Why does my tablet respond to S-Pen but not my fingers?

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Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2012

A 10.1 inch Samsung tablet computer with a 1.4 GHz processor, 1280x800 pixel LCD, and 149 ppi multi-touch display. The model number of the device is GT-N8013ZW. Released August 2012, repair of this device is straightforward.

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Brett Daniels @brettdaniels

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Publicada: 8 de mai de 2013

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Why does my tablet respond to S-Pen but not my fingers?

I just finished repairing one problem I had, where the screen gets all discolored. Once I closed it up and started it, it would not respond to my touch, nothing. I tried the S-Pen and it worked fine. Does anyone know what could have caused this? I reopened it and check the ribbon connections, the only one that looks questionable was the central ribbon cable. Now, I don't know much about electronics, but I noticed that on all the other connectors for the ribbon cables, there was a locking switch. I don't think the connection this ribbon cable has one, and I fear that out of ignorance I may have damaged the connector attempting to flip the non-existent locking mechanism. I believe this to be the cable that connects to the front screen (Not the LCD), and is what is used to communicate the touch input. So I think this is where my problem lies. Can someone enlighten me with their perspective on this issue? I think it must be a damaged connector (requiring me to get a replacement motherboard), the ribbon cable isn't fully connected (tried my best), or something else I am not seeing. Hopefully it is fixable, I would hate to have to scrap a tablet just after 5 months of use. Could it possibly be a broken or damaged digitizer? I have dropped it a few times.

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Hi it is a commen problem and I don't understand that Samsung is not having a better product. It make you think if it was worth the money.

2 de mai de 2016 por Hans stofberg

i have note4 edge its option and back space sensors are not working while using only it works with the pen can anyone tell me how to fix this problem ..../

20 de mai de 2016 por jawed jmy

I have note edge it is not walking by finger only by spen

5 de jul de 2016 por king maloo Mugsthfaaa

Sometimes when the phone does not work using your finger but the S pen is, and you have tried to go to your settings to disable the S pen function then you should visit the nearest service center for assistance, it could probably be a software issue .

6 de jul de 2016 por Doctor

I had the same issue, I had to call my phone carrier, back up and factory reset my phone and no luck so they replaced the phone. It is a software issue.

7 de fev de 2017 por marquitaraquita

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Hi it is a commen problem and I don't understand that Samsung is not having a better product. It make you think if it was worth the money. — Hans stofberg
i have note4 edge its option and back space sensors are not working while using only it works with the pen can anyone tell me how to fix this problem ..../ — jawed jmy
Sometimes when the phone does not work using your finger but the S pen is, and you have tried to go to your settings to disable the S pen function then you should visit the nearest service center for assistance, it could probably be a software issue . — Doctor
I had the same issue, I had to call my phone carrier, back up and factory reset my phone and no luck so they replaced the phone. It is a software issue. — marquitaraquita

oldturkey03 @oldturkey03 Reputação: 740,1 mil 957 854 2,3 mil · Answer 1 · 2013-05-08T16:21:49-07:00

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oldturkey03 @oldturkey03

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Brett Daniels, both situation are a possibility. The connector could fail to properly seat the cable, or it could simply be a digitizer failure. Post an image off your connector on here so we might be able to see any damage. If nothing else, you might be thinking about getting the digitizer replaced. Check on here to see if that is something that you would want to tackle. Hope this helps, good luck.

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Alright, I think Ill order a replacement digitizer and give it a shot. For connecting the digitizer's ribbon cable, what is the best teqchique? I found it very hard to get the cable in fully, hard to use tweezers and it felt like abuse, wish it's connector had a locking mechanism like the others. The cost of a new digitizer is around $50, what is the cost of a new motherboard? The digitizer seems liek it would be easier to replace, I feel replacing the motherboard might cause some data loss of some sort.

