How to Fix ‘Touch input blocked’ in Samsung Phones?

You may encounter a “touch input blocked” message on your Samsung device if the proximity sensor is covered by your protector or if your proximity sensor is malfunctioning, preventing you from using the touch features properly.

If you’re unable to follow the steps below due to complete touch input failure, you have a few options. You can restart your device in safe mode or connect a USB mouse/keyboard using an OTG cable to complete the process. Additionally, if you’ve enabled voice commands on your Samsung device, you can use them to perform the steps mentioned below.

For some individuals, the “touch input blocked” message could be permanently displayed on the screen. To check, activate auto-rotate and turn your phone. If the message remains stationary, it means the popup is burned onto the screen. If this occurs, try cycling through different colors to remove the burn; otherwise, the damage might be irreversible, requiring a replacement.

1. Force Restart the Device

Your Samsung device (phone, tablet, etc.) will show the touch input blocked popup if the device’s input modules are in an error state and need a fresh start. Performing a restart of the device will do the trick.

1. Press and hold the following buttons on your Samsung device:

   Side
   
   Volume Down

   

2. Wait till the phone restarts and check if the touch functionality is back to normal.

2. Remove the Case/Protector & Clean the Proximity Sensor

If your device’s case, screen protector, or dust is covering the proximity sensor, it may not work correctly and cause the touch input to be blocked. To resolve this issue, remove the case or protector and clean the sensor.

1. Remove the case or cover from your Samsung device and check if the touch input issue is resolved.

   

2. If not, remove the glass protector from the device’s screen and check again after restarting.

   

3. If the issue persists, grab a soft lint-free cloth and clean the proximity sensor (near the top of the phone’s screen).

   

4. Once done, check if the touch input is working properly.
5. If the issue persists, make sure your hand is not covering the phone’s proximity sensor when using it and check if that clears the problem.
6. If that does not work, charge your device with a genuine Samsung charger/cable and check if the touch input is no more blocked.

3. Update the Device’s OS to the Latest Build

An outdated OS on a Samsung device may lead to touch input problems if it’s incompatible with updated apps. Updating the device’s OS can fix the issue and also address any bugs that may be causing it.

Before updating, make sure to back up the device’s data, connect the device to a Wi-Fi network, and fully charge it.

1. Launch Settings of your Samsung TV and open Software Update.

   

2. Tap on Check for System Updates and if an update is shown, install the update.

   

3. Once done, restart the device and check if the touch input is working properly.
4. If not, launch the Phone app and open Dialer.
5. Dial the following code:

   *#2336#

   

6. Select Upgrade TSP Firmware and tap on Upgrade.
7. Once completed, restart your device and check if the touch input problem is solved.

4. Disable Easy Screen Turn on Accessibility Feature

The Easy Screen Turn On feature allows you to turn on the screen by waving your hand over the proximity sensor, without pressing any buttons. If enabled, sudden movements around the sensor can cause accidental touches, blocking touch input. To fix this, disable the Easy Screen Turn On Accessibility feature.

1. Launch the device Settings and open Accessibility.

   

2. Select Easy Screen Turn on and disable it.

   

3. Restart the device and check if it is clear of the touch input blocked message.
4. If not, check if disabling Bixby solves the problem.

5. Disable ‘Block Accidental Touches’ Feature

Your Samsung device’s proximity sensor, located at the top of your phone, helps determine whether a touch is accidental. If something obstructs the sensor, touches may be treated as accidental and touch input will be blocked. Disabling the device’s accidental touches feature can solve this problem.

Beware disabling this feature can cause accidental dialing or operation of the phone and cause issues.

1. Launch Settings and open Display.
2. Disable Block Accidental Touches and restart your device. Check if the touch input blocked popup is cleared.

   

3. If not, navigate to Settings > Advanced Features > Touch Sensitivity.
4. Lower the sensitivity and check if the touch input is working correctly.
5. If the issuer persists and you cannot disable Accidental Touch as the input is not working, launch ADB and connect it to your device.
6. Execute the following:

   ./adb shell settings put global block_untrusted_touches 0

7. Disconnect the device from ADB and restart the device. Check if the touch input issue is resolved.

6. Reset Your Samsung Device to the Factory Defaults

If your Samsung device’s input modules become corrupted after a failed OS update, they may crash during execution, causing issues. Resetting your Samsung device to factory defaults can fix this problem.

Before resetting, back up your phone’s data and fully charge it.

1. Launch the device Settings and navigate to General Management > Reset.

   

2. Select Factory Data Reset and confirm to reset the device.

   

3. Once done, set up the device as a new one (without restoring from a backup) and hopefully, its touch input will be operating correctly.

If the issue persists, make sure the phone’s proximity sensor works fine. You can test through the Samsung diagnostics menu (dial *#0*# on the phone’s dialer). If the problem continues, get your phone checked for a hardware issue, and if under warranty, get it replaced.