How to Unlock and Use an iPhone with a Broken Touchscreen

A broken iPhone touchscreen doesn’t just get in the way of Instagram scrolling—it can completely block access to your device. You can’t use Face ID, enter your passcode, or even make emergency calls when your touchscreen isn’t responding. While a professional repair is the best long-term solution, you might still need immediate access to your phone if it contains important data, contacts, or work emails. That’s why we’ve made this guide to help you unlock your iPhone if you can’t wait to get it fixed or replaced. In this article, we cover simple and safe techniques that can help you regain access to your iPhone if the touchscreen is broken.

What Makes an iPhone Touchscreen Stop Working?

Touchscreens can suddenly stop working or become less responsive over time due to various factors. Here are the main causes of iPhone touchscreen malfunctions:

• Software issues: Viruses, frozen apps, and failing to update your device regularly can directly impact touchscreen performance. These system-level problems can slow your iPhone’s responsiveness to touch or stop it altogether.
• Screen protectors: The wrong type of screen protection can create a barrier between your fingers and the touch sensors. Thick, poorly made, or improperly installed protectors can prevent accurate touch detection.
• Physical damage: Forceful impact can harm the touch-sensing digitizer inside your screen. This delicate component translates your touches into digital signals, and even minor damage can cause major responsiveness problems.
• Faulty repairs: Uncertified repair technicians may use inferior replacement parts. These components may work initially but can develop touch response problems and damage other parts of your iPhone.
• Low touch sensitivity settings: If your iPhone has the 3D Touch Sensitivity feature, you may need to go into settings and make sure the sensitivity is set high enough to respond to your touch.
• Dirt buildup: Regular phone use leaves oils, dirt, and moisture on your screen. A buildup of these substances can block touch signals and reduce screen sensitivity over time.
• Water damage: Exposure to liquids can damage the electrical components controlling touch functions. Although some iPhones are water resistant, this protection diminishes over time, making internal water damage more likely.
• Accessories: Defective charging cables and poorly designed cases can interfere with touchscreen operation. The electrical interference from these accessories can disrupt normal touch detection and response.

Signs of Touchscreen Damage

A damaged iPhone screen can affect your phone’s performance in several ways, including:

• Poor display: Screen damage can create visual distortions, dead pixels, and color problems. Reading messages, viewing photos, and watching videos becomes increasingly difficult as display quality deteriorates.
• Lack of touch sensitivity: Damaged screens often have delayed responses to touch or lose touch sensitivity altogether. Simple actions like typing, scrolling, and opening multiple apps become difficult or impossible.
• Ghost touch: Screen damage can cause random touch activations. Your iPhone may open apps, type characters, or change settings without any physical contact.

Check Coverage Options Before Unlocking Your iPhone

Your iPhone’s warranty status determines whether you can get free or low-cost repairs from Apple. If you purchased your device less than a year ago, you may still be covered by Apple’s limited one-year warranty. Checking your coverage could save you the expense of paying for repairs.

Effective Methods to Unlock and Use an iPhone with a Broken Touchscreen 

An unresponsive iPhone screen shouldn’t stop you from accessing your device. Below, we’ve explained how to unlock an iPhone with a broken touchscreen and regain control of your device.

1. Use Siri to Unlock Your iPhone

Siri can act as your voice-controlled assistant when your screen isn’t responding. This accessibility feature doesn’t require any special tools and works best on iPhones with a home button.

Here’s how to unlock an iPhone with a broken touchscreen using Siri:

• Hold the Home button for 2 seconds to activate Siri.
• Ask Siri to “Turn on VoiceOver.”
• Once VoiceOver is enabled, ask Siri to “Go Home.”
• When the passcode screen appears, tell Siri to tap each number in your passcode.
• Once your phone is unlocked, you can use Siri to access apps on your phone.

2. Connect a Keyboard to Type

Using external input devices can allow you to type on your iPhone when the screen isn’t responding.

Here’s how it works:

• You’ll need to get a Lightning to USB adapter and a keyboard.
• Once you have the adapter, connect the keyboard to your iPhone.
• Wait for your iPhone to recognize the device.
• Start typing using the keyboard.

3. Use iTunes or Finder to Restore Your Device

iTunes and Finder can provide a computer-based solution for unlocking your device if your screen is broken and you have forgotten your password. This method requires a previously trusted connection between your iPhone and computer and is only a good option if your phone’s data is backed up.

Here’s how it works:

• Open iTunes or Finder on your computer.
• Use a cable to connect your iPhone to the computer.
• Select your iPhone when it appears in the computer’s Finder.
• Choose the “Restore” option. (Note: This will erase your phone’s data.)
• Follow the prompts to complete the restore process and regain access to your phone.

4. Contact Apple Support 

When DIY technical solutions fall short, contacting Apple’s support team is one of your best options. They can offer expert advice and perform necessary repairs to restore your touchscreen’s responsiveness. Having Apple examine your device can also reveal underlying issues that might have caused the screen failure in the first place. That being said, Apple-certified repairs can be expensive, making alternative iPhone repair services a better option if you’re looking to cut costs. 

Contact Professional iPhone Repair Services 

At 911 Phone Repair in Oklahoma City, we offer fast and cost-effective solutions to unlock your iPhone and improve touch responsiveness. Our certified technicians repair iPhone screens using premium-grade OLED and LCD displays that will match your iPhone’s original screen quality. We also back every repair with an industry-leading warranty and typically complete screen replacements in 1 to 2 hours. Call us today for a quote from one of our experts!