Apple has confirmed that it is preparing a software update to fix a strange reboot problem affecting some iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max users. Today, Apple has released a new WatchOS 27.0.1 update for Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 2 to fix the reboot issue, and now Apple is working on the new Face ID bug. The problem is unusual because it is not simply a random restart. In reported cases, the iPhone can freeze and completely stop responding after a failed Face ID authentication attempt. Apple now says a software fix is in development and should arrive early next week.
The company has not officially confirmed the iOS version that will contain the fix. However, iOS 27.0.1 is currently being spotted in Apple’s testing activity, making it a possible candidate for the update. This has not been confirmed by Apple, so users should not assume that the fix will definitely arrive as iOS 27.0.1.
This Is More Than a Normal Face ID Failure
A normal Face ID failure should simply ask you to try again or enter your passcode. That is not what happens with the reported iPhone 18 Pro bug. The issue appears when Face ID is being used to unlock a protected area or app, such as Apple’s Passwords app, private Safari tabs, or another application protected by biometric authentication.
If the first Face ID attempt fails, tapping “Try Face ID Again” can cause the phone to become completely unresponsive. After several seconds, the device can panic and restart, returning to the lock screen. This specific sequence is important because it means that not every iPhone 18 Pro restart is necessarily related to this Face ID bug.
9to5Mac Successfully Reproduced the Problem
One of the strongest details in this story is that the problem was not based only on social media complaints. 9to5Mac reproduced the issue on an iPhone 18 Pro sold in Europe. During testing, the publication deliberately blocked the phone’s view while attempting to authenticate with Face ID inside the Passwords app.
After the failed authentication, selecting the retry option caused the phone to stop accepting touch input. The device then performed a hard reboot. A panic log could subsequently be found in the iPhone’s Analytics section in Settings. That reproduction gives the problem much more weight than a single user’s report.
The New Face ID Design Could Be Important
The iPhone 18 Pro models introduced a major change to the Face ID hardware.
Apple moved the infrared camera under the display, close to the area where the status-bar clock appears. This helped Apple reduce the visible size of the Dynamic Island by about 25 percent. However, there is currently no evidence that the new infrared camera itself is physically defective.
The timing naturally makes the redesigned Face ID system an interesting part of the story, but Apple has now confirmed that this particular reboot problem can be addressed through software. That strongly shifts the focus toward an iOS/software interaction rather than a widespread hardware failure.
Some Owners May Have Replaced Their iPhones Unnecessarily
Before Apple confirmed the software fix, some affected customers reportedly contacted Apple Support and were advised to replace their devices. At that stage, a hardware problem was a reasonable possibility because the phones were new and were experiencing complete system crashes.
But the situation has now changed. Apple’s confirmation that a software update is coming means that owners experiencing this specific Face ID-related reboot behavior should not automatically assume their iPhone has defective hardware.
Interestingly, other reports also suggested that replacement devices could experience similar problems, which further supported the possibility of a software-related cause.
There Is Another Important Detail: The Bug Is Not Universal
Apple has not said how many iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max units are affected. Reports indicate that the problem does not occur on every device. Some owners have experienced it repeatedly, while others have never encountered it. MacRumors has also reported other Face ID-related complaints, including Face ID setup problems, showing that there may be several separate software issues rather than one single failure.
There is also another iOS 27 reboot problem that can affect iPhones more broadly. That issue should not automatically be confused with this particular iPhone 18 Pro Face ID problem.
How to Know If Your iPhone Has This Specific Bug
If your iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max suddenly restarts, look at what happened immediately before the restart.
If you were using Face ID inside a protected app, the authentication failed, you selected “Try Face ID Again,” the screen stopped responding, and the phone restarted, that matches the reported bug pattern.
You can also check Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data for panic-related diagnostic logs. However, users should not repeatedly force the failure simply to test their phone.
What iPhone 18 Pro Owners Should Do Now
The most sensible step is to keep the iPhone updated and install Apple’s upcoming software update as soon as it becomes available. Apple says the fix should arrive early next week. The exact iOS version remains unconfirmed, although iOS 27.0.1 is currently a likely possibility based on testing activity.
If your iPhone continues to reboot after the update, or if it is restarting for completely different reasons, contact Apple Support. A repeated restart does not automatically mean you are experiencing this particular Face ID bug.
For now, the biggest takeaway is that Apple has identified a software path to fixing the iPhone 18 Pro reboot problem. The issue is real enough to have been independently reproduced, but it does not appear to be a universal hardware failure affecting every iPhone 18 Pro.
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