Nook Simple Touch solution to unresponsive touchscreen
July 8th, 2012
If you do a Google search for nook simple touch touchscreen unresponsive, you’ll see a whole bunch of frustrated Nook users. My wife got the original Nook (the one with the e-ink on top and the color touchscreen on the bottom). She eventually upgraded to the Nook Simple Touch and loved it, so I also got a Nook Simple Touch. Both devices have functioned well for months and months (over a year? I forget exactly when we got them).
All of a sudden, this week both Nooks have had their touchscreens turn unresponsive. Everything else worked—the hard buttons worked. I could force a shutdown. I could get the slide-to-unlock to pop up when I pressed the n button. The few times I could unlock the devices, the hard buttons on the side to turn the pages would actually turn the pages. But the touchscreen responding to touch worked only about 1 time out of every 20 times I tried. This was on both devices.
If you read these sad people’s stories about trying to get the touchscreens working again, they’ve tried just about anything: getting replacements from B&N, trying to get B&N to repair it in-store, waiting for a firmware update, charging the device fully, resetting the device to factory settings.
I did try a forced shutdown. I also tried a firmware re-update (just whatever the latest version is available on the Barnes and Noble website).
Do you know what it ended up being? A dirty Nook. That’s right. Our Nooks had been gathering too much dust and other crap. I wiped them both down with an only slightly damp tissue, and they both worked flawlessly!
Lesson learned! If you have a Nook Simple Touch, keep it clean. And when you’re not using it, put it in a protective sleeve.
July 15th, 2012 at 19:14
Worked for me! I took a glass cleaner and really got into the crevices. I think sand might have caused the issue.
August 1st, 2012 at 00:30
Thanks a lot!!!
I have been having this issue for several months, I had finally given up using my Nook Simple Touch. After reading this I used a damp rag and wiped the surface, then dried it; all of a sudden it is working perfectly again!
August 23rd, 2012 at 04:58
Oh my God. Thank you so much for writing this.
My screen on my nook froze once two weeks after purchase — just before I was leaving the U.S. for a semester abroad in New Zealand. I have been here almost 2 months now and am leaving for a school trip to the Cook Islands the day after tomorrow…and MY SCREEN FROZE AGAIN. All sorts of dramatic misery ensued, and when I read this, I kind of grinned because this is exactly the sort of solution that would totally work for a problem of mine.
AND IT DID!!
Too bad I didn’t figure that out BEFORE I did a manual factory reset…but all the same, THANKS!!!!
September 21st, 2012 at 10:27
Thank you so much! I picked up my Nook Simple Touch this morning and no touchscreen. I wiped it down with a Windex wipe and voila! Good as new! Thanks again
September 29th, 2012 at 06:20
I was able to get it back to work after performing an update.
I follow the instructions to manually update to firmware 1.1.2 available at:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Software-Updates-NOOK-Simple-Touch/379003175/#
I really tried everything, cleaning it, powering off, hard-reset, however it was only able to solve it with firmware update (problably it was the same verison as before).
At the internet most of the feedback you receive is related to dirt on the sensors, etc. However I find it hard to believe that dirt is the main cause, seriously how much dirt can a Nook accumulate if it is used properly with a cover… :)
Gook luck!
October 6th, 2012 at 03:47
Wow !!! thanks you so much … it worked even with clean
dump paper …
And i just spent the whole evening with BN customer support trying to get a replacement …
How come they do not ask you to try this simple logical action ????
They already issued a replacement order – lets see if i can stop it in time
Great Tip – should be published in 1st link by google next time .
Dov
October 16th, 2012 at 13:33
For anyone who tries this using glass cleaner, please be aware that the chemicals can mess up your screen. You need to go back and re-wipe with just a water dampened lint-free cloth.
December 3rd, 2012 at 16:09
Holy Mackerel!! Thank you for this! It helped a lot!
December 27th, 2012 at 16:07
Thank you! What a simple solution to such an annoying issue! Worked right away, thank you so much!
January 11th, 2013 at 12:55
Oh my god! I was days / hours away from buying a new e-reader, this problem was so infuriating. And this completely fixed it. What an incredible low-tech solution to a silly problem. Thanks much!
January 15th, 2013 at 15:37
Oh my gosh thank you!! I haven’t used my nook in months because it wasn’t responding and I was reading to trash it i was so aggrivated! Now it works just like the day I bought it!!!
January 16th, 2013 at 14:21
What on earth. I think you have done it. I mean, I did it, but you DID it! I was about to reload the memory again. Just madness. Fingers crossed it lasts… but if it does. then wow. thank you
February 25th, 2013 at 14:10
-_- Can’t believe that worked. Thanks! Was already starting doing research for a new ebook reader. Wish this thing handled pdf’s better.
February 27th, 2013 at 12:19
holy wahhh!
I have been having issues with this thing for weeks. I keep it in a soft cloth bag when I’m traveling, but the rest of the time it’s just sitting around my apartment. I’m living in China, too, so the air here’s pretty dirty and my hands are probably none too clean either. I was looking into buying a new e-reader, because I bought my Nook as a factory re-furb and I can’t send it back from here anyway. I thought i’d been too rough on it or something. Half the touch screen (the bottom) worked about 80 of the time, and it was driving me nuts.
I gave it a little scrub with damp TP just ten minutes ago and it’s good as new.
Thanks!
March 10th, 2013 at 18:55
it’s really ridiculous how well simply wiping off the screen works in fixing the problem. Immediately after i wiped it off it was the same but after wiping AND resetting it works perfectly.
April 9th, 2013 at 09:05
Worked for me! Quick wipe with wind ex on a paper towel and boom! Fixed.