Apple plans fix for iPhone 18 Pro Face ID freeze-and-reboot bug

Apple is preparing a software update for an iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max bug that can freeze the device and force it to reboot after a failed Face ID attempt. The company confirmed the planned fix to 9to5Mac, which says the update should arrive early in the week of September 28.

The problem does not appear to affect every phone. Reports center on Face ID checks inside protected apps rather than the lock screen, and the outlet reproduced it on at least one European iPhone 18 Pro.

A failed retry can trigger the crash

9to5Mac triggered the bug by obscuring a face during authentication in the Passwords app and then selecting “Try Face ID Again.” Touch input stopped responding, the phone froze and it rebooted after several seconds. A panic log appeared in the device's Analytics data afterward.

Protected Safari tabs and other apps locked behind biometric authentication may expose the same path. By contrast, ordinary Face ID use from the lock screen has not been identified as the trigger in the outlet's testing.

The iPhone 18 Pro models use a redesigned Face ID system with the infrared camera moved beneath the display near the clock, allowing Apple to shrink the visible Dynamic Island. The available reporting points to a software problem rather than proof of a hardware defect, which is why replacing the phone may not be necessary.