PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteIf your Apple Watch is on but ignores taps, first turn off Water Lock, dry the display and your finger, remove any case or screen protector, and force-restart the watch. If touch remains dead after those checks—or the problem followed a drop, crack, or liquid exposure—treat it as a likely hardware fault and arrange service.
Start with this 60-second check
- Check Water Lock. Press the side button to open Control Center and look for the water-drop icon.
- Unlock it. Press and hold the Digital Crown until the display says
Unlocked
. Tones should play as the watch ejects water from its speaker. On watchOS 8 or earlier, rotate the Digital Crown instead. Apple explains the feature at Apple Support. - Dry everything. Wipe the display, case edges and the finger you are using to test it. Remove sweat, sunscreen, lotion, soap and pool residue.
- Test deliberately. Try one tap, a swipe in several directions and an on-screen button.
Water Lock intentionally disables display touch; it is not proof that the touchscreen has failed. It can activate automatically during swimming and other water-based workouts, with model- and software-dependent behavior on Apple Watch Ultra.
If touch still does not respond
Remove anything covering the display
Take off a bulky case and temporarily remove a cracked, lifted or poorly fitted screen protector. Bubbles, trapped moisture, adhesive at the edge or debris can interfere with capacitive touch. This is a sensible obstruction check based on Apple’s guidance to remove films or cases that block controls (Apple Support). If touch returns, reinstall only a protector made for the exact watch size and generation, on a completely clean, dry screen.
Clean the watch safely
- Turn off the watch and remove it from its charger.
- Remove the band if you are cleaning the whole case.
- Wipe with a soft, nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. Lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water only if needed; never spray the watch.
- Keep liquid out of openings and dry the watch fully before testing.
Apple’s cleaning instructions prohibit soaps, abrasive materials, compressed air, ultrasonic cleaning and external heat (Apple Support). Apple permits certain 70% isopropyl- or 75% ethyl-alcohol disinfectant wipes for exterior surfaces, but alcohol will not remove internal moisture and the watch must not be submerged in cleaner.
#1 Best Overall
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416RQ0rtsUL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Force-restart the watch
- Press and hold the side button and Digital Crown together.
- Keep holding when the screen goes black.
- Release both buttons only when the Apple logo reappears.
- Wait for the watch to finish starting, then test touch.
This restart does not erase data or unpair the watch. Apple documents the sequence for an unresponsive watch at Apple Support.
When the display is black
A black display is not the same diagnosis as a live screen that ignores taps. If the watch vibrates, makes sounds or responds to buttons, place it on a compatible charger, verify the charger and adapter, and allow time for a deeply depleted battery to recover. Then try the force restart. A display, power or internal-connection fault is possible if the screen stays black.
If there is no display, sound or haptic feedback, prioritize charging and power checks rather than touchscreen troubleshooting. Stop using the watch if it becomes unusually hot, swells, smells strange or shows physical damage.
Rank #2
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31caPPnRysL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Fix inaccurate, delayed or partial touch
Check moisture and residue again
Capacitive touch can become unreliable when the glass or your finger is wet. Dry both surfaces and remove sunscreen, lotion, soap and grime before judging the hardware.
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Inspect accessibility settings
If taps register incorrectly, require unusually long holds or repeated touches are ignored, an accessibility setting may be changing input. On the paired iPhone, open the Watch app and inspect Accessibility. Temporarily review Touch Accommodations (including Hold Duration and Ignore Repeat), AssistiveTouch and VoiceOver, then test again. Labels and paths vary by watchOS release; Apple’s guide is at Apple Watch User Guide.
Update watchOS when the watch is usable
In the iPhone’s Watch app, go to My Watch > General > Software Update. Install an available update that the watch supports. An update can address a software fault, but it cannot repair impact or liquid damage.
Rank #3
![Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31YiTby0pOL._SL160_.jpg)
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Should you unpair and pair again?
