iPhone SE (2020) right side of screen not responding to touch

The right side of my screen (around 1cm wide) suddenly stopped responding to touch. The phone has never been dropped or exposed to moisture. Forced restarting and even a full restore didn't fix the issue. See the attached screenshot where I tried to fill in a note. For now I'm using left handed assist on the keyboard so I can use all the keys...


I found a thread where people had the same issue with the iPhone XS here.


Has anyone else had this issue and found a solution? I'm hoping I don't need to replace the screen.


iPhone SE, iOS 16

Posted on Jan 18, 2023 8:18 AM

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Posted on Jun 28, 2024 2:25 PM

I have been experiencing the exact same issue on and off for the past 2 years. The first time it happened, I tried to reset my iPhone to factory defaults but that didn’t work. I then updated the iOS and that did fix it! But only temporarily… weird…. About 1 year later (Today), the p and backspace button on the right stopped working. I went to the notes app and scribbled around and indeed the right 1cm of my screen was not working. I ended up taking my iPhone to a local repair shop, they swapped out the screen, and Walla! The screen works great now, no issues.


So it could be software related, but on my iPhone SE 2nd gen, replacing the screen worked!


Hopefully this helps others as well.

70 replies

Feb 1, 2024 12:35 PM in response to mr_yeo

I got this issue in 17.3. i tried restoring from previous back up and no luck. If you have this issue make sure your password don't have those letters on the right side of the keyboard as it will be diffucult to unlock your phone. For the meantime i enabled One-handed keyboard (hold emoji icon on your keyboard) and indented my keyboard to the left.

May 7, 2024 6:15 PM in response to mr_yeo

I have the exact same issue; the whole right side (around 1cm width) of screen is unresponsive (iPhone SE 2022). But it was intermittent. And I am not sure why.


First steps to try fix it: I do the Force Restart as advice. It not immediately fixes the issue. Then I play around my phone with Note, scrabbing something just to release my anger to the unresponsive screen part. And I remember I plug my phone to power bank. Not sure what I did after that, my whole screen start responsive again (not immediately though).


Tomorrow, it happens again. As I was already fed-up, I backup my iPhone in Mac, and do the phone Reset. I can guarantee, after the phone reset, the unresponsive screen part still not responsive. I still however restore my iPhone because I need to use it as daily phone. Once all restored, I just replying someone message, and suddenly able to press P when typing. Be noted that the cable plug still connected to my phone and my Mac.


Aaaannd last night, it happens again. Until today morning. I don't know what I did previously that make it works. Will try to fully charge my phone and see if it somehow fixes the issue.

Mar 9, 2023 2:15 PM in response to mr_yeo

okay, so the dead zone is back but I think it’s a bit smaller, and I think I’m catching on to what’s going on.


both times, the issue began after the phone screen locked up while manipulating Safari tabs, especially when there’s lot of them open. The phone lags and becomes briefly unresponsive such that you have to force safari to quit. After that, most of the screen works again, but the last centimeter or so on the right side of the phone doesn’t come back (though interestingly, the very very edge of the phone still will do swipe stuff that is triggered by the very edge).


I’m going to keep posting in case it’s helpful for others. But if you’re having this issue, you’re not crazy. It IS a software issue.

Jul 25, 2023 1:56 AM in response to mr_yeo

my 2 years old iPhone SE 2 is having very similar isues as others have described here. A few days ago the screen started to become unresponsive at random moments. Sometimes the issue is limited to a 1cm wide zone at the very right of the screen, other times the entire screen is unresponsive. This seems to occur most often while scrolling through webpages in Safari or Chrome, but it also occurs sometimes when other apps are opened (youtube, notes app...), or even on the home screen with no apps opened at all. It seems very erratic and I am not even sure wether it's a software issue at this point...



Nov 23, 2023 3:50 AM in response to djxjscb

Call the keyboards are not working anymore both side even the number I can’t change my keyboard to figures numbers I can’t change it both our only I’m vertically so it’s it’s really crazy it’s really crazy Apple is really abandoned iPhone SE to do something very fast. I’m changing to Samsung very soon cause after I updated my iPhone SE to the latest iPhone software it has been getting very hot. The phone has been over eating in so many cases screen is too expensive to repair

Dec 30, 2023 10:13 PM in response to mr_yeo

same here too.. I also using left hand keyboard.. but 2 weeks before this issue was fixed.. but today again right side is not working and I can’t send text messages also.. I thought this issue because of update.. therefore I updated my phone. This one is now ios17.2.1 can you please tell me what is the reason of this matter.. I want to fix it soon.. please

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iPhone SE (2020) right side of screen not responding to touch

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