How to Make Gloves Work on a Touchscreen: 4 Fixes for Riding Gloves

To make gloves work on a touchscreen, give the fingertip a conductive path to the screen. Sew a few stitches of conductive thread, rub in a conductive liquid, or stick on a conductive pad. On many Android phones you can also try a touch sensitivity setting first, at no cost.

This guide is part of our touchscreen motorcycle gloves hub. It shows each fix on a leather riding glove, with tools, steps and the mistakes to avoid.

Key takeaways- Phones use capacitive screens, which sense the body's conductivity; most gloves block it.- Sewn conductive thread is the method Wikipedia's touchscreen entry describes for gloves.- The maker of one conductive liquid says results on leather vary with the leather's type and finish.- Stickers are quick, but their film can wear out.- Test any fix with the bike parked, never while riding.

Why gloves stop your touchscreen working

A capacitive screen senses a touch when a conductor, such as your finger, changes its electrostatic field. Leather and lining insulate the finger, so the screen may not register it.

Thickness matters too. The thicker the glove, the harder it is for a touch to get through. That is why a padded riding glove fails where a thin medical glove may work.

For the short answer on leather alone, see do leather gloves work on touchscreens?

Which fix suits your gloves?

Fix 1: Turn on your phone's glove setting

Try this before you change your gloves. You can switch it off again at any time.

1. Samsung Galaxy: per Samsung's support page, open Settings, tap Display, then turn on Touch sensitivity. Samsung says the option is not on every model.
2. Google Pixel: on Pixel 8a and earlier, go to Settings, Display & touch, Touch sensitivity, then Screen protector mode. Google lists it for screen protectors, not gloves, so test it with your own pair.
3. iPhone: Apple's screen help page does not mention a glove mode. Use one of the fixes below.

Turn the setting off when you ride without gloves. Samsung warns the screen may respond too sensitively and malfunction when the setting is on without a screen protector.

Glove thickness still limits what the screen can sense, so a padded riding glove may still fail. If yours do, move on to Fix 2.

Fix 2: Sew conductive thread into the fingertip

Wikipedia's touchscreen entry describes gloves with an embroidered patch of conductive thread that makes electrical contact with the fingertip. You can do a simple version at home.

What you need

• Conductive thread. Stainless steel thread is one option; one supplier says its 316L steel thread is safe to wash and won't oxidize like silver
• A needle: the same supplier says its thread fits a medium-eye needle; tough cowhide may need a sturdier one
• A thimble, since riding-glove leather is tough
• Your phone, to test as you go

Steps

1. Pick the finger. Most riders use the index finger and thumb, the same fingers many touchscreen gloves use.
2. Find the pad. Mark the spot that meets the screen when you tap: the soft pad, just behind the very tip.
3. Stitch through. Push the needle from the outside, through the leather, so the thread lies against your finger inside. This gives the skin-to-screen contact the method relies on.
4. Build a small pad. Make several stitches over the same spot so the thread forms a dot a little larger than a pencil eraser.
5. Knot inside. Tie off on the inside and trim so no loose end catches your nail.
6. Test. Put the glove on, tap and swipe on your phone. Add stitches if taps miss.

Steel thread is a little stiff and thicker than everyday thread, so expect a firm dot rather than a flat one.

Fix 3: Rub in a conductive liquid

Conductive liquids such as AnyGlove soak through the fingertip and bond to the fibers to form a conductive path.

1. Test a hidden spot first. The maker of AnyGlove recommends it to check for stains or color change.
2. Use the leather version on leather. That maker sells a separate leather formula.
3. Cover a wider area. On leather it says you must treat a larger area and may need more than one coat.
4. Let it dry fully. Once dry, the maker says it will not wash off if the gloves get wet.
5. Reapply when it fades. The maker says to reapply if the gloves stop working.

Be careful with light-colored gloves. The maker does not recommend its product on them because of possible discoloration, and says results on some leathers vary widely.

Fix 4: Stick on a conductive pad

Adhesive conductive stickers are the quickest fix. One maker sells a larger size for thick or insulated gloves and a smaller one for thin gloves.

1. Clean and dry the fingertip so the adhesive grips.
2. Peel and press the sticker onto the pad of the finger.
3. Test on your phone.

The maker says its stickers do not need skin contact to work. Their life depends on the glove, use and conditions, and the film may wear out.

Common mistakes

• Treating the tip seam instead of the pad. You tap with the pad, so put the conductive area there.
• Stitching only on the outside. The thread method relies on contact with your fingertip.
• Skipping the hidden-spot test. Liquids can stain some gloves.
• Leaving glove mode on. It can cause false touches without gloves.
• Wet screens. Samsung says a wet screen may not respond properly, whatever you wear. Wipe it first; Apple also advises a clean screen free of debris or water.
• Testing on the move. Reading a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for about five seconds, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Pull over.

Would new gloves be simpler?

If your gloves are worn out anyway, a pair with conductive fingertips built in skips the DIY work. Makers use conductive leather, fabric or a printed patch on the index finger and thumb.

Our best touchscreen motorcycle gloves page compares those fingertip types, and our page on what to look for in touchscreen glove fingertips goes into the details. For cold rides, a thin liner with a conductive print is another route; see our best merino wool glove liners.

A base glove to work on

Our store partner's Leather Collection leather motorcycle gloves are hand-stitched cowhide, 0.8-0.9 mm (0.03-0.04 in) thick. None of its glove pages mention touchscreen fingertips, so plan to add one of the fixes above.

FAQ

Why does the touch screen not work with gloves?

Phone screens sense your body's conductivity, and most gloves block it partly or completely.

How do gloves work on a touch screen?

Touchscreen gloves make the touchpoint from a conductive material, so the charge passes between skin and screen as it would with a bare finger.

What can I use instead of my finger on a touch screen?

A capacitive stylus works on these screens. So does a glove fingertip treated with one of the fixes above.

Can I make gloves touchscreen compatible without conductive thread?

Yes. Try a conductive liquid, a conductive sticker or your phone's sensitivity setting.