Apple Watches tend to be pretty reliable pieces of outfit , but they are not immune to malfunction . One issue that we ’ve experienced a couple of times is when the watch confront stops react to touch , and this can be particularly frustrating because it also prevents the obvious first fix – turn the gadget of and on again .
Sometimes the silver screen does n’t seem to form at all ; at others we find it ’s sensory to some gesture – swiping up to get Control Centre , for example – but not others . But what unites these situations is that the problem is understandably limited to the covert : the hardware controls ( the telephone dial and side button ) appear to be working ordinarily .
In this article we take the air you through four elementary solutions to this job , and help you get an unresponsive Apple Watch screen doing your bid once more . For more general confidential information on sorting out watch problems , seeHow to fix an Apple Watch that ’s not working .
Quick fixes
First we ’ll get the obvious stuff out of the agency . Is the screen obstructed in any way , or is it dirty ? Give it a gentle but thorough wipe to remove any grime that could be stopping your fingers name a good connectedness .
And as for those fingers themselves , check they ’re uncontaminating and ( at jeopardy of being really obvious ) not covered up . Most gloves , for instance , will barricade touchscreen operate , although you may corrupt particular gloves that do n’t . It may be worth taste dissimilar finger or even someone else ’s finger to see if the trouble is at the human level .
Okay , it ’s not something canonic . Let ’s move on .
Force-restart the watch
Nine times out of ten , re-start the scout will define this problem . But the usual restarting method wo n’t work because , after holding down the side button , you need to be able to swipe across the exhibit where it says POWER OFF .
So we ’ll do a force - restart instead . To do this , press and hold the side push and the Digital Crown for around 10 seconds – keep harbor until you see the Apple logo .
When the watch is powered on again , see if the touchscreen is working the right way .
‘Bricking’ and other more serious issues
If the screen still does n’t work , something more fundamental is at fracture . We move to slightly more fourth dimension - consuming fixes .
You could try on checking for a watchOS update – OS update often include repair for hardware problem . Here’show to update watchOS on an Apple Watch .
The next step to try is unpairing .
give the Watch app on the paired iPhone . From the My Watch tab , tap your watch at the top , then on the next screen strike the lower - case i on the right . Now hit Unpair Apple Watch .
Note that this will pass over the Apple Watch . It will make a substitute on the phone , however , so if we supervise to prepare the problem you ’ll be able to restore your data . ( If you back up the iPhone , remember to encrypt it , or the wellness and fitness datum wo n’t be included – see herefor more details . )
If none of these resolve thing , your watch ’s problem is likely to be beyond the orbit of DIY fixes . A full ‘ bricking ’ usually would n’t allow the hardware button to keep exercise , but something of that order is believably happening .
You ’re well offcontacting Appleand / or the retail merchant who supplied the watch and ask their advice , especially if it ’s still in warranty . Here’show to make an appointment at an Apple store .
If the spoilt comes to the worst and you want to get a replacement , here ’s ourApple Watch buying guideand our roundup of thebest Apple Watch deals .
We have a separate clause where wediscuss everything you ask to know about bring Apple mathematical product repaired .