Some owners of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are experiencing a software issue where a failed Face ID authentication can cause the phone to freeze and then restart. Apple has confirmed the problem. Told 9to5Mac that a fix is in development. The update is expected to be released next week.
The issue seems to affect certain devices and appears to happen during specific Face ID attempts. It is often reported when users try to open apps that require biometric verification. The problem does not happen every time Face ID fails. Instead, it tends to occur often when trying to access protected apps like the Passwords app, private Safari browsing,g or other apps set to use Face ID.
One report showed that when Face ID failed to recognize the user, er the iPhone 18 Pro stopped responding to touch. After a few seconds, the device restarted on its own. Other users have posted experiences online describing the same freezing and rebooting behavior.
In testing, 9to5Mac was able to reproduce the issue by trying to authenticate with Face ID while the phone did not recognize the user. After an attempt, the device became unresponsive and rebooted. A system panic log was generated after the crash.
Users are advised not to try to recreate the issue on their devices. Some people who experienced the problem thought it might be a hardware defect and considered exchanging their phones. Apple’s confirmation that a software update is coming suggests the fix will come through an iOS update, not a hardware replacement.
Apple has not said how many iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max units are affected. The latest Pro models have a redesigned Face ID system. The infrared camera is now placed under the display, near the status bar. This change helps make the Dynamic Island smaller and less noticeable. There is currently no evidence that the redesigned hardware is causing the crashes.
For users affected by this problem, the upcoming software update is expected to solve the issue. Until then, it may be best to avoid trying to authenticate with Face ID in protected apps.