Apple Investigating 'Ghost Touches' Issue Affecting Some Series 9 and Ultra 2 Watches (2024)

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Apple Investigating 'Ghost Touches' Issue Affecting Some Series 9 and Ultra 2 Watches? ›

Apple has confirmed that a touch-related bug, previously thought to only impact the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, is also affecting Series 7, Series 8, and Ultra 1 models. The issue, known as "ghost touch," causes the watch display to register false touches and exhibit erratic behavior without user interaction.

Just press and hold the Digital Crown and the side button below it until the watch turns off and you see the Apple logo appear on the screen. If "turn it off and on" seems like a weak fix, it's worth noting that this is in fact Apple's "official" solution for the issue.

At the time, Apple said it was aware of reports that “false touches” were affecting Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users. In that memo, Apple told service providers to not replace any affected units and instead advise customers to wait for a software update as it investigated the issue.

Earlier this year, owners of the Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 started experiencing unintended touches and swipes on their displays. This "ghost touches" phenomenon causes the screen to jump around and behave erratically without any input from the user.

Apple also addresses known bugs in each update, so if your ghost touch problems are related to a bug, updating iOS will fix the problem. If you haven't updated your iPhone in a while, go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if an update is available.

Forcefully Restart Your Smartphone

Whenever you face a ghost touch issue on your Android smartphone, it is highly advisable to restart your phone. Sometimes doing so will remove glitches or bugs running on your smartphone. So your phone will work smoothly. If this method does not work, go for the next method.

"Some customers may report their Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 is experiencing false touches on their display," reads Apple's memo, obtained by MacRumors. Apple said some customers may describe the issue as "ghost" touches.

Some of the most common symptoms of monitor ghosting are blurring or smearing of images, double images, and text that appears to be in multiple fonts at once. These symptoms can range from mild exaggeration to severe and whatever the cause, they can significantly affect your viewing experience.

Dirt or debris under the screen: If there is dirt or debris under the screen, it can cause the touchscreen to register touches that are not there. A faulty digitizer: The digitizer is the part of the touchscreen that registers touches. If the digitizer is faulty, it can cause ghost touch.

If your device is no longer under warranty, Apple can still repair the ghost touch issue, but there might be a service charge. The cost can vary depending on the model and the extent of the repair needed. However, expect between $150-300 for getting the issue fixed by Apple.

Will screen replacement fix ghost touching? ›

Does screen replacement fix ghost touch? If you have tried everything else and you're still experiencing this creepy phenomena, then replacing your entire screen could be the way to go. Come to one of our stores so that our technicians can help you out.

In an internal memo seen by MacRumors, Apple refers to the problem as "false touches" and acknowledges that the issue can cause the watch to do all sorts of things, such as starting a phone call unintentionally and preventing users from entering the device's passcode.

Does screen replacement fix ghost touch? If you have tried everything else and you're still experiencing this creepy phenomena, then replacing your entire screen could be the way to go.

Dust or water under the screen's protective layer can cause random Ghost Touching. Small electromagnetic signals can also simulate swiping and tapping motions on your smart phone. The phone will open and close different apps, browsers, etc. with no human intervention.