Screen line/artifact appears after iOS 26.0.1 upgrade on iPhone 15 Pro Max

If it looks and behaves like the original poster’s description and screenshots, you’re likely facing a hardware repair.

You need to have Apple perform diagnostics on your iPhone. It can be done in person at an Apple Retail Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can also contact Apple Support and request remote diagnostics.

If you’re in the US please call  1-800-MY-APPLE or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada call 1-800-263-3394

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Official Apple Support

You need to have Apple perform diagnostics on your iPhone. It can be done in person at an Apple Retail Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can also contact Apple Support and request remote diagnostics.

If you’re in the US, please call  1-800-MY-APPLE, or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada, call 1-800-263-3394.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Official Apple Support

if it rotates when you rotate phone to landscape it is more likely to be hardware

In that case the screenshot probably will not show it

If you have tried resetting your device and the issue still persists I would take it to the nearest Apple Store or authorized repair facility to have it inspected so they rule out a hardware issue. If it is solely an iOS bug it should eventually be fixed with an update

Your screen has a hardware issue. You need to have Apple perform diagnostics on your iPhone. It can be done in person at an Apple Retail Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can also contact Apple Support and request remote diagnostics.

If you’re in the US please call  1-800-MY-APPLE or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada call 1-800-263-3394

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Official Apple Support

If it is a hardware problem, no amount of software patches/upgrades are going to solve the problem. The Apple techs told you it is a hardware problem. Take it in to a Genius Bar or authorized service provider for a permenent solution.

Or live with it, knowing that other hardware components of your iPhone might fail and the phone might be unusable in the future. Now is the time to do a backup (in case you haven't).

Your call.

You can all run the self diagnostic How to put your iPhone in diagnostics mode - Apple Support.

I did it via display check and the result is "display anomaly", lol. What a joke and it happened exactly few days after mandatory European warranty time and iOS 26 update. Never dropped the phone, always worked well. And now I should pay 500$ for a display replacement?! That's pathetic.

We should file a complaint.

Chris_Straw wrote:

I've had the same problem since this update. Very annoying. Lots of people are describing the same problem in various forums. Hopefully a solution will be found.

Doesn't matter how many people complain, if it rotates when you rotate phone to landscape, ie stays in the same place as the page rotates under it, it is more likely to be hardware.

Yes, as I stated above, it’s a hardware issue.

If you’re in the US please call  1-800-MY-APPLE or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada call 1-800-263-3394

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Official Apple Support

If you have tried resetting your device and the issue still persists I would take it to the nearest Apple Store or authorized repair facility to have it inspected so they rule out a hardware issue. If it is solely an iOS bug it should eventually be fixed with an update. If it is a hardware problem, no amount of software patches or upgrades are going to solve the problem. The Apple techs told you it is a hardware problem. Take it in to a Genius Bar or authorized service provider for a permenent solution, knowing that other hardware components of your iPhone might fail and the phone might be unusable in the future.

udith_indrakantha wrote:

My phone is 14 pro max. I also have the same green line issue just after updating to ios 26.0.1 update. First I got only 1 green line issue. Then day by day it the green line count increses. I have 5 green lines and 1 purple line now. And a blurred patch near 'a' letter when the keyboard appears

As already mentioned you need a new screen or maybe a new phone. Yours has hardware failure.

The exact same thing happened to me today. I upgraded to iOS 26 about 2 weeks ago. Everything was fine. Then a few days ago I upgraded to iOS 26.0.1 and this morning I suddenly have that horizontal line about 3mm or 4mm thick, running across the screen, where it's brighter than the rest of the screen, in EXACTLY the same position as the poster's screenshot. I tried restarting the phone to no avail. I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max. It appears to be an issue with iPhone 15 Pro Max'es on iOS 26

[Edited by Moderator]

I am experiencing a similar issue with a translucent green bar/line appearing on my iPhone 15 Pro Max display after the recent iOS update. I visited the nearest Apple Store/Genius Bar and explained that the problem began only after the update. However, I was informed that no other complaints had been raised regarding this issue, and I was given a display replacement quote of $500.

I was surprised to learn that consumers are expected to bear the cost of what appears to be an iOS-related bug that affects the display pixels.

Apple should take full responsibility and replace affected iPhone displays free of charge for all consumers who encounter the green bar/line issue, regardless of warranty status, since this is not the result of physical damage caused by the user.

n_jk wrote:

I was surprised to learn that consumers are expected to bear the cost of what appears to be an iOS-related bug that affects the display pixels.

Apple should take full responsibility and replace affected iPhone displays free of charge for all consumers who encounter the green bar/line issue, regardless of warranty status, since this is not the result of physical damage caused by the user.

As has been explained, the phone had a weakness and would have filed eventually, the strain of an update, or a long session on a hot day, or a smail bump, will be the "last straw." We have seen it happen year after year.

And yes you are liable for any repairs beyond the local statuary warranty period. This can be anywhere between one and six years depending on your country of residence.