7 Ways to Unlock iPhone With Unresponsive Screen (2026 Update)

Updated by Brian Davis on Feb 13, 2026 • Category: Unlock iPhone
7 mins read

Has your iPhone screen ever gotten stuck and the screen doesn't respond? Is there a way to unlock an iPhone with touch screen not working? Many people may encounter an unresponsive screen during their daily use, bringing a lot of inconvenience to their lives and work. Don't worry. In this article, we will show you 7 different ways to unlock an iPhone with an unresponsive screen.

unlock iphone with unresponsive screen

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Top 7 Ways to Unlock iPhone With Unresponsive Screen

An unresponsive screen can be caused either by software glitches or a hardware problem. If your iPhone has obvious hardware damage, such as a broken screen, then you can contact Apple Support for screen replacement. If it's a software-related issue, you can try the following troubleshooting methods.

Solution 1: Force Restart iPhone

This method helps you in resolving software issues that may be the reason for the iPhone screen unresponsive. To find out how it works, go for the below steps.

For iPhone 8 and recent models: Quickly Press and release the Volume Up button. Then quickly press and release the Volume Down button. Hold the Side until an Apple logo pops up.

force restart iphone 8 or later

For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the Volume Down and the Side button simultaneously. Release both when the logo of Apple pops up on your screen.

force restart iphone 7

For iPhone 6 and older models: Hold the Power button and the Home button at the same time. Release them until you see an Apple logo pop up on the screen.

force restart iphone 6 or older

Solution 2: Unlock Unresponsive iPhone With Keyboard

Did you know iPhones have native support for USB keyboards? You can plug a standard PC keyboard into your iPhone to type your passcode without touching the screen. To make this method work, you need a Lightning to USB Camera Adapter (OTG Adapter) and a standard USB Keyboard. Follow these steps when you don't know how to unlock iPhone with unresponsive screen.

  • Step 1. Connect the adapter to your iPhone and plug in the keyboard.
  • Step 2. Press the Spacebar to wake the screen.
  • Step 3. Type your passcode using the number keys.
  • Step 4. If it doesn't unlock immediately, press Enter.

connect keyboard to unlock iphone unresponsive screen

Solution 3: Unlock Unresponsive iPhone With Siri

Using Siri is also a viable method to unlock iPhone with unresponsive screen. You can ask Siri to enable VoiceOver and enter the passcode to unlock your phone. However, it doesn't have a 100% success rate. Anyway, you can follow the steps below to give it a try.

  • Step 1. Connect your USB keyboard (as shown in Solution 2).
  • Step 2. Activate Siri by holding the Side button (on iPhones with Face ID) or the Home button (on iPhones with Home button). Or, simply say "Siri" or "Hey Siri" if enabled in Settings.
  • Step 3. Ask Siri to Turn on VoiceOver, and double press the Side/Home button to open the login screen.
  • Step 4. Press the Right Arrow key on your keyboard. You will see a black cursor box move across the screen items.
  • Step 5. Keep pressing the arrow key until the Passcode Number is highlighted.
  • Step 6. Press Control + Option + Spacebar (or just Enter) to "tap" the number. Repeat this for all digits.

note icon Note

This same method works if you need to click "Trust This Computer" to sync with iTunes.

use siri to unlock iphone unresponsive screen

Solution 4: Use iPhone Unlocker to Unlock iPhone With Unresponsive Screen

If the problem is caused by software glitches and it persists after trying the methods above, you can try a professional iPhone unlock tool. There are many tools online, but nothing can beat the perks associated with TunesKit iPhone Unlocker. This tool is made to crack, bypass, or remove different kinds of screen locks including intelligent Face ID, Touch ID, 4 and 6-digit screen passcodes. Even when your iPhone screen is broken, frozen, or unresponsive, you can easily unlock it.

What's more, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker is also helpful if you want to unlock Apple ID, bypass Screen Time passcode, or remove MDM restrictions without passcode. With it, you don't need to worry about being locked out of your iPhone any more. Though you know nothing about iPhone unlocking, you can unlock your device within several minutes.

