iPhone 16 users reportedly plagued by touchscreen issues, but there are some workarounds

Apple iPhone 16 users are reportedly facing a new issue that makes their touchscreen unresponsive for a few seconds. Here's everything we know about the problem.

The iPhone 16 series was unveiled earlier this month at Apple's Glowtime event. (Express Photo)

A week after the iPhone 16 series hit the market, an increasing number of iPhone 16 buyers are reportedly facing touchscreen issues with their new phone. According to a recent report by 9toMac, iPhone 16 users are complaining about “intermittent issues with their phone’s touchscreen responsiveness”, with some saying that they are facing problems when trying to scroll, press buttons or typing.

What may be causing touchscreen issues on the iPhone?

The report goes on to say that “the issue appears to stem from a software bug, rather than a hardware fault” and that it might be caused by iOS 18’s overly sensitive touch rejection algorithm, causing frustration amongst users.

On Reddit, some iPhone 16 owners said that if they accidentally touch the area next to the newly added capacitive Camera Control button, the whole screen minus the home bar becomes unresponsive. Others say that they are experiencing touchscreen issues when their palm touches the screen.

A handful of users also say that they are experiencing the very same problem on other iPhone 16 models as well as on older iPhones. The issue seems to be affecting users only when they are using their iPhone when unlocked, so it is highly likely Apple may be able to fix the touchscreen problem with a software update.

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Touching the screen to the left of the camera control seems to be making the iPhone 16 touchscreen unresponsive. (Image Source: Known_Tap_1462/Reddit)

The problem can be reportedly reproduced by tapping and holding the area highlighted in the image with the right thumb and using the left hand to swipe. Doing so seems to be preventing users from tapping or swiping in the Settings app, and while tapping on homescreen works as intended, swiping does not.

How can I prevent my iPhone from ignoring touches?

There is no definitive workaround for the touchscreen issue, but the aggressive palm rejection algorithm on iOS 18 combined with the much more thinner bezels on the iPhone 16 series seems to be causing the problem.

While some users say that they were able to avoid the problem by holding their iPhone with their left hand or avoid touching the Camera Control button when using iPhone with the right hand, others say using a case might help fix the problem as it makes it hard to touch the edge of the screen. However, Apple is yet to officially acknowledge the touchscreen issue, so it is still unclear if and when the problem will be fixed.

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iPhone 16