Touch screen and ghost screen issues on iPhone 12 Pro after iOS 18.5 update

Usually when the touch screen on iPhone doesn’t work and you experience ghost touches, it is indicative of a screen digitizer failure. The screen digitizer is the part on your iPhone that registers touch. As a result you need to have that replaced at your nearest Apple Store Genius Bar or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

But I can assure you your iPhone is not being remotely controlled or hacked, it can seem like it with the screen digitizer failing as it will register all sorts of movement. Neither is it likely that the update caused this.

Genius Bar: Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

AASP: Find Locations - Apple

XTOS777 wrote:

You are correct, it was the screen digitizer. How or why this digitizer failed shortly after upgrading to IOS 18.5, I can not say. But the timing is very strange. Anyhow, I brought it to a repair shop and they told me the entire screen would need to be replaced. Not worth it for an old iPhone 12 Pro, with an old battery at 80%. So I decided to buy a refurbished iPhone 14 instead. It's too bad the touch screen failed without any water damage or impact. Just basic aging. Alas, the overall performance was starting to get slow anyway and the battery life was abysmal. Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated!

You’re welcome. Aging of hardware is unfortunate but inevitable. Enjoy your new iPhone!

It's not always the iOS update's fault!  Many things can cause phone problems.  If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix or find a solution for the real issue.

Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!

Was/Is your device Jailbroken? If that's the situation, please be informed that attributing the issues to iOS updates may not be accurate.

iOS updates aim to enhance user experience, boost security, and fix bugs rather than disrupt core features. The majority of the issues after updates might stem from underlying, unmentioned factors. Updates won't typically alter personal data but may refine settings or features. Backup before major updates for safety. Review Apple's update details and backup advice for a smooth process.

Kindly consider checking your settings and addressing any device issues before attributing the issue to external factors. This could be a pure coincidence that the iOS update affected the iPhone functions.

Before initiating a standard iOS update, it's advisable to create a backup. Have you completed this step? If yes, proceed with the restoration from the backup.

See what each update does: About iOS 18 Updates, About iOS 17 Updates, About iOS 16 Updates, About iOS 15 Updates, About iOS 14 Updates, About iOS 13 Updates, About iOS 12 Updates, and so on...

I was just googling this issue and found this post from my search. My phone screen isn't as responsive since I updated to ios 18.5. I have a 15 pro. It's sluggish. I have to touch the screen multiple times before it responds. This wasn't an issue whatsoever before updating to 18.5. It's frustrating.

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 ...

Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch