Samsung Addresses Galaxy S23 Touchscreen Issue Linked to One UI 6.1, Provides Interim Solution

Samsung recently initiated the rollout of the highly anticipated One UI 6.1 update for older Galaxy devices, bringing a host of AI-focused features to users. However, shortly after the update began, reports started surfacing online regarding touchscreen problems affecting certain models, including the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Users voiced their frustrations, noting issues such as unresponsive screens following the installation of One UI 6.1. After days of user complaints, Samsung finally addressed the issue on Wednesday (April 3) and provided a solution. The company attributed the problem to compatibility issues between the update and certain features of Google apps.

According to reports from Reddit and Samsung’s support forum, a significant number of Galaxy S23 series owners encountered erratic touch input behavior post-update. In response, Samsung acknowledged the touchscreen bug via a post on its Korean support forum and proposed a temporary fix for affected users. The root cause of the problem appears to stem from the Google Discover feed, which is reportedly impacting touchscreen performance on the affected devices.

Samsung’s suggested workaround involves temporarily updating the Google app to the latest version via Google Play, deleting the app’s data, and then restarting the device. Users can delete the app’s data by navigating to Settings > Apps > Google > Storage > Delete Data. While Samsung has provided a temporary solution, it’s worth noting that Google is actively working on a permanent fix for the issue. As users await a comprehensive resolution, implementing Samsung’s suggested workaround can help alleviate the touchscreen issues experienced on the Galaxy S23 series devices.

Samsung started rolling out the One UI 6.1 update to older Galaxy devices last week. Following the rollout of the AI-focused software update, multiple users on the Web complained that it was causing touchscreen problems for their Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 Ultra models. Some users have claimed that the screen is completely unresponsive to touches after updating to One UI 6.1. Samsung finally acknowledged the problem on Wednesday (April 3) and offered a fix. The South Korean brand says compatibility issues with some Google app features caused the issue.

As per user reports on Reddit and the company’s support forum, some Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 Ultra series owners are facing unreliable touch input following the One UI 6.1 update. Through a post on Samsung’s Korean support forum, the company has acknowledged the touchscreen bug and offered a temporary workaround for the problem. According to Samsung, the Google Discover feed is creating touchscreen performance issues on the afflicted Galaxy S23 series smartphones.

Samsung suggests affected users to temporarily update the Google app via Google Play to the latest version, delete the app’s data, and then restart their devices to fix the issue. The apps’ storage can be deleted by tapping Settings > Apps > Google > Storage > Delete Data. Google is said to be working on a fix for the issue.

The AI-centric One UI 6.1 was announced in January during the launch of the Galaxy S24 series. It includes several AI-backed features as part of the Galaxy AI experience. These include Live Translate, Chat Assist, Note Assist, and Circle to Search.