Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button together for about 10 seconds. Keep holding until you feel the device vibrate and the screen goes black. This force restart is the single most effective first step for an unresponsive touchscreen on the OnePlus 13.
It clears temporary software glitches that can freeze the touch controller. I'd start with this one every time, as it's quick and doesn't affect your data.
Clean the Screen and Remove Any Protector
Power off the phone and wipe the screen thoroughly with a clean, slightly damp microfiber cloth. Oils, lotion, or moisture can create false touch points or dead zones. Make sure your hands are completely dry before testing again.
If you're using a screen protector, especially a thick glass or plastic one, try removing it temporarily. Some third-party protectors, particularly older ones not designed for the 13's specific touch sensitivity, can interfere with signal transmission.
This is a surprisingly common fix. A poorly applied protector with air bubbles or one that's lifting at the edges can cause major responsiveness issues.
Boot into Safe Mode
Safe mode temporarily disables all third-party apps. If your touchscreen works perfectly here, you know a recently installed app is the culprit. To enter Safe Mode, press and hold the Power button until the power menu appears.
Then, tap and hold the "Power off" option on the screen. A prompt will appear asking if you want to reboot to Safe Mode. Tap "OK" to confirm.
Your phone will restart with "Safe Mode" visible in the bottom corner. Test the touchscreen. If it works, restart normally to exit Safe Mode and begin uninstalling recent apps one by one to find the offender.
Check for Software Updates
Early OxygenOS builds can have bugs that affect hardware performance. Navigate to Settings > About device > OxygenOS version and tap "Check for update."
If an update is available, install it while connected to Wi-Fi and a charger. Software updates often include touchscreen driver improvements and stability patches specifically for issues reported after launch.
Keeping your OnePlus 13 updated is one of the best ways to ensure consistent performance and battery life, addressing many of the early bugs mentioned in initial reviews.
Calibrate the Touchscreen
While OxygenOS doesn't have a built-in calibration tool in settings, you can use a hidden diagnostic menu. Open your phone dialer and enter *#808# to launch the engineering mode test menu.
Navigate through the list (using touch if it's partially working, or with volume buttons) to find "Touch Panel Test" or a similar option. Follow the on-screen instructions to draw patterns which can help recalibrate the touch sensors.
This process can reset the touchscreen's baseline readings. It's a useful step if the issue feels like a calibration problem, such as taps registering in the wrong spot.
Check for Overheating
The OnePlus 13 can get warm during intensive tasks like gaming or 100W fast charging. Extreme heat can cause the touchscreen to behave erratically or become temporarily unresponsive as a safety measure.
If the phone feels very hot to the touch, stop using it, remove it from any charger, and let it cool down completely in a well-ventilated area. Avoid using thick cases while fast charging or gaming for long periods.
For optimal fast charging speeds and to manage heat, always use the original OnePlus 100W charger and cable. Once the device returns to a normal temperature, test the touchscreen again.
Perform a Factory Reset
This erases all data, so ensure you have a recent backup. If the touchscreen is completely dead, you can initiate this from recovery mode. First, power the phone off completely.
Press and hold the Volume Down and Power buttons until the OnePlus logo appears, then release. Use the Volume buttons to navigate to "Wipe data and cache" and select it with the Power button.
Choose "Erase everything" and confirm. This returns the phone to its factory state, eliminating any deep-seated software corruption. If the touchscreen is still broken after this, the issue is almost certainly hardware-related.
Inspect for Physical Damage
Look very closely at the screen for any new, even hairline, cracks you might have missed. Sometimes a small impact can damage the digitizer layer underneath the glass without causing visible screen cracks.
Check if the issue is worse in certain areas or if it only happens when you're holding the phone a certain way. Pressure on a cracked frame can disconnect the touchscreen flex cable internally.
If you've recently had the phone repaired, a poorly connected or damaged flex cable for the display could be the cause. In my experience, a touchscreen that doesn't work at all, even in recovery mode, often points to a physical connection problem or hardware failure.
