How to Fix Apple Watch Touch Screen not Responding

When you buy an Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or even Apple Watch, you are assured that you are getting the best quality products. That is true to a great extent as most of these devices are stable on both hardware and software fronts. However, sometimes, you might find that your Apple Watch is not responding to your touch. This could happen for many reasons.

If there has been physical damage to your Apple Watch’s screen, then repairing that is beyond the scope of this article. You are going to have to bring your Watch to an Apple repair center and get it fixed. However, if you see no physical signs of damage to the touch screen, then there might be an issue with the software on the Watch. Here we provide you with five tips to try and fix the unresponsive Apple Watch screen.

Fix 1. Update to the Latest Version of watchOS

Your Apple Watch is not just an ordinary watch but is a smart watch that has its own software. The Apple Watch runs an operating system called watchOS that has been developed by Apple specifically for their smart watches. One possible reason why the touch screen is not working on your Watch is that there is an issue with this operating system.

Operating system issues are very rare, but when they occur, they prevent you from performing many tasks on your devices. In your case, your system has frozen the actions for the touch screen. An easy way to fix that is to update the watchOS version on your Apple Watch. Here we show how to do that.

Step 1. Plug your Apple Watch into charging for as long as the update procedure runs.

Step 2. Launch the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap the tab that says My Watch.

Step 3. Select the General option followed by Software Update to update the watchOS version.

Step 4. Your iPhone will now download the update. When the update is downloaded, it will be installed on your Apple Watch.

Fix 2. Unpair Apple Watch from iPhone then Pair Again

No matter what Apple device you use, it is always going to work seamlessly with your other Apple devices. For example, your Apple Watch pairs with your iPhone and you can control many options for your Watch right from your iOS device. Sometimes, this pairing does not work as it should, and it may cause your Apple Watch screen not to function.

Fixing this issue is not as hard as you might think. All you basically need to do is unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone and then pair it back again. This will refresh the whole setup and the following shows how to do that.

Step 1. Make sure both your Apple Watch and your iPhone are close to each other.

Step 2. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, and select your Watch.

Step 3. Select the “i” option next to the Apple Watch where the touch screen is not working.

Step 4. On the resulting screen, select the Unpair Apple Watch option to unpair your Watch.

Step 5. Head back to the main screen of the Apple Watch app, put on your Apple Watch, and follow the on-screen instructions to pair your Watch with your iPhone again.

Fix 3. Try to Close All Apps on Apple Watch

Like your iPhone, your Apple Watch uses applications to provide you with various features. These apps utilize the core functions of your Watch and let you get the most out of it. An app might have caused an issue that now prevents you from using your Watch’s touch screen. This issue has been happening on the iPhone for a long time, and it seems Apple Watch now has it, too.

There is nothing to worry about when a third-party app causes issues on your Apple Watch. In your case, you can simply close all apps and see if that makes your touch screen to function.

Step 1. If you are not wearing, make sure your Apple Watch is unlocked.

Step 2. Press the Side button once and you will see a list of running apps on your Watch.

Step 3. Swipe to the right on an app and you will find an option saying Remove.

Step 4. Tap on this Remove option to close the app.

You will need to follow the above instructions for each app that you want to close. Keep in mind that unexpectedly causing some apps may harm your data saved within those apps.

Fix 4. Try to Restart your Watch

Not all the issues that you face on your Apple Watch are permanent. Some of the issues are caused by temporary glitches in the device’s software. These issues can often be fixed by simply turning your device off and then back on.

Rebooting, although is a very basic action, can actually do wonders on most devices. With your Apple Watch, you can use rebooting to resolve many minor hiccups on the device. Doing this does not harm your device in any way and it is quick and easy to do.

Here is how you restart an Apple Watch and possibly fix the touch screen problem.

Step 1. Hold the Side button on your Apple Watch to bring up a menu on the screen.

Step 2. From the newly opened menu, drag the Power Off option to turn your Apple Watch off.

Step 3. Wait while your Apple Watch fully turns off.

Step 4. It is time to turn your Watch back on. To do this, press and hold the Side button and you will be on the main Watch screen.

Fix 5. Hard Reset if the Soft Restart not Working

Since your Apple Watch’s touch screen is not functioning, it might be possible that you cannot drag the slider to turn off your Watch. If this is the case with you, you may need to use another method to power down your Watch. This other method is to force reboot your Apple Watch.

This method is not recommended to use unless this is the only option you have. Also, Apple does not suggest that you force restart your Apple Watch when it is being updated. This can actually brick your device.

Force rebooting works in most cases, even when your Watch’s touch screen is not working. Below we show how to do that and get your touch screen to start working normally.

Step 1. Press and hold down both the Side buttons and Digital Crown for about ten seconds.

Step 2. You need to let go of the buttons when the Apple logo shows up.

Bonus Tip. Fix iPhone Touch Screen Not Working when Unpairing your Watch

Touch screen issues are not limited to the Apple Watch. If you are troubled by this issue on your iPhone, too, you might want to look for a way to fix your iPhone as well. When it comes to fixing iOS-based devices, you have several options available.

One of these options is AnyFix – iOS system recovery that enables you to fix many issues, including the ones related to the touch screen on your iPhone. With this app, you can run a system repair procedure that repairs the core parts of your device. When these parts are all fixed, your touch screen should start working. If you are new to the app and you would like to learn about its workings, the following will help you.

Step 1. Launch the AnyFix app, connect your iPhone to your computer, and click System Repair.

Step 2. Select the repair option that is for the iPhone and hit Start Now at the bottom.

Step 3. You will now see three repair modes to choose from. Initially, start with Standard Repair and see if it fixes your touch screen. If it does not, you can try the other modes.

Step 4. It will ask you to download a firmware which you can do by clicking on Download. Then click Fix Now.

Step 5. Wait for it to repair the iPhone touch screen. Soon as it is done, touch your iPhone’s screen and it should work just fine.

Conclusion

When your Apple Watch touch screen does not respond to your touch, it is not always the fault of the screen. There are many underlying elements that control how your touch screen functions. If you fix those elements, of course using the above methods, you can bring your touch screen back to working conditions. We hope this guide helps you do that.