Apple says a software update is coming early next week to stop some iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max phones from freezing and restarting after a failed Face ID attempt.
The issue typically appears when Face ID fails inside an app — for example when unlocking the Passwords app — rather than only on the lock screen. The phone can stop responding to touch, then hard reboot a few seconds later. Some users have found a panic log afterward in Settings under iPhone Analytics.
The bug does not hit every device, but reports on social media and from readers have been common enough that Apple has acknowledged it. 9to5Mac reproduced the problem by covering a face during a Face ID prompt. Cult of Mac and others note that some owners already swapped phones at Apple stores, assuming a hardware fault. Apple now says that is not necessary: the company treats this as a software problem.
The timing lines up with the new Face ID layout on the 18 Pro models. The infrared camera sits under the display near the status-bar clock, shrinking the visible Dynamic Island by about 25 percent. Launch-week iOS 27 has already had at least one day-one update; the next patch is expected to land as iOS 27.0.1 (or similar) in the week beginning September 28.
MacDailyNews Note: Until the update arrives, avoid repeatedly tapping “Try Face ID Again” after a failure and use a passcode instead. If the phone freezes, force-restart it: press and quickly release volume up, then volume down, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. After the fix ships, check Settings > General > Software Update.
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