Some early owners of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are reporting problems with Face ID, including failed authentication, setup errors and unexpected device reboots. The first customer deliveries began arriving on Friday, but it is not clear how widespread the issues are.

One reported bug affects Face ID authentication for specific actions, such as unlocking a locked app. According to a Reddit post highlighted by 9to5Mac, Face ID can fail during the process, after which the iPhone may freeze and eventually restart at the lock screen.

The issue appears inconsistent. Some users describe Face ID as working normally at other times, while others have not encountered the problem at all. That makes it difficult to determine whether the reports point to a broad software defect or a problem affecting a smaller number of devices.

What Face ID problems are being reported?

Separate user reports describe additional Face ID behavior on the iPhone 18 Pro models. Some owners say they see a “Face ID is Not Available” message when trying to configure the feature for the first time.

Other users report that the phones do not always follow the Require Attention for Face ID setting when it is turned on. That setting is designed to require the user to look toward the iPhone during authentication, so inconsistent behavior could affect how Face ID responds in everyday use.

  • Face ID authentication can fail for actions such as unlocking a locked app.
  • Some affected devices reportedly freeze and reboot to the lock screen.
  • Some users cannot complete Face ID setup because the feature is unavailable.
  • The Require Attention for Face ID setting may not always behave as expected.

Could the new Face ID hardware be involved?

Apple moved the infrared camera used by Face ID beneath the display near the top-left corner on the iPhone 18 Pro models. The change helps make the Dynamic Island smaller, but there is currently no confirmation that it is connected to the reported failures.

Because the iPhone 18 Pro models use this altered Face ID arrangement, the hardware change is one possible area to investigate. However, the available reports do not establish whether the cause is hardware, software or a combination of both.

When could Apple fix the problem?

The reports could ultimately be addressed through a future iOS 27 update if they result from software bugs. The available information does not identify a release schedule or confirm that Apple has formally acknowledged the issue.

Owners experiencing repeated failures can monitor for software updates and note whether the problem occurs during setup, app authentication or ordinary unlocking. Until more reports emerge, the size and consistency of the problem remain unclear.