Glare is a common problem encountered by users of touchscreen devices. Whether it’s a smartphone, tablet computer, human machine interface (HMI) or any other touchscreen device, if light strikes the surface at the right angle, it can create a reflection that bounces the light back. While glare such as this won’t damage a touchscreen device, it can affect lower the device’s user friendliness. So, what can you do to prevent glare on a touchscreen device?
Choose a Capacitive Touchscreen Device
If you’re concerned about glare, choose a capacitive touchscreen device rather than a resistive touchscreen device. Capacitive touchscreen devices feature fewer layers than their resistive counterparts, so light is less likely to bounce off and create glare than with resistive touchscreen devices.
As you may know, resistive touchscreen devices feature two layers separated by an air-filled space layer. When you perform a touch command, you’ll compress the top layer into the bottom layer, allowing the device to detect when and where you touched. While effective at detecting touch commands, though, resistive touchscreen devices have a higher risk of generating glare. The multiple layers used in their construction allows light to easily bounce off — a problem that’s not found in capacitive touchscreen devices.
Don’t Use Cleaning Products on Your Touchscreen Device
Whether you choose a resistive, capacitive or any other type of touchscreen device, you should avoid using cleaning products on it. Many store-bought cleaning products, including glass cleaning sprays, contain chemicals or oils that will linger on the surface of your touchscreen device. When this occurs, it can cause glare to form in the presence of light.
If you need to clean your touchscreen device, use a lint-free microfiber cloth with a small amount of water (preferably distilled water). Assuming your touchscreen device only has superficial dirt and debris, water should clean it without leaving behind glare-inducing chemicals or oils.
Use Your Touchscreen Device In Indirect Lighting
One of the easiest ways to avoid glare is to use your touchscreen device in direct lighting. In other words, don’t use your touchscreen device directly below a light fixture or source of light. Instead, move away from the light so that it’s unable to produce glare.
Increase the Display Brightness of Your Touchscreen Device
You can try turning up the display brightness of your touchscreen device to reduce the risk of glare. This won’t necessarily prevent light from bouncing off the surface of your touchscreen device, but it may mask the effects of glare.
