How to test multi-touch on your screen

The multi-touch test gives each finger its own numbered circle and remembers the highest count.

• Open the test and press Start fullscreen test.
• Touch the screen with one finger, then two, then three, and keep adding fingers.
• Check that each finger gets its own circle and that the circles follow you as you move.
• Note the highest number reached before new fingers stop appearing.

Many phones and tablets track ten simultaneous touches, and budget devices sometimes stop at five. For everyday use, two is enough for pinch and zoom, while mobile games and drawing apps benefit from more. A lower count than the specification says can mean a fault, but it can also be a limit of the browser or the case on the device.

Palm contact also counts. If you rest the heel of your hand on the screen, the device may reject it as an accidental touch, which is a feature called palm rejection, and the count can drop for that reason.

Place two fingers on the grid and move them apart and together. The two circles should follow smoothly without jumping. Rotate them around a point, then drag both in the same direction. Any stutter, lost circle or sudden swap suggests a driver, calibration or hardware issue.

Try these in order.

• Remove the screen protector and the case, then retest. Thick or badly fitted protectors reduce edge sensitivity.
• Clean the screen and make sure your hands are dry.
• Restart the device and update the operating system.
• Disconnect the charger. Some third-party chargers add electrical noise that confuses touch controllers.
• On a laptop, update the touch screen driver from the manufacturer’s site.

Multi-touch builds on basic touch. If you see missed taps, run the touch screen test and read the touch screen guide first to rule out dead zones.