Chosen Solution
After trying multiple digitizers thinking they were defective, a few beers and some deep thought, I have found the solution to the problems we have been having associated with digitizer replacement on iPad Airs. I do not know if this works with other devices with ghost touching, but I have a good feeling it will. I wont waste your time with how I came to this solution, because I know you are reading this probably freaking out trying to figure out how to fix it. So read on. What you need: kapton tape - i used this: http://www.amazon.com/Mil-Kapton-Tape-Po… 1/4" is a good thickness, you might want to try something a tiny bit thinner - 1/8 would be ideal Tape around the digitizer “wires”? on the edge. For some reason, there are grounding issues with some digitizers. I dont know if its because they dont go through the same quality control as apple parts, and the warping of the glass may be at fault, or what. Whats even more strange is some digitzers do it, some dont. (leading me to believe they may be touching the frame where they are not supposed to). Some have suggested the cables were pinched, but i had purposely pinched the cables and it didnt cause the issues, it just made the glass pop up and not seat correctly. I have included a pic for reference. Pass it along.
sorry for the crap pics but you get the idea. I will tape all of my digitizers from here out. edit - all these thank yous and no upvotes? like con said below, tough crowd
Hi All, What I have come across with is that not all panels are prone to this “fantom” issue. I had compared 2 digitizers from 2 different manufacturers. Properly designed digitizers have visible traces only on one side of the frame and all traces are covered with transparent insulator. There is no need for extra tape, they will work properly as they are. Poorly designed digitizers have traces on all 4 sides of the frame and no insulator. Hence need for an additional insulator to work properly. I have also used 2mm 3M tape as mentioned above to insulate all 4 sides of the frame. Frames can be silver or gold it makes no difference. Thanks and Regards
It could be bad quality screens from supplier Good quality screens and orignal screens have a bronze border going around inside of screen Done about 20 screen replacements with the bronze border and not a problem yet.. But hope this fixes your issue with the tape
I bought the tape and taped out the entire edge and now its working perfectly. I didn’t bother with just an area. did the whole thing. Thanks for the help!
I have found out what the major issue is if you are using a “silver” frame digitizer. These are the most common on the market that we have been finding. The problem is similar to the mini, but different is the sense that the tape you use needs to be placed in between the cables and the glass behind where the cables attach. The mini you place the tape over top of the cables so as it does not come in contact with the frame. With the AIR the same thing is needed, but additionally placed between where the cable feeds into the digitizer and where the glass on the outer edges meet it. You have to be VERY careful as to not “over bend” the digitizer cables and you must tape it AS CLOSE to the base as possible. Hope this helps… took us about 3 hours of playing around to realize.
Well, I’m not used to posting anything. But I really feel I have to on this one… Thanks very much for the fix, I’ve been trying and applying kapton tape everywhere but in the right place. I can now resurrect the ones I thought were faulty. Thanks a lot for that. Cheers!
If you ever come to Lisbon Portugal, please let me buy you a beer! Worked perfectly in my ipad. You are my hero this month!
The iPad air is similar to the iPad mini in many ways–including the need to tape the digitizer with naoto tape to avoid digitizer ghosting. There is a loooong discussion on this in the iPad mini section of Answers
At times I repair 3-4 iPads a day.. Never had any real issues. This iPad Airs got me stumped.. I’ve now gone through 4 digitizers.. This is really frustrating. I’ve tried everything… ‘When lifted.. The digitizers fine, but when it’s laid flat “something” touches the back of the digitizer and sends the device into a panic = ghost touches commence’’ :( ‘I noticed if you stand up the digitizer and allow “anything” to touch the back of the digitizer it causes ghost touching. Ergo: something must be touching the back of the digitizer when it’s laid flat. I thought I found an answer to this issue last week. It probably sounds complicating to read this without a picture to explain but I noticed that the soft black cushion padding lined along the border of the LCD has been drastically decreased while cleaning the screen. (Ok honestly it’s.. gone… Screens clean tho) :D So I tried a few layers of thin strips of tape there in hopes of rebuilding that cushioned border. However.. It didn’t work.. (Sigh) I can say it works 80% better.. But it’s not completely gone. It’s just not acting up now. Because I’m using it now to type this message. I think it’s sensitive to pressure now. So it’s fine while I’m simply typing or web surfing. Anyways.. Thanks crez for the suggestion I’m gonna go back inside my iPad and give it a shot I’ll let you all know
Do you just put the Kapton in that one area that you have it taped in the picture or around all 4 sides? Thanks
FYI, I’m having this issue with the original screen which wasn’t damaged in any way. It was simply defective! Apple wouldn’t replace it, so this was my only option other than binning it.
only use original screens on the iPad and don’t get this problem ,thank god!!!!! Would drive me nuts
WOW, it sure does work. I first thought I had a cable not in right when I had the new screen in place, took it apart again, rechecked cables, and put back together, and there was that dang ghost again. Glad I seen this, I put some scotch tape along the bottom area of screen, and BINGO! it works great. Thank You
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G1YObwU8J3… Is this how you should apply the kapton tape? All 4 sides?
