Overview
- Reports began appearing within days of the iPhone 18 Pro launch on Sept. 18, with owners saying their phones lock up and restart after a failed Face ID try when unlocking protected apps.
- 9to5Mac reproduced the crash on a European 18 Pro and multiple forum threads describe the same symptom, which typically occurs when Face ID is used to open locked apps like Passwords or private Safari tabs rather than at the lock screen.
- Apple changed the Pro models’ Face ID hardware by moving the infrared camera under the display toward the top-left, and that redesign is a leading but unproven hypothesis for the problem.
- Some users say Apple Support ran diagnostics and advised hardware replacement, while reporters and technicians expect the root cause to be software and that Apple will issue an iOS 27 patch; Apple has not publicly commented.
- Affected owners are advised to try removing screen protectors near the sensor, reset Face ID in settings, or use Apple’s 14-day return window if the issue persists and to watch for a forthcoming software update.