Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Side button (power button) together for about 10 seconds. Keep holding them until you feel the phone vibrate or see the Samsung logo appear on the screen. This force restart is the quickest way to jolt the system back to life when the touchscreen becomes completely unresponsive.
I'd start with this one every time. It's a safe first step that won't erase any of your data. In my experience, this resolves the issue in a lot of cases, especially if it happened right after installing an app or a minor software update.
Key Points
- Force Restart Your Phone : The first and fastest step to try when the screen stops responding.
- Clean the Screen and Remove Any Case : Dirt, moisture, or a poorly fitting case can interfere with touch sensitivity.
- Boot Into Safe Mode : This temporarily disables all third-party apps to see if one of them is causing the problem.
- Check for Software Updates : Outdated software can contain bugs that affect the display or touch drivers.
- Calibrate the Touch Screen : Use a hidden service menu to test and recalibrate the touch sensors.
- Check for Physical or Water Damage : Inspect the screen for cracks and check the moisture detection sticker.
- Perform a Factory Reset : A last resort that erases all data to eliminate deep software conflicts.
- Consider a Display Hardware Issue : If all else fails, the touchscreen digitizer itself may be faulty.
Clean the Screen and Remove Any Case
Turn off the screen and take a close look at it. Smudges, grease, or a film of liquid can confuse the capacitive touch sensors. Give it a thorough clean with a soft, slightly damp microfiber cloth.
Also, take the phone out of its case. Some cases, especially thick or poorly designed ones, can press on the edges of the screen and interfere with touch recognition. Try using the phone without the case for a few minutes to see if responsiveness returns.
If you use a screen protector, check for bubbles, peeling edges, or damage. A low-quality or improperly applied screen protector is a common culprit for touch issues.
Boot Your Galaxy S25 FE Into Safe Mode
Safe Mode starts your phone with all downloaded third-party apps disabled. If the screen works perfectly in Safe Mode, you know a recently installed app is the problem. To enter Safe Mode, first force restart the phone as described above.
As soon as you see the Samsung logo appear after the restart, immediately press and hold the Volume Down button. Keep holding it until the phone finishes booting up. You'll see "Safe Mode" in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Navigate around in Safe Mode. If the touchscreen works fine here, you'll need to uninstall apps one by one, starting with the most recently installed, to find the culprit. Restart the phone normally to exit Safe Mode.
Check for Software Updates
Outdated system software can sometimes cause glitches with the display or touch controller. Samsung frequently releases updates that fix these kinds of bugs. To check, you'll need to get to Settings.
If your screen is partially working, you can swipe down from the top with two fingers to open the Quick Settings panel, then tap the gear icon. Navigate to Software update and tap Download and install.
If the touchscreen is completely dead, you can use Samsung's Smart Switch software on a Windows or Mac computer to check for and install updates with the phone connected via USB-C.
Calibrate the Touch Screen
Android has a hidden diagnostic menu that lets you test the touchscreen sensors. Dial *#0*# on the phone app's keypad to open the secret service menu. This requires a working touchscreen to navigate, so it's only an option if you have partial response.
Once in the menu, tap "Touch" to start the test. A grid will appear, and you should drag your finger across the entire screen. The test will highlight areas where touch registration fails.
While there's no official "calibrate" button here, simply running this test can sometimes reset the touch driver. If you see clear dead zones on the test grid, it strongly points to a hardware problem.
Check for Physical or Water Damage
Carefully inspect the screen for any new cracks, even hairline ones, especially around the edges. A cracked digitizer layer underneath the glass can cause touch failure. Also, look for any spots under the screen that look discolored or pressurized.
Check the SIM card tray for the Liquid Damage Indicator (LDI). Remove the tray and look at the small white sticker inside the phone. If it's turned pink or red, that indicates moisture exposure, which can corrode the touchscreen connectors.
The Galaxy S25 FE is rated for water resistance, but that protection can degrade over time or if the phone has been dropped. Water damage can cause intermittent and strange touch behavior.
Perform a Factory Reset
This erases everything on your phone and returns it to its original out-of-the-box state. It's the nuclear option for software problems. Before you do this, you must try to back up your data using Samsung Cloud or a computer, as you will lose all personal files, apps, and settings.
If you can't use the touchscreen to navigate settings, you can initiate a factory reset from the recovery menu. Power the phone off completely. Then, press and hold the Volume Up button and the Side button together.
Release the buttons when you see the Samsung logo. Use the Volume Down button to highlight "Wipe data/factory reset" and press the Side button to select it. Confirm your choice. After it completes, select "Reboot system now."
Consider a Display Hardware Issue
If the screen is completely dead to touch even in Safe Mode and after a factory reset, the issue is likely physical. The touchscreen digitizer is a separate component fused to the display. It can fail due to a drop, pressure, or a manufacturing defect.
Some users have reported occasional display flicker on the S25 FE after certain updates, which is usually software-related. A completely unresponsive screen, especially one that still shows a picture perfectly, points more to the digitizer.
At this point, the solution involves professional repair. You can contact Samsung Support or visit an authorized service center to have the display assembly diagnosed and replaced. Given the phone's age, it may still be under the standard one-year warranty if there's no physical damage.
