The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max introduces a new smaller Face ID system, with the Infrared camera now hidden behind the screen, near where the time is shown in the status bar.
It appears there may be a software glitch with that component in the shipping release of iOS 27. A number of reports from 18 Pro owners indicate that their device freezes and reboots after a failed Face ID attempt.
9to5Mac has reproduced the bug on at least one European iPhone 18 Pro model. The scope of the problem is unclear, as it does not seem to affect everyone.
The issue appears to occur when using Face ID to unlock a protected app, like the Passwords app, private tabs in Safari, or other apps the user has chosen to lock behind biometric protection. It does not seem to trigger directly from the lock screen.
To try and reproduce for yourself, on an 18 Pro, when the device presents a Face ID challenge, cover your face with your hand to simulate an authentication failure on the first try. Then, tap the “Try Face ID Again” button in the alert that appears. If you are afflicted by the bug, the phone will lock up and stop responding to all touch input. After a few seconds, the phone panics and reboots back to the lock screen.
In the Reddit thread of complaining users, one person says they contacted Apple support who apparently recommended a hardware swap. In our experience, this is probably a misdiagnosis and the problem will be fixable by a software update.
There’s also a similar iOS 27 bug that can trigger system reboots on any iPhone model, which we also expect to be fixed by a forthcoming software patch.
We have reached out to Apple for comment on the matter and will let you know if we hear back.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments