’s better to uninstall the app and look for an alternative. Not all apps on Apple’s App Store are created equal. Some of them are really old and haven’t been updated in a while. Apple actively tries to keep tabs on the apps in its store, but it’s not a foolproof system.
Are you wearing gloves; are your fingers wet; did you put on a screen protector? Anything that comes between your finger and the touchscreen could make it fail to respond. Some gloves are designed for use with touchscreen devices, but most aren’t. And if your hands are wet, that could be the problem. If it persists, see if removing any screen protector you may be using helps.
If your device supports 3D Touch, go to Settings and try changing the sensitivity. Increasing it will make your screen more responsive.
Clean your screen with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. You can also use a spray specially for LCD screens, but read the instructions carefully before you apply anything on the screen of your iPhone or iPad.
If it’s related to screen orientation on iPad but the touch part works, see if Orientation Lock is on. If it is, turn it off. Of course, this won’t be applicable for iPhones, in which case disable and enable orientation lock from within Settings. iPad Air 1 and earlier devices have a setting that changes the switch on the side to either control orientation lock on/off or mute on/off.
BONUS TIPS for iPhone / iPad Frozen Screen Problem
These remedies should fix most frozen screen issues, but if none of them work, try a hard reset. Hold the Home and Power buttons down simultaneously for several seconds, until you see the Apple logo. Release the buttons and wait for your device to reboot. This usually clears up most software or iOS issues.
You can also try a factory reset for your device, but be sure to backup all your data before you do that, or you’ll regret it.
If that doesn’t work and you have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, read more about Touch Disease, identified and named by iFixit.org.
Your last resort, of course, is to take it in to a genius bar or an Apple Store to get it fixed. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
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