Common Reasons Why Capacitive Isn’t Registering Touch

If you keep up with our blog here at En-Touch, you are probably familiar with the two primary types of touchscreen technology: resistive and capacitive. While each type has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, capcitive has become the preferred choice among smartphone and tablet manufacturers. They offer an effective solution for all touchscreen devices by measuring the electrical current running through the operator’s body. But what happens when a capacitive touchscreen fails to register touch?

How Capacitive Touchscreen Works

In order to troubleshoot problems associated with capacitive touchscreen devices, you must first understand how this technology works. Resistive touchscreen devices are made with two (sometimes more) electrically resistive layers that are separated by air or some type of inert gas/substance. When the operator presses his or her finger against the top layer, it is pushed down towards the bottom layer; thus, causing the two layers to come into contact with another and registering the location of the operator’s touch.

Capacitive technology differs in the sense that it relies on the operator’s electrical current to register clicks. The average person produces around 100 watts of energy at rest, more so when he or she is active. Capactive touchscreen devices are designed to identify the electrical charge of the operator in order to register when and where a touch occurred.

Why Isn’t My Capacitive Touchscreen Device Registering Touch?

Now for the million-dollar question: why isn’t my capacitive touchscreen device registering touch? One all-too-common reason for this phenomenon is because the operator is wearing gloves. You can usually operate a resistive touchscreen device with gloves, simply because they register touch based on force (e.g. pressing the two layers into one another). But you cannot operate a capacitive touchscreen device with gloves.

The problem with gloves and capacitive devices is that capacitive requires the operator to physically touch the surface. If there’s some type of non-conducting barrier between the operator’s fingers and the device, such as gloves, it won’t be able to register the touch. While they may seem harmless enough, gloves restrict the flow of electricity from your body to the touchscren. And when there’s no electrical current being transferred to the device, it won’t register touch.

You can, however, purchase special “touchscreen” gloves. These gloves feature a conductive material embedded within the fingertips. So when you touch a capacitive device while wearing them, your body will still be able to produce and transfer the electrical current.