Some iPhone users are reporting intermittent touchscreen responsiveness issues on iPhones running iOS 18. The problem, the devices are ignoring taps and swipes, appear to affect various iPhone models, from older models like the iPhone 14, up to the latest iPhone 16 models.
As first reported by 9to5Mac, users on Reddit are reporting unresponsive areas on the screen, resulting in missed taps, ignored swipes, and difficulty scrolling or pressing buttons. It is said to be particularly noticeable when using with the virtual keyboard.
Reddit user Known_Tap_1462 describes the issue:
If one’s skin accidentally touches the area next to the new camera control button first, the whole screen becomes unresponsive until released, except for the home bar. This is the only area that causes the issue.
Test it yourself: tap and hold the highlighted area with your right thumb, and use your left hand to swipe. In System Settings you can’t tap nor swipe. In homepage you can sometimes tap into apps but definitely can’t swipe. Swiping the home bar is not affected by the issue at all.
Not sure if it’s the OS or a hardware defect due to the introduction of the camera button. It seems more like a system bug to me due to palm rejection.
While the issue was initially thought to be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro models, as other user reports rolled in it became apparent that the problem is more widespread and is likely software-related. It appears to be caused an overly sensitive touch rejection algorithm in iOS 18, designed to ignore accidental touches.
The issue reportedly occurs only when devices are unlocked and in use. Some users have reported particular problems centered around the new Camera Control button, although it isn’t clear if this is directly related or a separate issue.
Mastodon user Khaos Tian posted a video showing how the problem can be intentionally triggered, providing further evidence that it is software-based. If that is the case, it’s likely that Apple can release a future update to address the problem. However, Apple has yet to acknowledge the matter.
