iPhone 16 pro macro freezes and doesn't work on 4k at 24 fps and 4k at 30 fps

Thank you for sharing this info! I’m in the same boat—I also avoid working with HDR due to being a content creator. It’s strange that enabling HDR Video makes the macro lens function properly in 4K 24 and 4K 30, but unfortunately, like you, I can’t work in HDR since most social media platforms aren’t compatible with HEVC codecs.

It’s good to hear they’re looking into it and should give you some feedback in the next few days. Here in the U.S., I was told they hadn’t heard of anyone else with this issue and suggested I return the device. Two people on a Reddit forum returned their iPhone 16 Pro Max and received new ones, but the macro issue still persisted on the replacements.

Looking forward to hearing what you learn. Fingers crossed this really is a software issue and gets fixed soon! I also noticed another video issue—not related to macro—where the camera freezes if you’re filming in direct sunlight while switching between lenses (1x, 5x, .5, or 2x), similar to the macro freezing issue.

I feel yeah, I am annoyed too because I was also told by Apple support they have not heard of anyone having this issue but yet we're up to 14 people so far between this forum and the Reddit forum. Interesting to know when you wiped your phone the camera worked fine. When you say backup is that when we transfer from our old phone to the new one or do you mean backup as in the iCloud?

You’re now the third person to mention getting a replacement phone and still experiencing the same issue. I ordered a new iPhone on Saturday, 9/21/24, after Apple advised me to exchange it. However, due to inventory delays, it hasn’t shipped yet and is expected to arrive in mid-October. I’m now considering canceling the order since it seems likely that the new phone will have the same macro video freezing problem. This really makes me think it might not be a hardware issue, but rather a software one. I just wish Apple would provide more clarity on this, rather than simply saying they haven’t had anyone report this issue.

I’ve come across another camera issue in addition to the macro lens freezing in 4K 24 and 4K 30. When I start filming in 1x, I’m able to switch between 2x and 5x, but I can’t switch to .5x. However, if I begin recording in .5x, I can shoot fine, but the moment I try switching to another lens like 1x, 2x, or 5x, the camera freezes, stops recording, and reverts back to the main lens. Is anyone else experiencing this issue? I’m filming in 4K 24 fps and avoiding HDR because, as a content creator, HEVC codecs aren’t practical for me.

Here’s a video link showing what happens: https://imgur.com/a/TtrYFPm

thank you for sharing! Glad to know there are many people with this issue and Apple is now aware of this. When I called on Saturday I was told no one had called in. I called again last night. I'll post my experience above this comment. Thanks again for letting all of us know what you found out :)

Given that several of us are experiencing the macro freezing issue, I’m hoping it can be resolved with a software update. I called Apple again last night and now have a senior advisor handling my case. He suspects it’s more likely a software issue rather than hardware. We ran some tests, which he’ll send to the engineering team, and he’ll get back to me in a few days. He also advised me to cancel my new phone order since it’s possible the replacement could have the same issue. On a positive note, if it does turn out to be a hardware problem, he assured me I’d still be eligible for a replacement even if it’s past the return window. That definitely gives me some peace of mind but still frustrating we all have to deal with this issue.

Apple just released 18.0.1 software update:

This update provides important bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone including:

• Touch screen may be temporarily unresponsive in certain circumstances on iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models

• Camera may freeze when recording macro mode video on the Ultra Wide camera in 4K with HDR turned off on iPhone 16 Pro models

• Messages may unexpectedly quit when replying to a message with a shared Apple Watch face

• Performance may be impacted due to an issue with memory allocation on some iPhone models

Did this update work for any of you with the macro 4k 24fps and 30 fps with HDR turned off? I hope it did!

Unfortunately, I am running 18.1 Beta 2 so I can't update to 18.0.1 to try it out.

Good to know you are having the same macro video issue on your iPhone 16 pro. When you contacted Apple about this issue what did they tell you?