What is a touchscreen dead zone?

A dead zone is an area of the screen that does not register touch while the rest works. It points to digitizer damage or a protector pressing unevenly.

How do I find unresponsive areas on my screen?

Slowly drag a finger across the whole screen on a touch test and watch for gaps where your touch stops registering.

Is a dead zone fixable?

If a screen protector is causing it, removing the protector fixes it. A damaged digitizer usually needs a screen replacement.

How to Test a Touchscreen for Dead Zones

Quick answer: To find touchscreen dead zones, draw slowly across the entire screen and watch for areas that do not register. A browser test maps your touches so unresponsive spots stand out instantly. Test with any screen protector removed.

Try it now: open the touchscreen test and trace the whole display.

How to test

Drag a finger from edge to edge in overlapping lines, covering the corners, and try a two-finger touch. The test draws where it senses you, so a gap reveals a dead zone.

Reading the result

A consistent dead strip in the same place each time points to digitizer damage or a protector pressing on it. Intermittent gaps that move around point to a software or moisture issue instead.

Rule out the protector first

Remove any screen protector and re-test before assuming hardware. If the screen also taps by itself, see touchscreen ghost touches, and for a fully frozen screen see a touchscreen not responding.

Confirm

On the touchscreen test, a healthy screen registers your finger across the entire surface with no gaps.