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Now watch the short video to learn how to unlock iPhone with unresponsive screen. If you still have trouble, read the steps in detail.

Step 1 Open TunesKit iPhone Unlocker on your Mac or PC. Connect your iPhone to the computer with the help of a USB cable. Choose the Unlock iOS Screen option and then click Start to move forward.

main interface iphone unlocker

Step 2 Next, put your iPhone in DFU mode according to the detailed guidance on the interface. When you finish, press the Next icon in the lower right corner to move on.

put iphone into dfu mode

Step 3 Now, check and verify if the firmware details match those of your iPhone. If yes, press the Download button to begin the process of downloading.

download firmware package

Step 4 When the download process is complete, click Unlock to unlock your iPhone with an unresponsive touch screen. The process will take a few minutes to finish, and your problem will be solved.

unlock your iphone with screen doesnt work

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Solution 5: Erase iPhone Remotely With iCloud's Find My

The Find My service is utilized to get your iPhone back when you lose it or you need to factory reset it if your iPhone is stolen. You can also utilize it to unlock the iPhone in the event that the screen is unresponsive. Thus, you can remotely access your iPhone on another device and remove all the details and unlock iPhone with unresponsive screen.

  • Step 1. Go for the official website of iCloud, log in to your iCloud account using your Apple ID and password.
  • Step 2. Here, navigate the page to look for the option that says Find iPhone and choose All Devices.
  • Step 3. From the displaying list, select your iPhone.
  • Step 4. Press Erase iPhone to remove iPhone and unlock it remotely. You can now gain access to your iPhone without entering in the passcode.

erase unresponsive iphone via icloud

Solution 6: Use iTunes/Finder to Restore iPhone

This is another method to unlock iPhone when the screen doesn't work. It works best in case you have synced your iPhone before with iTunes (or Finder on Mac) and have had your iPhone trust your PC. If not, you need to put your iPhone into recovery mode manually. Now go for the following steps to find out how it works.

  • Step 1. Open the iTunes application on your PC or or Finder on Mac.
  • Step 2. Then connect your iPhone to the PC with the help of a USB cable.
  • Step 3. You will see that the iPhone will be detected on iTunes/Finder via automatic processing. Click on the device's icon.
  • Step 4. Click Summary > Restore iPhone... to reset your iPhone to default factory settings and your problem will be solved.

restore unresponsive iphone via itunes

Solution 7: Use Face ID or Touch ID

When your iPhone touch screen is not responsive and can't unlock it by entering the passcode, you can try the alternative options. If your device is set up with Face ID or Touch ID, you can use it to bypass the passcode entry.

  • Face ID: Raise the phone to your face and let it scan to unlock.
  • Touch ID: Place your registered finger on the Home or Power button.

use face id or touch id

FAQs About Unlocking iPhone With Unresponsive Screen

  • Can I unlock an iPhone with an unresponsive screen without losing data?

    Yes! If you use USB Keyboard or VoiceOver, you can unlock the phone and back it up without losing a single photo. However, if those methods don't work, you will need to factory reset the phone (using TunesKit, iCloud, or iTunes) to remove the lock, which will erase your data.

  • How do I tap "Trust This Computer" if the touch doesn't work?

    You must use the VoiceOver trick. By connecting a USB keyboard and enabling VoiceOver via Siri, you can use the arrow keys to select the "Trust" button and the Spacebar to click it.

  • Will a factory reset fix the touch screen?

    If your screen is physically broken (cracked glass/LCD), a reset will not fix it. You will still need to replace the screen. However, if the screen looks perfect but isn't responding due to a software glitch, a factory reset (via TunesKit or iTunes) might solve the problem.

Conclusion

A broken screen doesn't have to mean a broken heart over lost photos. Always try the USB Keyboard method first—it’s the secret trick that Apple Geniuses use!

If that fails, or if you just need to get the phone working again quickly, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker provides the most reliable way to bypass the lock screen and get your device ready for a fresh start.

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