I had my iPad screen replaced yesterday at a local repair shop because the nearest Apple service location is more than an hour away. Since the repair, both of my third-party styluses only work in one quadrant of the display. I use the iPad for college and can't afford to replace it, so I'm wondering whether a different stylus might work with this replacement screen or whether the repair itself caused the problem. Should I ask the shop to inspect or redo the repair?
3 Answers
Take it back to the repair shop and report the problem as soon as possible. A stylus responding only in one area usually points to an issue with the replacement display or its digitizer, not simply the brand of stylus. Ask them to test the screen with another compatible stylus and check the display connection under their warranty.
Many third-party iPad screens don’t support active styluses properly, and some can have defective or poorly connected touch layers. Trying another stylus might help, but there’s no reliable model that can make an incompatible replacement screen work. The shop may need to replace the screen with a better-quality compatible part.
The styluses aren’t Apple-branded, but since both only work in the same quadrant, that still sounds more like the replacement screen or its installation than two styluses failing independently.
An official repair provider may use a genuine or approved display, but the cost could be high, and some providers replace the whole device rather than installing a screen. A large electronics retailer might offer repair services, but ask specifically whether the replacement supports the iPad’s stylus technology and whether the part is genuine or aftermarket before paying.
I called them, but they said they had never heard of that happening. I’m going to ask them to test the digitizer and inspect the repair anyway.