How to find dead spots on a touchscreen

A patch of your touchscreen ignores taps, or a swipe stops halfway across the display. Before assuming the screen is broken, check whether the missed area is consistent and whether the problem happens outside one app.

The Touch Screen Test checks touch points and dead zones in your browser. Run it on the touchscreen you want to check, not on a different computer or phone.

Scan the touchscreen for dead spots

Open the Touch Screen Test on the device with the touchscreen. Use a browser that supports touch input.
Touch several places across the screen, including the center, corners, and edges. Move slowly and watch whether each touch registers in the test.
Scan the display in a simple pattern, such as rows from top to bottom. Tap each part of the screen, then drag across it to check whether touch continues to register during movement.
Repeat the scan in portrait and landscape orientation if the device can rotate. Keep your finger away from the browser's controls and the operating system's gesture areas while checking the edges.
Test any suspicious patch again with a clean, dry finger. Try a light tap and a slow drag, then compare the same spot with the test open in another browser if available.

Do not use a mouse or trackpad to perform the scan. Those inputs can control the page, but they cannot tell you whether the touchscreen itself is sensing your finger.

What the result means

Every part of the screen registers

The touchscreen responds during this test. If a particular app still misses taps, the problem may be limited to that app, its layout, or a setting that changes how it handles touch. Check the same screen in another app before changing device settings.

The same patch repeatedly misses touches

A consistent gap in one location is a stronger sign of a touchscreen problem than a single missed tap. Note the size and position of the patch, and whether it stays in the same physical place when you rotate the device. A fault that follows the same area of glass may involve the touch sensor or its connection.

Touches fail only near an edge

Edges can be difficult to test because browsers and phones reserve some of them for navigation gestures. Repeat the scan a little farther inside the display. If touches fail in an ordinary app in that same area too, check whether a case or screen protector covers or presses on the edge.

The missed area changes from one attempt to another

Intermittent input can come from a finger that is too dry or wet, a dirty screen, a loose connection, or software that is temporarily busy. Clean the glass and repeat the test after closing other apps and restarting the device.

How to fix or narrow down the problem

Clean and dry the screen. Wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth and dry your hands. Moisture, grease, or dirt can interfere with consistent contact, especially around a small area.
Remove pressure from the display. Take off the case and check whether a screen protector is cracked, lifting, or pressing on an edge. If you remove a protector, test again before applying another one.
Restart the device. A restart can clear a temporary input or browser problem. After it starts, open the test again and repeat the same scan before reinstalling apps or changing multiple settings.
Compare with another app. Try typing across the suspected area in a notes app or moving an on-screen control through it. If the test and several apps all miss the same place, the problem is less likely to be a single website.
Check relevant touch settings. On an iPhone or iPad, look at Settings › Accessibility › Touch › Touch Accommodations. These options can change how taps and holds are recognized, so turn them off temporarily if you enabled them and test again. Some Android devices have a screen protector or touch sensitivity option under Settings › Display; its name and location vary by manufacturer.
Check the touchscreen device in Windows. On Windows 11, right-click Start and open Device Manager › Human Interface Devices. If HID-compliant touch screen is listed as disabled, enable it. If the problem began after an update, check Windows Update for an available driver update, then restart and test again.

Most Mac computers do not have a built-in touchscreen, so macOS has no general touchscreen setting to repair a dead area on the display. If you are testing an external touch display with a Mac, check the display maker's setup instructions and test the panel on a supported device if possible.

When the touchscreen may need repair

A dead spot is more likely to be hardware-related if the same area fails after a restart, with the case and protector removed, and in more than one app. If the screen is cracked, the device was dropped, or touch input stopped after a repair, avoid pressing hard on the glass. Pressure will not restore a failed sensor and can make damage worse.

If the device is under warranty, contact the seller or manufacturer before opening it or paying for a repair. For an older phone or tablet, ask a repair shop to inspect the display and digitizer, the part that senses touch. Compare the repair cost with replacing the device, especially if the display is also cracked or has visible damage.

Why one missed tap is not proof of a dead zone

A browser test checks whether touch input reaches the page, but it cannot inspect the touchscreen's internal wiring or prove which component failed. A missed tap can also happen because the browser is handling a gesture, the operating system is busy, or the finger did not make steady contact. That is why repeating the same slow scan, and comparing it with another app, is more useful than judging the screen from one tap.

If you need to describe the problem to support, note the screen orientation and mark the affected area on a simple sketch rather than pressing harder to make it respond.