Only consider this after drying, removing obstructions, restarting and updating, when the symptoms clearly look like persistent software trouble. On the iPhone, open Watch > My Watch > All Watches, tap the information button beside the watch, choose Unpair Apple Watch, and follow the prompts. Unpairing creates a backup on the iPhone; cellular models require a decision about retaining the mobile plan.
It is disruptive and is not a first-line fix for a dead touchscreen. If you erase an unresponsive watch without the paired iPhone, Apple says media, data and settings are removed without creating a backup, while Activation Lock remains enabled (Apple Support).
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| What you see | Most useful action |
|---|---|
| Water-drop icon is visible | Hold the Digital Crown until Unlocked. |
| Failure followed swimming, rain or washing | Dry the screen, finger, case edges and watch before testing. |
| Touch stopped after fitting a protector | Remove the protector and retest. |
| Screen is frozen but buttons work | Force-restart with the side button and Digital Crown. |
| Screen is black but the watch vibrates | Charge it; seek service if the display remains black. |
| Only a strip, corner or other region responds | Suspect localized display or touch hardware damage; arrange service. |
| Failure began immediately after a drop | Stop experimenting and arrange an inspection. |
| Touch remains dead after drying and restart | Arrange Apple or Apple Authorized Service. |
Do not try these “drying” fixes
- Do not use a hair dryer, heat gun, radiator or other external heat.
- Do not put the watch in rice.
- Do not blow compressed air into ports or speaker openings.
- Do not poke openings with cotton swabs, pins or tools.
- Do not spray cleaner directly on the watch or submerge it in alcohol or cleaning solution.
- Do not scrub the glass with paper towels or abrasive cloths.
Apple describes Apple Watch as water-resistant, not universally waterproof. Resistance varies by model and can decline with wear or impact; Water Lock is a touch lock, not a drying or waterproofing mode. See Apple’s model guidance at Apple Support.
Rank #4
![Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31Gq8SToFJL._SL160_.jpg)
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Signs professional service is warranted
- Touch is completely dead after Water Lock is off, the watch is dry, the protector is removed and a force restart is completed.
- The glass is cracked, lifted or showing black spots, lines or flicker.
- Only one area of the display accepts touch.
- The failure followed a drop, impact or repeated liquid exposure.
- The watch becomes hot, swells or emits an unusual odor.
These signs indicate a possible display or touchscreen hardware problem, but only a service inspection can identify the failed component and the appropriate remedy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Repair, warranty and provider choices
Apple’s repair flow requires your model and an inspection before giving a personalized estimate. Out-of-warranty totals can vary by country, tax and shipping; there is no reliable universal Apple Watch touchscreen price. Start at Apple Watch Repair and Service.
Coverage basics
- Apple states its limited warranty covers manufacturing issues for one year from purchase; accidental damage and normal battery wear are generally excluded, subject to local law and other coverage.
- Apple says repair or replacement parts are guaranteed for 90 days or the remaining warranty term, whichever is longer.
- AppleCare plans can provide accidental-damage protection and unlimited accident repairs subject to plan terms and service fees. Buying coverage after this failure does not make the existing damage eligible.
Apple-authorized versus independent repair
Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are the safer choice when warranty or AppleCare coverage matters. Apple says authorized repairs are covered under applicable Apple terms. Independent providers may be cheaper or more convenient, but their work is not Apple-authorized and may carry only the provider’s warranty (Apple repair information). Ask for a written estimate, the liquid-damage policy, the repair warranty, whether a complete assembly or component repair is planned, and whether water resistance can be preserved or guaranteed.
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Best Value
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41s72HIk5TL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Prepare the watch for service
If possible, unpair it with the iPhone, remove the band and do not give technicians your Apple Account or device passcode. If you cannot unpair an unresponsive watch, tell the provider; Activation Lock and data-handling steps still apply.
The decision rule
Once Water Lock is off, the watch and your finger are dry, the case or protector is removed, the display is clean and a force restart has failed, stop repeating resets. Persistent full-screen failure, localized dead zones or damage after impact or liquid exposure merits professional inspection.
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