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iPhone X Ghost Touch

Hello, Not sure if only mine iPhone X got this issue, which is ghost touch on my screen! When I browse either news page or Facebook. It always pop up ghost touch! Anyone here can advise? I got video to proof..

Posted on Dec 4, 2017 4:15 AM

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Posted on Dec 6, 2017 10:44 AM

I have had the X for three weeks now, just updated to 11.2 last night, but began having "ghost touch" issues with the screen early yesterday morning. I've had a case on since day one, and I have NOT dropped the phone. I do not live in cold weather, so it's not THAT bug. The main problem here is that when I hover my thumb or finger a few millimeters over the middle row of icons on the home screen, WITHOUT ACTUALLY touching it, the phone begins to go wild and open and close random apps, and scroll up and down by itself inside the app. It's as if a ghostly hand is trying to push every button as fast as possible. This happens several times per hour now. This screen issue seems to affect the middle row of icons on the home screen, as these are the apps that keep opening and closing by itself. I have a video of the issue happening as well, and it shows me trying to close the apps and the apps opening themselves again and switching to different home screens.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 6, 2017 10:44 AM in response to AppleX.

I have had the X for three weeks now, just updated to 11.2 last night, but began having "ghost touch" issues with the screen early yesterday morning. I've had a case on since day one, and I have NOT dropped the phone. I do not live in cold weather, so it's not THAT bug. The main problem here is that when I hover my thumb or finger a few millimeters over the middle row of icons on the home screen, WITHOUT ACTUALLY touching it, the phone begins to go wild and open and close random apps, and scroll up and down by itself inside the app. It's as if a ghostly hand is trying to push every button as fast as possible. This happens several times per hour now. This screen issue seems to affect the middle row of icons on the home screen, as these are the apps that keep opening and closing by itself. I have a video of the issue happening as well, and it shows me trying to close the apps and the apps opening themselves again and switching to different home screens.

Dec 6, 2017 10:48 AM in response to rose_10

I am also having this issue: I have had the X for three weeks now, just updated to 11.2 last night, but began having "ghost touch" issues with the screen early yesterday morning. I've had a case on since day one, and I have NOT dropped the phone. I do not live in cold weather, so it's not THAT bug. The main problem here is that when I hover my thumb or finger a few millimeters over the middle row of icons on the home screen, WITHOUT ACTUALLY touching it, the phone begins to go wild and open and close random apps, and scroll up and down by itself inside the app. It's as if a ghostly hand is trying to push every button as fast as possible. This happens several times per hour now. This screen issue seems to affect the middle row of icons on the home screen, as these are the apps that keep opening and closing by itself. I have a video of the issue happening as well, and it shows me trying to close the apps and the apps opening themselves again and switching to different home screens.


I have rebooted the phone multiple times, and the issue has not gone away. This issue cannot be fixed by generic support article suggestions.

Aug 15, 2018 7:05 AM in response to samfrommontpelier

The so-called "ghost touch glitch" is a hardware problem. First, a lot of users have found that removing their screen protector fixes it. If it only occurs when the phone is plugged in you have a bad lightning cable; if it happens when not plugged in your screen digitizer is defective. Make a genius bar appointment and get it replaced: Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Jul 3, 2018 12:41 AM in response to AppleX.

I had the same issue with iOS 11.4 and i resolved it this way (it never came up again):


  • Press and release Volume Up button
  • Press and release Volume Down button
  • Long press Lock button and 'Slide to power off'


This is not the normal procedure used to shutdown your iPhone (Volume Up button + Lock button) because it will also empty the cache.

Once you have powered off your iPhone DON'T POWER ON FOR ~30 MINUTES this step made the difference.


The ghost has vanished

Dec 16, 2017 10:35 PM in response to AppleX.

