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iPhone randomly shows boxes next to words

This recently started happening. It doesn’t happen all the time, only occasionally. A square will appear next to the words on the screen. The example image shows the Lock Screen with boxes next to Sleep focus is on and No Alarm. I can usually get them to disappear by restarting the phone. It has also happened on the words during phone calls. This started happening on my iPhone 11 Pro Max and continued happening on my iPhone 13 Pro Max.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

Posted on Feb 24, 2022 2:27 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Feb 25, 2022 3:32 AM

The next procedure would be to backup then restore your device to factory, and setup the device without restoring a backup, to see if the issue is replicated.

Then restore the backup.

If you need to send the phone in for repair then backing up and restoring to factory would be needed anyway.

Here is a guide for those steps

Backup and restore (I recommend the computer method if you have one)

If you can import your media to Photos app in a computer and copy important documents to a cloud server it will give you some resilience on case the restore from backup fails.

(1) How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

(2) Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support


Set up as new from the Hello Screen without restoring backup. Test if the problem still exists

If the problem goes away in the newly set up phone then suspect settings or apps.

If the problem remains then arrange a repair including details of these tests.

iPhone Repair - Official Apple Support


(3) When your phone comes back or if the fault went away on restoring,

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support





6 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Feb 25, 2022 3:32 AM in response to NickSchmid333

The next procedure would be to backup then restore your device to factory, and setup the device without restoring a backup, to see if the issue is replicated.

Then restore the backup.

If you need to send the phone in for repair then backing up and restoring to factory would be needed anyway.

Here is a guide for those steps

Backup and restore (I recommend the computer method if you have one)

If you can import your media to Photos app in a computer and copy important documents to a cloud server it will give you some resilience on case the restore from backup fails.

(1) How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

(2) Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support


Set up as new from the Hello Screen without restoring backup. Test if the problem still exists

If the problem goes away in the newly set up phone then suspect settings or apps.

If the problem remains then arrange a repair including details of these tests.

iPhone Repair - Official Apple Support


(3) When your phone comes back or if the fault went away on restoring,

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support





iPhone randomly shows boxes next to words

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