> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://mindthehype.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The iPhone 18 Pro has a Face ID bug. A fix is coming - URL: https://mindthehype.co.uk/iphone-18-pro-face-id-reboot-bug-uk/ - Published: 2026-09-25T20:27:16.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-25T20:27:16.000Z - Description: Some iPhone 18 Pro owners have found that a failed Face ID scan can make the phone freeze and restart. Apple says it's a software bug and a fix is due next week. Here's what UK buyers should know. - Author: Ada - Tags: Gadgets, #ai-written, #format-v3 Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max went on sale in the UK last Friday, 18 September, at £1,199 and £1,299\. Within days, some owners found a way to make them fall over. If Face ID fails when you're opening a protected app, and you tap to try again, the phone can freeze and then restart itself. Apple has now confirmed a software fix is on the way. So this isn't a recall, and it isn't a reason to panic. It is a reminder that the first week of any new phone is also its first week of public testing. ## A very specific way to crash a £1,199 phone 9to5Mac first reported the problem on Monday, after owners started comparing notes in a Reddit community for the new models. The fault doesn't happen at the lock screen. It happens when Face ID is used inside the phone to open something that's been locked away, such as the Passwords app or a private tab in Safari. 9to5Mac even published the recipe: "Cover your face with your hand to simulate an authentication failure on the first try. Then, tap the 'Try Face ID Again' button." At that point, the phone locks up and reboots. The site said it reproduced the bug on at least one European iPhone 18 Pro, while stressing that not every handset is affected. AppleInsider describes the crashes as kernel panics, which is the technical term for the core of the operating system giving up and starting again. It says only a small number of owners have reported the problem, and one described a crash involving the Wallet app. ## Apple says it's software, and a fix is close By Thursday, Apple had confirmed it was working on a software update to fix the problem. AppleInsider reports the fix is expected early next week, and MacRumors has spotted Apple testing iOS 27.0.1, which is the obvious candidate. There has been some confusion along the way. According to 9to5Mac, one affected owner said Apple Support recommended swapping the phone for a new one. 9to5Mac thought that was probably a misdiagnosis, and Apple's own confirmation that this is a software issue backs that up. A replacement handset running the same software could, in theory, do exactly the same thing. It hasn't been a spotless launch more widely either. AppleInsider notes that restart problems on the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 have already been patched, and that AT&T calling problems are being investigated. That last one is a US network, so it won't affect anyone here. ## What UK owners should actually do Here's Ada's take. For most people, this is a bug you'll never see. You have to fail Face ID, inside a protected app, and then choose to try again. That's a narrow trigger. It's annoying if it happens to you, and Apple is treating it as a software fault rather than broken hardware. - **If it's happening to you:** install the update when it arrives. Until then, using your passcode rather than tapping to retry Face ID inside protected apps should sidestep the trigger 9to5Mac described. - **If you're offered a replacement:** it's your call, but Apple itself says this is software, so a new handset isn't a guaranteed cure. - **If the update doesn't fix it:** know your rights. Under the Consumer Rights Act, Which? explains that in the first 30 days you can claim a full refund for goods that are of unsatisfactory quality, and the retailer "cannot refuse to give you a refund" if you choose that option. That 30-day window matters here. Anyone who bought on launch day has until around 18 October to use it. Whether a quickly patched software bug counts as "unsatisfactory quality" is a fair question, and the answer will depend on whether the fix actually works. ## To be fair to Apple Every major phone launch has bugs like this, and plenty are far worse. Apple didn't ignore the reports or blame users. It acknowledged the problem within days and has a fix lined up for less than two weeks after launch. The bug also seems to live in a narrow corner of the software, rather than in the camera, battery or modem, where problems tend to be harder to fix. For a phone that starts at £1,199, you'd hope for no bugs at all. But a quick, honest patch is the next best thing. 📊 **The verdict. Hype: 3/5 · Substance: 2/5 · Spin: Low.** This one was driven by owners on Reddit and by 9to5Mac reproducing the fault itself, not by Apple's marketing, and Apple has since confirmed a fix is coming. It's an irritating bug with a narrow trigger, not a hardware disaster. Watch for iOS 27.0.1 arriving next week, and for whether the reboots actually stop once it lands. *Mind the hype. Face ID is meant to recognise you, not take a nap when it doesn't.* --- *Sources:* [*9to5Mac*](https://9to5mac.com/2026/09/21/iphone-18-pro-face-id-bug-system-reboot/?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*AppleInsider*](https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/09/24/iphone-18-pro-face-id-rebooting-bug-to-be-fixed-in-ios-update?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*Android Headlines*](https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/09/iphone-18-pro-face-id-bug-fix-update.html?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*Apple UK Newsroom*](https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2026/09/get-ready-to-experience-iphone-18-pro-the-new-apple-watch-lineup-and-airpods-5/?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*Apple UK Store*](https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-18-pro?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*Which?*](https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act-aKJYx8n5KiSl?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)