I have this problem with a OnePlus 3 and am on the second replacement digitizer assembly ( thought the first replacement that I got was defective) with the exact same problem: a strip down the left side of the screen is completely unresponsive, and then a portion of the right side of the screen causes phantom touches on the left (ie tapping the number 3 causes a simultaneous press on the 1 so I can’t even enter my pin). This happens when the digitizer is not even seated, just sitting next to the mainboard with the ribbon cable connected and nothing else touching. I’m pretty stumped. Any ideas?
Ok Here is my question. I really dont understand whats going on. I have an iPad Mini, it is taped of with kapton tape in the right places. I have replaced the digitizer 4 times and this iPad Mini is still going crazy ghosting when the customer gets it. I’m stomped and don’t know what to do. I even tried a new lcd without the fuzz on the sides. Any recommendations would help b/c I know my vendor is getting tired of all the rma’s im creating.
I added regular scotch tape along the bottom part of the screen and it worked. Ghosting stopped. Thank you for this!
I’m also having this issue with our company iPad Air (1st Gen). I’ve applied Kapton tape around all 4 sides but was unsure from the descriptions above about where else to place the tape around the digitizer cable. Can someone please provide some pictures if this is a solution as it would greatly help myself or anyone else with this issue. Many thanks
Then buy good quality and not crap off flea bay
I use normal duct tape in all iPad air and ipad 4 and no problems so far. iPad 4 only do the bottom though. regards, miquel
I have had this issue today for the first time with many iPads. At first I was thinking it was pinched connector ribbons but after seeing this thread I no know it’s something to do with the digitiser frame and iPad housing. I solved it by running 2mm 3m all round the bronze digitiser frame. This seems to replicate the foam padding/spacer that is in new iPads. It creates that seemingly essential gap required, much like on the iPad mini where the base of digitiaer needs to be taped over to stop ghosting
Does anyone know the thickness of these screens which are playing up and the thickness of the OEM quality screens which don’t / original screens when taken off? I’d like to know, as in my head I’m sure this is a factor.
I am using duck tape on top and bottom. I do not have kapton tape at the moment so keeping my fingers crossed!!!!
I had this same issue at first but the the problem may have gotten bigger cause now the touch screen does not respond at all. The home button does work. I have not tried taping the bottom near the home button yet but Im hoping that reconnecting the digitizer and plugging it back in with get it to respond. I may need a new digitizer altogether. If anybody had this issue please help before I buy another digitizer.
Also another good thing to use instead of Kapton tape is the adhesive strips when putting your iPad mini back together! Seems to work great if you don’t have Kapton tape, or electrical tape readily available. We use it here at our store, [www.irepairit.com|iRepairIT], in Atlanta all the time! Works wonders 95% of the time.
Hi ..around all the touch or just near the home button cuz i have one ipad air when it s open does working fine but when i am puting on frame then it working itself thanks
Thank you for your post crevz, however it didn’t completely fix my ghost touching issue, may be I’m doing something wrong and may be you can help me. I have a 1st Gen ipad mini, I used Kapton tape all around the digitizer as pictured to keep the wire from grounding, but after 5 min ghost touch is back. By turning off for 5 seconds and turn back ON and ghost touch is gone. So your method did improve by 80% so I’m on the right track. What can I do to fix it 100%?
Hey maybe someone can give me an advice. Defintily great find with this issue. I’m sure its related to a electric ground. I replaced my touchpanel of the used I Air1 I shot on ebay. Of course I taped the brown/bronze metal ring with electrical tape. Unfortunately I wasn’t precise enough. The upper left corner touch function (in potrait mode) barley work unless I touch the iPad case. Then it reacts really straight forward without drop outs. Now my problem. I couldnt get the old touchpanel off without breaking it. (It wasnt broke before and it wasn’t an original). The glue was to strong. Now I have panic to get the new panel off which uses the usual 3M glue. I took about nearly 1 & half hour to get it on without any dust between touch and display. Would I need new glue stipes? I’m not having the iOpener and used a professional hot air gun which I can set the temperature. Set it to 100 degree cellsuis. Any advice would be much appreciated!
If using tapes doesn’t work, just replace the digitizer. You only need to buy a healthy digitizer.
I had this “Ghost” problem suddenly appear with my 5 year-old iPad Air. None of the reset/reboot solutions worked. I considered a battery issue, as my laptop battery once swelled enough to impact the touchpad. So, I prepared to open things up, replace the battery, and apply insulation tape! I found the battery looked OK and there was already a bit of peripheral insulation. To my surprise, I found that there were 4 rectangular magnets about 5mm in length each linked end-to-end together with adhesive strip along one side and adherent/stuck to the retaining plate over the LCD cable plug. I removed them in order to get the LCD unplugged. I was able to replace the battery and re-assemble my iPad, but could never figure out or find out where these magnets were supposed to be, or what they did. I assumed that they had become dislodged and found a home on the metallic LCD cover plate and were responsible for the erratic display behavior. Finding no information about magnets inside the iPad Air, I apprehensively just left them out and crossed my fingers. After putting everything back together, all is well!
A negitave score :/ Someone is touchey
If your supplier does original screens use them might be more expensive but you won’t have this issue.. I only use original screens on the iPad and don’t get this problem ,thank god!!!!! Would drive me nuts