I'm having the same issue (in Google Maps, Fox News, native Email app, etc.). I took it to the Apple Store and they did a hardware test on the touch screen. They wanted me to do a total reset (wipe all my apps, wallet items, etc.). I said "no way" (I have ~100 apps, years of photos)


It occurs without a screen protector and also without a case (just to rule out any interference). When I reboot the iPhone X it clears up for a while, but comes back usually within 24 hours.


This issue needs to be fixed!!

Sep 29, 2018 2:49 PM in response to fenerfrom..

There are only 2 part numbers for the iPhone X. One for China, one for the rest of the world. Last time I checked there were over 100 million iPhone X models sold outside of China. So unless you are claiming that over 100 million phones have this problem the same part number is irrelevant.


Apple will fix any phone you contact them about. Which is an almost vanishingly small percentage of all of the X sold. This thread has 94 posts, and about half of those are advice about how to fix the problem. So 50 phones out of 100 million is 0.00001% of all iPhones.


Add to that the fact that this is a symptom, not a problem definition. And there are several possible causes of the problem, which is illustrated by the number of different posted solutions. These are:


  • A bad lightning cable
  • An incompatible screen protector
  • An ill-fitting case
  • A defective digitizer in the screen.

Only the last of these is an actual hardware defect in the phone, and it can be fixed by Apple replacing the screen. As all iPhone X's are still in warranty that is the solution of choice. Why should Apple replace 100,000,000 phones because 50 of them have a problem? Or even 500? Or 5,000?

Aug 21, 2018 6:00 AM in response to rpags

rpags wrote:


Had my iPhone X for about 2 months, and it can’t go more than 8-10 mins of straight use without it moving by its self and disabling me from using it. The bottom half inch of the screen where the touch bad is is useless when this happens. RIGHT NOW IT MOVING. Like I didn’t pay a $1000 to not be able to use this phone. Disappointed. Unhappy. ******.

Make a genius bar appointment (Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple) and they will either fix or replace your phone. As has been posted many times in the thread you didn't take the time to read before posting.


Note that some screen protectors can cause this problem. So if you have one you might try removing it first. Also, if it only happens when plugged in you have a bad Lightning cable.

Sep 18, 2018 6:11 AM in response to jucysoft

As you apparently didn't read the thread you posted to, I will summarize it:


If it only happens when you have the phone plugged in, you have a bad cable. Replace the cable.


if it happens all the time you have a bad digitizer in the screen. Make a Genius Bar appointment to have the screen replaced. Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple


There is a very slight chance the problem is software. Restore iOS to factory settings using iTunes (Restore your iOS device to factory settings - Apple Support). If the problem is still present, see above.

Sep 19, 2018 10:58 AM in response to andreanafromcibolo

As I posted immediately above your post:


If it only happens when you have the phone plugged in, you have a bad cable. Replace the cable.


if it happens all the time you have a bad digitizer in the screen. Make a Genius Bar appointment to have the screen replaced. Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple


There is a very slight chance the problem is software. Restore iOS to factory settings using iTunes (Restore your iOS device to factory settings - Apple Support). If the problem is still present, see above.

Sep 19, 2018 5:50 PM in response to ibrahimfromismailia

Doesn't anyone ever read a thread before posting to it? The solution is right above your post, but I will save you the trouble of scrolling up and post it again:


If it only happens when you have the phone plugged in, you have a bad cable. Replace the cable.


if it happens all the time you have a bad digitizer in the screen. Make a Genius Bar appointment to have the screen replaced. As the phone is only 3 months old there's 9 months to go on the warranty. Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple


There is a very slight chance the problem is software. Restore iOS to factory settings using iTunes (Restore your iOS device to factory settings - Apple Support). If the problem is still present, see above.

Jul 27, 2018 1:58 PM in response to JAMIED55

There are 2 possible causes of this problem:

  • It it only occurs when the phone is plugged in you have a defective Lightning cable, so try a different cable. And make sure it is either certified as Made for iPhone or an Apple cable.
  • If it occurs when nothing is plugged in the phone has a defective digitizer. Apple will repair it under warranty.

iPhone X Ghost Touch

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