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iPhone 12 mini touchscreen issues

Is anyone else having intermittent touchscreen issues with their iPhone 12 mini where it randomly won’t register touch input?


TLDR: my phone screen stops registering touch input randomly only when inside of a case and also with a screen protector on. With just the case on, the screen is fine, and with just the screen protector on the screen works fine. It’s only when they’re combined that my screen goes all janky.


I got my 12 mini today, went to Bestbuy to pick up a screen protector, installed the screen protector, put the phone in the Silicone MagSafe case and set everything up. Everything seemed fine until I noticed that the touchscreen was not responding like it should to touch input. I noticed that the screen would only act up if I had the case on. When I took the case off the screen was responding exactly as it should so I figured it was an issue with the case. However, my sister had also gotten her iPhone 12 mini today and we tested the MagSafe case on her phone but hers didn’t exhibit the same problem.


At this point I decided to pull the screen protector off and test again with and without the case on, and the touch input issues were gone altogether. So I figured, “okay, maybe I got a bad screen protector,” so I went back to bestbuy, returned what I thought to be a faulty screen protector, purchased a Zagg Invisible Shield screen protector, and had them install it for me. But when I powered my phone back on in the car, the screen still wouldn’t register touch input correctly with the new screen protector while in the MagSafe case. I can still take the case off and the screen works fine, but inside the case with a screen protector on, the screen starts acting up.


Finally, I decided to try a different case altogether. We went to Target and I put on a generic non-MagSafe case and the screen issues returned. I’m not sure why but it seems like the issue only pops up when a case is on the phone while also having a screen protector on. If I take one or the other off everything works perfectly. Does it seem like my device might be faulty?


iPhone 12 mini, iOS 14

Posted on Nov 13, 2020 6:36 PM

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Posted on Nov 14, 2020 5:56 AM

Check the link that was posted above. I think they’ve narrowed the problem down to a grounding issue. If you touch any part or the metal chassis of the phone, the lock screen touch input starts working normally again.


For now, I’ve found that touching the camera rings while unlocking fixes the problem. It’s not a great solution but at least it’ll get me by before I can get my phone looked at. There’s no way I’m going without a case or screen protector so this will have to do for the time being. I have an appointment to get it looked at tomorrow so I guess we’ll see.


Hopefully this helps someone

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Nov 14, 2020 5:56 AM in response to Ginessence

Check the link that was posted above. I think they’ve narrowed the problem down to a grounding issue. If you touch any part or the metal chassis of the phone, the lock screen touch input starts working normally again.


For now, I’ve found that touching the camera rings while unlocking fixes the problem. It’s not a great solution but at least it’ll get me by before I can get my phone looked at. There’s no way I’m going without a case or screen protector so this will have to do for the time being. I have an appointment to get it looked at tomorrow so I guess we’ll see.


Hopefully this helps someone

Nov 14, 2020 6:04 PM in response to Chris1597

I’ll definitely post an update. Apple support had to set up an appointment for tomorrow with BestBuy since I’m not near an Apple store so we’ll see how this goes. They didn’t seem to know that this is a widespread issue so they mentioned the possibility of replacing my device. But if it’s this widespread I imagine it won’t be worth it. I may as well wait until an official statement from Apple before making a decision.

Dec 9, 2020 2:33 PM in response to Karangambhir

Yes, I reported it this morning and told them that others in this forum are reporting lingering issues as well.


Long story short, after sharing all the detail of the issue that I experienced this morning, it came down to the Apple representative asking me for the make and model of my screen protector and phone case. He said that if I experience it again, to remove the screen protector and case to see if the problem persists - before I try to do anything to fix the problem (like turning off the phone).


He said that if the problem persists after removing the screen protector and case, to follow the phone reset steps in the article found on this URL:


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201412


Maybe some of you are at the point of wanting to give that a try.

Nov 15, 2020 1:54 AM in response to Rastajafarian

I really do think that this does need to be acknowledged as further issues are starting to become apparent:


  • Some purchases have done so via an upgrade programme so are in a difficult situation with regards to exchanges and returns having surrendered their previous handset
  • Users who rely upon accessibility features such as voiceover are struggling to use the device as a result of the issue which is an even greater concern
  • Due to the ongoing pandemic, having to return or exchange the device is already proving to be challenging due to physical store closures or lack of stock availability


The acknowledgement that this can be resolved via software I think would alleviate a great many/growing number of anxieties related to this. If it is hardware then at least arrangements can be put in place for those subject to high level lockdown restrictions etc.

Nov 15, 2020 1:20 PM in response to Benjie324

I recommend contacting Apple Support too. I spent ~3 hours with 3 levels of support. I volunteered to send them a video about this issue. This is not just a case or a screen protector issue. If you leave the phone on a non-conductive surface like a table, or a pillow (yes, I do use my phone on the bed or a pillow), the problem persists.


Hopefully, with enough people reporting their experiences, Apple will dig deep into this issue.


