How to Fix It When the Surface Duo 2 Touch Screen Is Not Working

This guide will walk you through the best fixes when a touchscreen isn’t working on your Microsoft Surface Duo 2 smartphone. You can try these solutions when one or both of the Surface Duo 2 touchscreens are turned off or disabled, flickering, or have a green or red color tint.

Why Is the Touchscreen on My Surface Duo 2 Not Working?

Surface Duo 2 touchscreen issues are often caused by overheating or physical damage to the device. Out-of-date apps and software can also cause a screen to flicker or display incorrect colors, as can accidentally enabling or turning on certain accessibility and display options.

How Do I Fix the Touch Screen on My Surface Duo 2?

Here are all of the best fixes to try when your Surface Duo 2 touchscreen isn’t working correctly. It’s best to work through the list of solutions displayed from easiest and quickest to more complex and time-consuming.

1. Charge the Surface Duo 2. Connect your Surface Duo 2 to your computer or another power source via a USB cable to charge it. Its battery could be dead.
   

2. Try a different charging cable. If you suspect your Surface Duo 2’s screen isn’t working because the device isn’t charging correctly, try another cable.
   

3. Restart your Surface Duo 2. If possible, attempt a basic restart. It can fix many Android and Surface Duo 2 problems.
   

4. Reboot your Surface Duo 2. If you can’t use the touch controls to restart your Surface Duo 2, press the Power button for 30 seconds to reboot it. This process is like a forced restart and shouldn’t affect any data or apps.
   

5. Perform a system update. If possible, check for an operating system update. These can often include fixes for hardware issues such as flickering screens or touch controls not working correctly on a Surface Duo 2.

   To update a Surface Duo 2, select Settings > System > System update > Check for update.
   

6. Update the Surface Duo 2 apps. Some Android apps may be causing screen issues.

7. Remove recently installed apps. If a screen on your Surface Duo 2 started flickering after installing an app, uninstall that app and see if the issue persists.
   

8. Use the Surface Duo 2 on a hard surface. Placing a Surface Duo 2 on a soft or warm surface such as a blanket or pillow can cause the device to overheat. That can cause screen flickering and the appearance of a green or red tint.
   

9. Clear the cache. This quick process can fix a number of problems.
   

10. Disable the Dark theme schedule. Select Settings > Display > Dark theme > Schedule and turn off the time settings for the Surface Duo 2 Dark theme.
    

11. Turn off Magnification. If the text and app size feels off, select Settings > Accessibility > Magnification to see if you enabled the Magnification feature by accident.
    

12. Disable color correction. If the colors on your Surface Duo 2’s touch screens appear strange, select Settings > Accessibility > Color correction and turn off color correction if it’s on.
    

13. Turn off color inversion. Select Settings > Accessibility > Color inversion and ensure that color inversion is disabled. It will invert all of the colors on your Surface Duo’s screens when turned on.
    

14. Disable Night Light. If enabled, Android’s Night Light setting will reduce the amount of blue used on-screen and make everything appear more red and yellow.

15. Factory reset your Surface Duo 2. This process should be your last resort, as it will erase all your data. It could fix your Surface Duo 2 screen glitches, however.

16. Ask for a replacement. If none of the above solutions fix your Surface Duo 2’s screen problems, the hardware is likely defective or damaged. Contact the place you purchased your Surface Duo 2 from to request a new device. You can also contact Microsoft Support online or by calling 1-800-642-7676.

How Do I Enable the Surface Duo 2 Touch Screens?

Both screens on the Surface Duo 2 smartphone should be enabled by default. If one or both of the screens appear off or don’t register any touch gestures, the device might be physically damaged or is experiencing a software or firmware issue.

It is worth noting the right screen on the Surface Duo 2 will turn off when flipped backward and being used as a stand. Rotate the screen back around, next to the left screen; the right screen should automatically turn on.