Piece of Foreign Material Stuck Behind the Touch Screen
Nintendo DS
The information in this article can help you when a piece of foreign material has become lodged between the Touch Screen and the housing of the Nintendo DS.
Note
- Do not use any liquid or cleaning solution, as this may damage the system.
- The touch panel cleaning process should only be performed when foreign material is visible.
- Tools needed:
- A brand-new, soft to medium-bristled toothbrush.
What to do
- Hold the Nintendo DS so that the edge of the screen that you need to clean is at the top.

- Use your thumb to gently press down on the screen near the edge that you wish to clean to make a slight gap between the screen and the housing. This will make it easier to brush out the particles.
- Press the bristles at the top of the toothbrush under the gap that you have made. The plastic part of the toothbrush should not touch the screen at all, since the hard plastic may damage the screen.

- Gently move the bristles from side to side to brush out the particles. When you are finished, check to see that the particles have been removed.
- lf you are unable to get the particles out, press a little more firmly on the screen or use a slightly stiffer toothbrush.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for any other edges that have visible contamination. You may need to recalibrate the Touch Screen after cleaning.
Situation not resolved
Nintendo is no longer offering service requests for the Nintendo DS, so if none of the steps above solve the problem, then it's time to replace your system.
Nintendo now offers refurbished and remanufactured systems at prices a lot lower than new products. Visit Nintendo Store for Authentic Nintendo Refurbished Products and all your other Nintendo product part and accessory needs.
Nintendo Refurbished System Benefits
- The only refurbished products in the market that have been cleaned, tested, and inspected to meet Nintendo's high standards.
- Includes the same one-year warranty as our new products!
- In addition to exclusive titles and features, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DSi are backwards compatible with nearly the entire library of Nintendo DS games. So if you're upgrading from a Nintendo DS, you'll still be able to enjoy your existing game collection.
We also know many Nintendo consumers love their RETRO! Finding a replacement for your older product may be an option.