Otherwise,

  1. Customers, who don't hold their iPhones in their hands, will be unhappy
  2. Case and screen protector manufacturers will be unhappy



Nov 18, 2020 7:40 AM in response to Rastajafarian







I have been running the iPhone 12 mini naked (no

screen protector or case) for now until my case arrives. I've noticed

the screen problem is more noticeable playing Pokemon Go. Tapping is

everything when in battle. Tapping the charge button sometimes doesn't

respond or a shield will not deploy when I tap the shield button.

Swiping the charge animation is like I'm doing nothing. Now I've noticed

that how the phone is held makes a difference. If I lay the phone down

or pinche the front and back the tapping problem is more noticeable. If I

cup the phone in my hand touching the front, back, and metal edge the

problem is less frequent. The question I have is it a hardware or

software problem?

Nov 18, 2020 12:36 PM in response to Rastajafarian

Update: Here is a way to duplicate the issue after the phone is unlocked: Using the Facebook app, go to Marketplace and open any photo of an item for sale. There will be an X in the upper-left corner near the carrier information. That X does not respond. Remove the case and the X works perfectly.


Sadly, this is a temporary fix that has 100% solved this for me:

  • Cut out a thin strip of aluminum foil.
  • Take the phone out of the case.
  • Wrap the foil around the back of the case and around and inside the case.
  • Snap the phone back in to hold the aluminum in place.

As long as the aluminum is touching a portion of my hand, the touch sensitivity works. Next stop, more tape around the center of my glasses.


See you tomorrow Apple Genius Bar.

Dec 7, 2020 1:21 PM in response to CFischbach

If I understand you correctly, you are trying to get to this Search field



I confess that I am not an expert on all iPhone GUI commands, but the only way that I know to get to this is by swiping from left to right in the locked screen, and by swiping from left to right in the unlocked Home Screen after minimizing or closing any active app.


Others with more user ability than me may be able to offer other guidance.

Dec 7, 2020 1:39 PM in response to CFischbach

By the way, another way to get to an app search files is to scroll all the way to the right from your Home Screen (when the phone is unlocked). That will get you here.



The difference between this one and the one you get to when you scroll left is that, in this search files you can only search for apps in your library of apps; on the one that you get to when you scroll left, you can search for anything (like a contact, a web search, a song, etc.).

Dec 9, 2020 5:49 AM in response to darinjo87

Since the iOS 14.2.1 update I had burly experienced touch screen issues, but right now so am having trouble with the upper left area of the screen not responding (see image below). This is the case in the Home Screen and in any app that I open which contains a command icon in that area (i.e., a back arrow, a close “X”, etc.).


Jan 15, 2021 5:36 PM in response to rudolf128

It's not how hard you press the flashlight or camera, at all. It's that you need to preset with normal pressure but hold your finger then it for +/-1sec. Also, the case and screen protector have nothing to do with the issue. My first 12 mini had every issue mentioned in this thread, so I took off my case and exchanged it for another 12 mini before any software updates. I put the same case and screen protector (3-pack) on the new 12 mini (which is still my current phone( and had all the same issue. After the software update from 14.1 to 14.2 EVERY issue was solved. And as far as I can see the haptics are still an option on the iPhone 12 mini.



Nov 13, 2020 7:25 PM in response to Rastajafarian

Not just you. Originally I thought mine was just a defective Apple leather case and was going to exchange it. But after reading your post, I’m now wondering if this issue is more design related. I do have a ZAGG screen protector which I put on immediately after peeling off the factory plastic, but I never would have thought that would be the culprit. Is it possible the case and screen protector together are squeezing the case so much so to cause breakage? Also others are saying they see the problem with a naked phone.


Either way, Apple has to address this.



Nov 13, 2020 7:35 PM in response to sjc752

It’s so bizarre. I’ve inspected the case and screen protector very closely and there’s no part of the case that comes into contact with the screen protector at all. And then after trying the non-Apple case I had the same idea, that the case is possibly squeezing the chassis of the phone and causing some issue with the touchscreen but then I remembered that it only seemed to do it with the screen protector on and idk how that’s possible in the slightest lol.


Kind of glad I’m not the only one. My sister hasn’t had any of these issues and we split a two pack of screen protectors the first time around

Nov 13, 2020 8:00 PM in response to Rastajafarian

I noticed that too about the lock screen being worse. The bottom portion of the leather case is level with the screen so I thought perhaps the thumb swipe up was a bit hindered by the case. But then after unlocking, touchscreen navigation including bottom swipe ups seemed to be fairly normal. And there’s also the bit about difficulty entering the passcode on the Lock Screen which seems really strange and not at all related to case design or screen protector. I want to think this might just be a software issue on the Lock Screen, but then again, how does the iOS know that the phone is wrapped in a non-MagSafe (in your test) as well as detect an installed screen protector.


The more I type this post, the more puzzled I get.

iPhone 12 mini touchscreen issues

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