8 de mai de 2013 por Brett Daniels

If you replace the motherboard, you will lose all your data. The data is sorted on the memory which is hardwired via IC to the board. As in price, it is another one of those where the motherboard is hard to find and will most likely be more than a new Note.

8 de mai de 2013 por oldturkey03

k, purchased a new digitizer, once it gets here ill hook it up. Any suggestions for techniques on connecting the digitizer's ribbon cable?

9 de mai de 2013 por Brett Daniels

Not really anything other than double jointed, long, skinny fingers and lots of patience ;) use long toothless tweezers to try to get the cable connected.

9 de mai de 2013 por oldturkey03

Alright thanks, just noticed my left speaker is not working, checked the inside and looks like the speaker's ribbon cable is completely broken, is it possible to order a pair of replacement speakers? I couldn't find any just by looking around

9 de mai de 2013 por Brett Daniels

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David @david74816 Reputação: 25 1 · Answer 2 · 2013-05-31T07:59:13-07:00

David @david74816

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Publicada: 31 de mai de 2013

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Just a thought. This seems rather simple, but there is a function of the tablet that can ignore the fingers while the s pen is nearby. If you tried to touch it with your finger while holding the s pen in the same hand, it would not work with this setting in place.

-David

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where can I change this setting.

27 de mai de 2018 por samantha smith

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Bashar @bashar39512 Reputação: 25 1 · Answer 3 · 2013-11-14T05:10:40-07:00

Bashar @bashar39512

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Dear All

The problem is too easy...... just disassemble the back cover of the galaxy note then check all connection "specially the one near to the power plug" it must be fitted to the connection line ten assemble it again it will work "in shaa alla".

thanks

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No that's not it. The problem was the digitizer. Better luck next time bud. Was fixed by replacing the broken digitizer.

15 de nov de 2013 por Brett Daniels

I'm David. Another David. I just purchased the galaxy note 5 a few days ago a couple of days ago the screen began to intermittently, temporarily lose its capacitance where sensing my finger is concerned.

It has ceased picking up my finger all together, just yesterday. The connector APPEARS to be fine so I'm guessing that it may be the digitizer.

2 de jan de 2016 por kaidendavid

Same problem but my screen freaked out

8 de jan de 2016 por billy bob

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Grobolo Salamanca @grobolosal63498 Reputação: 25 1 · Answer 4 · 2013-11-27T07:29:21-07:00

Grobolo Salamanca @grobolosal63498

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What I discovered after encountering this issue is that if my folio cover is folded such that the magnetic edge is in contact with the RHS of the tablet I get issues with touch, but not pen input. If I fold it such that the magnetic edge is on the LHS (or not near the RHS) there is no problem. It's obviously got something to do with the sleep wake function with the folio cover.

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Yup, that was the problem for me. Thank you much for pointing that out!

19 de nov de 2014 por Zsa Zsa Rosell

Yes!I just removed my cover (magnetic) and the problem solved without restart !

8 de abr de 2014 por namkla28

also, i noticed if this doesn't work, if you simply rest two fingers on the screen for a second or two,it will start working again. please try this before taking your phone apart! i'm celebrating how it worked for me! good luck folks!

15 de abr de 2015 por Samantha Jones

What do you mean magnet edge? I am having the same problem on my galaxy note but don't know exactly what the magnet you're talking about is or where.

22 de mai de 2014 por Drew Frisch

I removed the cover and it worked

9 de set de 2014 por Erckman

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Rancio Elderado @rancioelderado Reputação: 25 1 · Answer 5 · 2013-12-22T11:44:05-07:00

Rancio Elderado @rancioelderado

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My wife's galaxy note had the same problem, nothing else seemed to work until we removed the cover! apparently the same problem that Grobolo was experiencing . Who would've thought. and this after she had been using the same cover, put on the same way, for a long time without problems until she updated it. grrrrrr.

