An electronic device and a method for operating the electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a housing which includes a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface, a display which is disposed on at least a part of the first surface, a proximity sensor which is disposed between the display and the second surface, an illuminance sensor, and a processor which is operably connected to the display and the illuminance sensor, wherein the processor is configured to activate the display and the illuminance sensor in response to the occurrence of an event, measure, by using the illuminance sensor, illuminance of a region where the electronic device is disposed, confirm the characteristic of an input occurring on the display by an external object, and determine, based on the measured illuminance and the characteristic of the input, whether or not to inactivate a touch input reception function of at least a partial region of the display.