iPhone 13 Pro Max Proximity Sensor Malfunction - Screen Constantly Thinks It‘s Near Ear (Calls & WeChat)

Hello everyone,

I’m experiencing a critical and highly reproducible software/hardware issue with my iPhone 13 Pro Max, where the phone incorrectly believes it is constantly against my ear, forcing the screen off.

Detailed Symptom:

Trigger: As soon as I make or answer a regular phone call, OR when I play a WeChat voice message, the screen immediately turns black, as if I had put it to my ear.

Key Evidence: The screen is NOT frozen or dead. I can double-press the side (power) button and it wakes up instantly (both during calls and in WeChat). However, as long as the call or voice message continues, it will immediately turn black again on its own.

In short: The phone is perpetually stuck in the “in-call, screen-off due to proximity” state during any audio activity, even when it’s on the table untouched.

Critical Background Information:

iOS Version: 26.2.1 (This issue started immediately after this update. Previous version was fine).

Update Context: This update included fixes related to Apple headphone audio features. I suspect a conflict in the audio routing or sensor logic.

Recent Hardware Service: My battery was just replaced at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Full post-repair diagnostics found NO hardware faults, including with the proximity sensor.

Troubleshooting Completed: Removed case/screen protector, cleaned sensors, updated all apps, force restarted, reset all settings. Problem persists.

My Analysis & Core Question:

The fact that a double-press wakes the screen proves the touch and display are functional. The automatic, persistent blacking out points to one thing: The proximity sensor is sending a continuous “covered” signal, or the iOS software is misinterpreting its data.

Given this:

Started with iOS 26.2.1.

No hardware issues found by Apple diagnostics.

Perfectly reproducible with phone calls and WeChat audio.

Is this a confirmed bug in iOS 26.2.1’s proximity sensor driver or its interaction with the audio subsystem? Are other iPhone 13 Pro/Max users on this build experiencing the same? Is there a known workaround (like disabling a specific service via Accessibility settings) or an upcoming fix?

This makes the phone nearly unusable for calls. Any direct insight or escalation path would be a lifesaver.

谢谢。