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Did this work for the note 5 plz I need to know . I hear rattling and my screen flipped out and now the tuch of my finger does not work but the s-pen does, I went through and cleared the cash partition so I need to know before I take it apart again......

8 de jan de 2016 por billy bob

Thanks! This worked for me! I was about to chuck my phone at the %#*@ wall lol.

9 de mar de 2016 por shanda5303

Rancio, you are right!

22 de fev de 2014 por danial zulkifli

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reverendmaddison @reverendma90138 Reputação: 25 1 · Answer 6 · 2015-02-17T11:57:30-07:00

I just want to thank all the contributors on this thread. This morning, I, too, dropped my tablet (onto a carpeted floor) and ended up with a black screen although I could tell it was still working otherwise. I was upset since I've only had it a few weeks and since I bought it used, well... There went my major investment of Christmas money.

But, with a couple of YouTube videos, and all the suggestions I saw here and other forums where people really do try to help each other, I managed to fix it. Getting the back off was a trial, though and nerve-wracking for an only modestly technical person.

The first time round, I got the screen working but couldn't do any finger swipes, and the S-Pen was intermittent. So off came the back again. This time I made SURE the two cables at the very top (including what I presume is the digitizer) were really and truly aligned with the white guidelines next to the sockets. The tolerances are amazingly tight (every millimeter counts).

Stuart Robertson @stuartrobertson Reputação: 13 1 · Answer 7 · 2015-12-21T09:28:57-07:00

Stuart Robertson @stuartrobertson

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Publicada: 21 de dez de 2015

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If you are having the same problem as the OP (ie the touchscreen works with the S-Pen but not your fingers), don't take your phone apart. Just go to application manager (in your settings) - find Google Play Store and uninstall all the updates. Then restart your phone and the touchscreen will work again.

If it doesn't (but it will in 99% of cases), uninstall updates for other Google / Samsung apps.

Then restart the phone.

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Kat Hutnik @kathutnik Reputação: 13 1 · Answer 8 · 2016-01-29T09:33:35-07:00

Kat Hutnik @kathutnik

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Publicada: 29 de jan de 2016

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Hi, I replaced my screen too and had the same issue. Touch is controlled by the top layer of the screen. http://www.ebay.de/itm/like/161955166515...

It´s very likely that it´s connecting ribbon isn´t connected properly.

I have taken off the cover, unpluged the battery, unfastened and pulled out the ribbon, put it in again properly and tight, fastened it by the clip, rehooked the battery back in, tested it and as it worked, put the cover back on.

Hope your problem can be resolved. :)

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djrezerekt @djrezerekt Reputação: 73 1 1 · Answer 9 · 2017-05-14T07:07:30-07:00

djrezerekt @djrezerekt

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Publicada: 14 de mai de 2017

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Just dial *#2663# and that will recalibrate your touch screen. ....i can believe no one posted the real answer to this . Don't take your screens apart guys.....just dial the number string

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Dial *#2663# ....this recalibrates the touch screen

14 de mai de 2017 por djrezerekt

Go to your dialer and press *#2663# and update all the touch firmwares.

30 de jun de 2018 por ello

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Sean @sean80752 Reputação: 1 · Answer 10 · 2014-11-22T22:27:50-07:00

I just changed my screen and digitizer together because of the same issue (water damage). I recommend changing both the screen and digitizer assembly together because just replacing the digitizer can be very tricky. Watch this video for reference

http://youtu.be/A1ntOfJS_1c?list=UUdCZPl...

I bought the screen and digitizer for $185 and it took me a total of 45 mins to 1 hr to replace. Bought the assembly off of ebay

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40...

NOTE: I had to re- bend the home button spring clips (on back of main board) on mine and make sure that all the flex cables snapped into the main board because this results in the phone malfunctioning (aka the finger swiping not working on the new screen but S-Pen worked). I had to unclip and reclip the screen cable 3 times before I got it in correct.

TRUST ME IT WASN'T HARD JUST TAKES PATIENCE