What to do if Xiaomi Redmi 7 does not respond to touch: the full guide

Xiaomi Redmi 7 suddenly stopped responding to touch? Take your time to bring the device to the service center — in 70% of cases, the problem can be solved yourself. Touch screen can “glue” due to software failures, mechanical damage or incorrect settings. In this article, we will discuss all possible causes and ways to fix them, from basic to advanced.

The first thing to do is diagnose the nature of the malfunction. If the screen is completely dead (no touch response, but the image is), it is one thing. If the sensor is partially working (responds only to certain zones) or with a delay, another thing. It is also important to check whether the failure is related to a particular application or system update. For example, after installing MIUI 12.5, some Redmi 7 users experienced sensor lags due to driver conflict.

Before you start repairing, make sure that the problem is not with the protective film or cover. Sometimes thick or poor-quality accessories block the sensitivity of the screen. Also check if moisture has fallen under the body - Redmi 7 does not have official water protection (IP-certification), so even a slight humidity can cause a short circuit in the plume of the display.

1. Reboot and reset sensor settings

Start with the simplest thing, forced reboot. Press the Power button for 10 to 15 seconds until the phone shuts down and starts to boot again. If the sensor is running after that, the problem was a temporary system failure. If not, move on to the next step.

MIUI has a hidden sensor calibration function that is sometimes reset after updates to activate it:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 5-7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
3. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional → For developers.
4. Find the Sensor Calibration option and follow the instructions on the screen.

If the calibration didn’t help, try resetting the settings for the touch screen only (without deleting the data).

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB and enable USB Debugging in the developer settings.
2. Open the command line and type: adb shell settings put system pointer_location 1 Adb shell settings put system show_touches 1
3. Reset the device.

Check the sensor response in safe mode

Make sure there are no cracks or chips on the screen.

Turn off all magnetic covers and stickers

Make a backup copy of the data-->

Checking in safe mode

If the sensor doesn’t work only in certain applications (like WhatsApp or games), it may be third-party software that’s at fault, so to check, boot your phone in Safe Mode, where all third-party apps are disabled:

1. Press the power button until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Hold your finger on the Turn off option until you are prompted to go to Safe Mode.
3. Confirm the action.

In Safe Mode, test the sensor in standard applications (Phone, Messages, Settings). If everything is working properly, the problem is in one of the installed applications. Uninstall recently added programs or reset to factory settings (more on this below).

Important! In Safe Mode, all widgets and background processes are disabled, so don't be surprised if some features are unavailable. Also note that navigation gestures don't work in this mode - use classic buttons.

Regularly (once a week or more often)

Sometimes (once a month)

It used to be, but it's not now.

Never had.-->

3. Update or roll back firmware

Sensor failures often occur after the MIUI update, for example, versions 12.0.3.0 and 12.5.1.0 for Redmi 7 have been detected bugs with touchscreen drivers.

1. Check the current firmware version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. If an update is available, install it through Settings → System Update.
3. If the problem appeared after the last update, roll back to the previous version.

For firmware rollback:

1. Download the desired version of MIUI for Redmi 7 (codename onc) from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the phone’s root directory.
3. Press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery.
4. Select Install update.zip and confirm the action.

Critical information: If after the update the sensor stopped working completely (including navigation buttons), and the phone is not determined by the PC, the only way out is through Fastboot using a USB-TypeC cable and MiFlash.This method requires unlocking the bootloader and can lead to data loss.

4. Diagnostics of hardware damage

If the software methods did not help, the problem may be physical damage:

• 🔧 Display plume detached is a common cause after falls. Symptoms: the sensor works in snatches or only in certain areas.
• 💧 Moisture -- even if the phone didn't sink, the condensate could oxidize the contacts. Signs: screen floats, spontaneous taps.
• ⚡ Sensor controller malfunction - usually accompanied by a complete failure of the touch screen during the working display.
• 🔄 Wear of flexible plume - manifests itself after 2-3 years of use (sensor "sticks" or reacts with a delay).

For self-diagnosis:

1. Connect your phone to charge. If the charging light is on but the screen is not responding, the problem is more with the sensor than the motherboard.
2. Light a flashlight at an angle on the screen that's off, and if you see rainbow swelling, it's a sign of damage to the matrix.
3. Try to connect. OTG-If the cursor is moving and the sensor is not, it's the touchscreen or its plume.

💡

If the phone falls into water, DO NOT dry it with a hair dryer or on a battery! Put it in a silica gel bag (out of a shoe box) for 24 to 48 hours. You can only turn it on after drying completely.

Prices for repairs in service centers (average in Russia, 2026):

5. Alternative management practices

If the sensor is not working, but the screen is turned on, you can temporarily control the phone in other ways:

• 🖱️ OTG-Mouse: Connect via adapter USB-C/OTG. V MIUI cursor will appear automatically.
• 🎮 Gamepad: Any Bluetooth-enabled gamepad (e.g. Xiaomi Game Controller) is suitable).
• 🔄 Voice Assistant: Activate Google Assistant with the “OK, Google” voice command (you need to pre-configure Settings). → Google → Voice settings).
• 📱 Remote control: Install scrcpy on your PC and control your phone from computer to computer USB or wifi.

To connect via scrcpy:

1. Download the program from GitHub.
2. Turn on USB debugging on your phone (if the sensor is still working a little).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and start scrcpy.exe.
4. The phone screen will be displayed on the computer, and control will be through the mouse and keyboard.

Restrictions: In Safe Mode or with a completely non-functioning sensor, you can’t enable USB Debugging, in which case you only have to repair hardware or reset via Recovery (see next section).

💡

If your phone is unlocked and connected to your Mi Account, you can use the Find Device feature on i.mi.com to block or clean your data remotely.

6.Reset to factory settings

If other methods don't work, the last software method is hard reset, which will delete all the data, but it can make the sensor work again.

Method 1: Recovery (if the screen is slightly responsive)

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume up + Power, hold for 10 seconds.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (manage volume and power buttons).
4. Confirm the reset and reset.

Method 2: Fastboot (if the sensor is completely dead)

1. Install MiFlash and Xiaomi drivers on PC.
2. Download Fastboot firmware for Redmi 7 (for example, from here).
3. Press Volume Down + Power to enter Fastboot.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and swipe through MiFlash (select Clean All option).

⚠️

Attention! Fastboot reset deletes all data, including files on internal memory. If the phone was linked to a Mi Account account, you will need to enter a username and password after the reset, otherwise the device will be locked (Mi Cloud Lock).

7. When to contact the service

If none of the methods worked, the problem is definitely hardware.

• 🔨 On the screen you can see cracks, divorces or underdrafts.
• 🔌 The phone does not respond to charging or does not turn on.
• 🔄 The sensor only works in certain areas (for example, the right half of the screen).
• ⚡ After a fall or impact, spontaneous pressings appeared.

Before the service visit:

1. Back up your data (if your phone is still responding).
2. Check whether the service uses original spare parts (for Redmi 7 it is a display module with the article MDY09QA).
3. Check the reviews about the workshop - there are often cases when new problems arise after repair (for example, a broken light sensor).

⚠️

Warning! Don't settle for only touchscreen replacements if the sensor is damaged. Cheap repairs using unoriginal parts often result in yellow spots on the screen after 1-2 months. The original display module for the Redmi 7 costs from 4,000. ₽, but will last longer.

FAQ: Frequent questions