Why is my iPhone 6 Plus sometimes unresponsive to touch?

[iMore Question]

My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

Sometimes it would work again for an hour, and it won't work again for the rest of the day. The same issue happened a month or three ago. Then the touch screen was replaced and it worked fine, until now. During these last three months I was very careful, didn't drop the phone, used case and screen protector. I don't want to replace the screen again, since that doesn't seem to fix the problem long term. Which other options do I have?

 

[Smply_Rckless]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

I've had this same issue. Lock the phone then unlock it fixed it for me

 

[Rob Phillips]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

Sometimes it would work again for an hour, and it won't work again for the rest of the day. The same issue happened a month or three ago. Then the touch screen was replaced and it worked fine, until now. During these last three months I was very careful, didn't drop the phone, used case and screen protector. I don't want to replace the screen again, since that doesn't seem to fix the problem long term. Which other options do I have?

It's happened to me from time to time, but I don't think my 6s Plus has given me problems. As @Smply_Rckless said, lock and unlock. Otherwise, you can usually fix the problem with a hard reset.

 

[IAmSixNine]

Happened to me on my 6 plus as well and its annoying. Can use fingerprint to open phone then when i try to use it, it does not register any touches. Only happens on my 6 plus, not my 6.

 

[SprSynJn]

I had the same issue for a bit, but was briefly resolved when I replaced the screen protector. It has started to happen again at random times. I have the 6 Plus with the latest update. I will try restoring for a second time and then report back if needed. If this doesn't resolve it, then I'll have to take it into the repair shop.

 

[SprSynJn]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

So here's the odd thing about this whole situation. I eventually got tired of the problem and went to Apple to try and get them to fix it. They took it in the back, removed the screen, and checked the connections after it failed the touch screen test. A retest was passed and all was well.

A few weeks later, the same thing happens once again. I then go in and explain the situation once more. He tells me a restore might do the trick, to which I told him I've tried that two or three times. I then requested, a bit forcibly, for a replacement as its incredibly inconvenient as I use it for work related purposes. He complied and I walked out with a new 6 Plus, free of charge (with Apple care of course)

So here we are now one week in and the damn phone still goes unresponsive at times. I've tried a "restore as new," to no avail. Am I just incredibly unlucky or what?

 

[MikkoPaivarinta]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

Mine does the same, with different screen protectors, also without.
Now I have a new screen, as I broke it. And no change, except now it happens more often. About daily.
It is annoying but locking the screen and opening again fixes the issue. Sometimes just waiting.

 

[IAmSixNine]

Its a known issue they just wont address it.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7028290?start=750&tstart=0

 

[Swap16]

I've had the same issue and turning off the screen and unlocking it again seems to temporarily solve it....

 

[Closingracer]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

Good I thought it was just me that had this problem lol. If Apple doesn't want to fix this than I might look for another phone that is made in Korea next time I buy a phone

 

[Rob Phillips]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

Good I thought it was just me that had this problem lol. If Apple doesn't want to fix this than I might look for another phone that is made in Korea next time I buy a phone

The grass is no greener on the other side, especially if you're trying to avoid bugs!

 

[Closingracer]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

The grass is no greener on the other side, especially if you're trying to avoid bugs!

It is.... I've use Android in the past and have no loyalty to Apple....

 

[Ledsteplin]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

My 6s Plus "goes unresponsive" from time to time. It freezes up. But it doesn't last long. It's a tiny computer. Computers do that. It's normal to experience some freeze ups here and there.

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

My 6s Plus "goes unresponsive" from time to time. It freezes up. But it doesn't last long. It's a tiny computer. Computers do that. It's normal to experience some freeze ups here and there.

This seems like it's related to a much bigger issue, Led.

A Design Defect Is Breaking a Ton of iPhone 6 Pluses | iFixit

I really don't think this is a situation where it's a "normal experience" of freeze-ups. There's a relatively serious design flaw with the 6 and 6 Plus that is causing the Touch IC chips to lose contact with the logic board even with relatively normal use. Sadly, Apple isn't really addressing the issue thus far.

 

[sp44]

Yikes, that's not good if you are looking to buy a used 6 or 6 plus.

 

[Rob Phillips]

Yikes, that's not good if you are looking to buy a used 6 or 6 plus.

I'd say the issue is somewhat isolated and is going to be much less of a problem for users who upgrade after a year or two. That being said, I'm hoping that Apple steps up to the plate if this becomes widespread.

My guess is that they won't formally admit there's a problem but release an internal memo to Apple Stores and Apple Support to provide replacements for users who come in with problems.

 

[Dwood1970]

Re: My iphone 6+ is sometimes unresponsive to touch.

I've had this same issue. Lock the phone then unlock it fixed it for me

Yep it's the same for me. I had my screen replaced at Apple and that's when it started.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I have yet to see it on a 6. Only 6 plus units so far.

 

[SprSynJn]

I have yet to see it on a 6. Only 6 plus units so far.

Precisely why I might get a standard 7 this time, despite my love for the Plus.  has already replaced my Plus once for free. I'd rather just skip all the hassle next time around.

 

[anon(10068276)]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one suffering with this. My original 6 Plus had to be replaced because the logic board failed after months of me suffering through an unresponsive screen. The replacement immediately started having the same issue, so I tried restoring only an icloud backup instead of a full restore and it continued to happen. Ended up setting it up as a new iphone, but a while later it started happening again. Sucks because I lost so many activity circles setting it up as a new iPhone and it didn't even resolve the problem.