Owners complain their new iPhone 18 Pro Max randomly restarts
“I'm not doing a third exchange.”

iPhone 18 Pro. Screenshot from Apple via Youtube.
- Some iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max owners report random restarts during Face ID, Apple Pay, and phone calls.
- Users report Apple has replaced some affected devices.
- Users disagree on whether hardware or iOS 27 software causes the restarts.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Some owners of the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max report a bug that causes their new phones to restart. It’s not yet clear whether it's a hardware or software issue.
Some users took to social media to express their frustrations about the new Apple lineup.
“Not even 24 hours and I have my 18 Pro Max panic restarting,” wrote one Redditor, adding that this happened 3 times while using Face ID and once while trying to load Apple Wallet.
The user decided to try a Face ID reset, after which the device “behaved well” but later required another reset.
The Redditor contacted Apple support, and the company decided to replace the user’s device due to them receiving “a faulty unit.”
Is it really a hardware issue?
The same or similar issue was reported in multiple Reddit threads.
“My phone panic rebooted once, burgundy, 512GB,” wrote one netizen.
“I had my 18 Pro also do a hard reboot after I tried to use Apple Pay,” added another user answering the question, “how’s everyone liking their iPhone 18 Pro models so far?”
Some comments revealed that it’s not only the iPhone 18 lineup that’s been affected by the bug.
While some were convinced the bug was related to the iOS 27 update, one user noted that the new software update didn’t cause it on their iPhone 17 Pro Max.
“Mine has restarted twice since I got it. One of the times was in the middle of a phone call. My Apple Watch Series 12 also restarted on its own,” wrote another user, hinting that the bug affects more than just Apple smartphones.
“Fairly sure it’s a software bug and Apple will probably release a patch soon,” shared one Redditor.
While Apple didn’t issue an official statement on the problem, some users reported that after contacting the company, it decided to replace their device.
Stay updated with our latest stories and follow us on social media
Be the first to discover new stories, ideas, and updates from our team.
“Already on my second phone. It just keeps happening. I'm not doing a third exchange,” shared a netizen.
“If this is a hardware issue, Apple’s cooked as hell. Most likely it’s a software problem that’s going to be remediated soon,” added another user.
The company released its latest smartphones at the beginning of September. During the event, Apple unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, which won’t be available until October 23rd.
Meanwhile, users can already purchase the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with a starting price of $1,200.
Cybernews has contacted Apple for additional insights.