Bottom of screen not working properly on iPhone

I’ve (very) recently started having problems with my iPhone SE 1st gen where the very bottom of the screen is no longer working properly. Any app which has a ribbon with buttons at the very bottom of the screen seems to be affected - so for example, the 'compose' button in Mail doesn't work, the 'share', 'back' buttons in Safari are unresponsive, and the tabs button now opens the 'copy' menu (!) Any app which has a ribbon of buttons at the bottom of the screen, such as WhatsApp, is now impossible to properly use. If I press 'go' on the onscreen keyboard, I get the effect of the 'delete' key (the key above 'go') instead. I also can no longer reliably swipe up to access Control Centre.


These problems have only surfaced in the past week and appear to be the consequence of a recent iOS update. The effect is as if the iOS is designed exclusively for a larger screen phone (the iPhone SE is very small - I like the portability of it). I really wish Apple would advise users with older devices not to update the iOS if it will negatively affect their functionality.


The phone (now running iOS 15.8) is otherwise OK, but these glitches are becoming pretty annoying.


Here's what I’ve already tried:


  • Cleaning the phone screen
  • Doing a hard restart
  • Resetting all settings
  • Updating the operating system.


I’d be very appreciative if anyone out there has any other suggestions.


Cheers, Darta9nan

Earlier iPhone models

Posted on Dec 5, 2023 10:04 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 6, 2023 4:44 AM

Hello Darta9nan,

If you already tried (to no avail) a forced restart of your SE, and if you're sure that nothing (case/cover, screen protector, dirt) interferes with your touch screen area (remove any obstacles, if present), there are two troubleshooting steps to perform:

A) If you can, check your battery status in Settings>Battery>Battery Health & Charging>Maximum capacity. If it is close to 83-80%, have it replaced as soon as possible, since it might have unpredictable behavior.


B) If the issue persists, something could have gone wrong during the latest update procedure.

I would try to install a fresh copy of iOS/iPadOS (the latest available/supported by your device model). To do this, create a full backup of your iPhone/iPad (1), then restore it to factory settings (you need a computer to perform this step) and, in the end, set it up as new (2).

When done, restore data from your previously made backup (3).

Follow the instructions provided in these support articles:

(1) How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch – Apple Support

(2) Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings – Apple Support

(3) Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup


If the issue still persists, it might be a hardware (screen? other internal component?) failure, and I suggest that you make an appointment (*) and have your device inspected at an Apple Store or AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider) among this list:--> https://locate.apple.com/choose-country-region . After checking it out, they'll give you all the available options.

Regards

Giulio


(*) You can do it:

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 6, 2023 4:44 AM in response to DArta9nan

Hello Darta9nan,

If you already tried (to no avail) a forced restart of your SE, and if you're sure that nothing (case/cover, screen protector, dirt) interferes with your touch screen area (remove any obstacles, if present), there are two troubleshooting steps to perform:

A) If you can, check your battery status in Settings>Battery>Battery Health & Charging>Maximum capacity. If it is close to 83-80%, have it replaced as soon as possible, since it might have unpredictable behavior.


B) If the issue persists, something could have gone wrong during the latest update procedure.

I would try to install a fresh copy of iOS/iPadOS (the latest available/supported by your device model). To do this, create a full backup of your iPhone/iPad (1), then restore it to factory settings (you need a computer to perform this step) and, in the end, set it up as new (2).

When done, restore data from your previously made backup (3).

Follow the instructions provided in these support articles:

(1) How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch – Apple Support

(2) Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings – Apple Support

(3) Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup


If the issue still persists, it might be a hardware (screen? other internal component?) failure, and I suggest that you make an appointment (*) and have your device inspected at an Apple Store or AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider) among this list:--> https://locate.apple.com/choose-country-region . After checking it out, they'll give you all the available options.

Regards

Giulio


(*) You can do it:

Dec 6, 2023 12:58 AM in response to DArta9nan

You may try some of these steps, please check after each step...


  1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch, then tap Haptic Touch or 3D & Haptic Touch. Choose the touch duration—Fast or Slow. On an iPhone with 3D Touch, you can also choose the pressure needed—Light, Medium, or Firm. Test your new settings on the image at the bottom of the screen. Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch - Apple Support (IN)
  2. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Turn off your iPhone, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
    1. Restart the device. That's it.
    2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
  3. If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. This will not erase your data but will reset all personalized settings to their default values. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm the action. Note that you will need to reconfigure your settings afterward. All settings—including network settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards—are removed or reset to their defaults. No data or media are deleted.
    1. Reset All Settings: Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support:- Return iPhone settings to their defaults
    2. You can return settings to their defaults without erasing your content.
    3. If you want to save your settings, back up your iPhone before returning them to their defaults. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem but returning settings to their defaults doesn’t help, you might want to restore your previous settings from a backup.
  4. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.
    1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
    2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)


If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to reach out to Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance. They can provide specific guidance based on your device model and iOS version.



Dec 6, 2023 2:44 PM in response to ProustGiulio

Thank you ProustGiulio


Option A:

I have just checked the battery maximum capacity - it’s 100%.


Option B:

To be honest, I know from previous experience not only does this procedure take hours, but along with all my other data from the suggested backup, the most recent version of iOS - which I’m pretty sure is the root of the problem - will be reinstalled.


That said, I may yet be desperate enough to give it a try ;)


Thanks, Darta9nan


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Bottom of screen not working properly on iPhone

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