iPhone 18 Pro Face ID bug causes freezes and reboots for some users

Some iPhone 18 Pro owners report that a failed Face ID attempt while opening a protected app can freeze the phone and force a system reboot.

The failure appears after a second authentication attempt: the device stops responding to touch input, then restarts and returns to the lock screen. The bug was reproduced on at least one European iPhone 18 Pro model.

Bug linked to under-display camera

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max use a smaller Face ID system, with the infrared camera placed beneath the display near the status-bar clock. The problem may involve a software glitch affecting that component in the shipping version of iOS 27.

User reports place the failure during authentication for apps protected by Face ID, including Passwords, private Safari tabs and other apps locked by the owner. It does not appear to be triggered directly from the lock screen.

To reproduce the issue, a user can cover their face during the first Face ID check and then tap “Try Face ID Again.” On affected devices, the phone freezes, ignores touch input and performs a panic reboot.

Software fix is in development

The scope remains unclear because the issue does not affect every device. One Reddit user said Apple Support recommended a hardware replacement, but the report’s author considers that diagnosis likely incorrect and expects a software update to resolve the problem.

A separate iOS 27 issue is also reported to cause reboots on other iPhone models. Apple is preparing a software fix for the described bug and has been asked for comment.