Partial Screen

For anyone with a cracked or malfunctioning phone screen, the Partial Screen app offers a crucial lifeline. This utility application is specifically designed to help users interact with an Android device that has unresponsive or dead zones on its touchscreen. By creating customizable, virtual touch areas, Partial Screen allows you to bypass the damaged parts of your display, effectively granting you control to perform essential tasks, send messages, or access apps until you can get a repair. It is a practical, function-over-form solution for an incredibly frustrating problem.

Mapping Unresponsive Screen Zones

The primary action a user takes within the Partial Screen app is to define which parts of their physical screen are broken. You start by launching the app and activating its overlay permission. The interface then presents a drawing tool or an automatic detection feature. You physically drag your finger across the entire display; areas that do not register your touch are identified as unresponsive. Partial Screen uses a color-coded system to map these dead zones, providing a clear visual representation of the problematic areas on your device.

Creating and Positioning Virtual Touch Buttons

Once the dead zones are mapped, the next step is to create functional replacements. Partial Screen provides a set of virtual buttons that mimic your phone's core navigation controls: Back, Home, and Recent Apps. You interact with the app's layout editor to drag these buttons from a toolbar and place them anywhere on the screen that is still responsive. This allows you to position a working "Home" button in a safe corner, for example, ensuring you can always exit an app without relying on the broken bottom section of your screen.

Customizing Button Size and Sensitivity

A key utility of Partial Screen is its flexibility to adapt to various screen damage patterns. After placing a virtual button, you can long-press on it to enter its settings menu. Here, you can manually adjust the button’s size by dragging its corners, making it larger for easier access or smaller to avoid accidental presses. You can also fine-tune its touch sensitivity. This customization is vital for tailoring the Partial Screen experience to your specific device's condition and your personal dexterity.

Utilizing the Screen Lock Function

A common issue with damaged screens is "ghost touch," where the display registers input on its own. Partial Screen includes a screen lock feature to combat this. You activate this by tapping a dedicated lock icon added to your screen by the app. Once enabled, this function blocks all touch input to the underlying system, preventing erratic behavior. This is particularly useful for watching videos or letting the phone charge undisturbed. You unlock the screen by pressing your device's physical power button.

Configuring Edge and Corner Exclusion Zones

Many modern phones have curved screens or sensitive edges that are prone to accidental touches, an issue exacerbated by a cracked display. Partial Screen helps mitigate this by letting you define exclusion zones. In the app’s settings, you can create padded barriers along the left, right, top, or bottom edges of the screen. Any touch within these user-defined zones is ignored by the system. This gives you more precise control by effectively narrowing the active touch area to only the safe, central portion of your display.

Compatibility and Root Access Requirements

It is important to understand the technical requirements for the Partial Screen app to function fully. While basic features work on most Android devices, advanced functionality like simulating swipe gestures or accessing certain system controls may require granting the app special permissions via USB debugging or even full root access to your device. The app will typically guide you through this process, but your experience with Partial Screen can vary in depth depending on your phone’s model and your willingness to enable these advanced permissions.

Key Features

* Map and visualize unresponsive or dead zones on your Android touchscreen.

* Create and position customizable virtual navigation buttons (Back, Home, Recent Apps).

* Adjust the size and touch sensitivity of each virtual control for a personalized experience.

* Activate a screen lock to prevent ghost touches and accidental input.

* Define exclusion zones along screen edges to block accidental touches.

* Supports advanced functionality through USB debugging and root access.