Level 1

34 points

iPhone XS Freezing Issue

I received a new XS on release day (9/21) and the next day started to experience intermittent freezing. The iPhone would freeze a few times a day and it happened while performing a variety of tasks, texting, surfing, emailing and using apps. The phone would freeze for several minutes where no screen touching or button pushing would any effect. The phone would either eventually go back to normal after several minutes by itself or require a hard restart from me.

I took the phone to my local Genius Bar exactly 6 days after receiving the XS and they gave me a brand new phone right away. Actually, they wanted my “freezing phone” so they could examine it in more detail to figure out why the freezing was occurring. I was happy and thought the issue was solved.

The next day after receiving new replacement XS, it started freezing again with the same frequency and symptoms. I went back to the same Genius Bar less than 48 hours after receiving the replacement phone and they did a few diagnostics on the unit and said it looked to be hardware based, but they couldn’t be sure. They again gave me another brand new phone and wanted to do an autopsy on my first replacement. I joked with the Apple Rep that was helping me that I might be “Patient 0” with this freezing issue. He told me to come back if it happened again and they would have to do a more exhaustive test to figure out the cause.

I got the second replacement yesterday and I have had one Freeze since obtains the phone, but that is better than the first two. I had an iPhone X previously with the same apps on it and it never froze one time in the year I used it. I thought I’d write my story here incase someone else is having the same issue.

By the way, Apple has been great with trying to help resolve this issue and I really appreciate their help. I’ll update this post if the freezing continues.

Posted on Sep 30, 2018 6:46 AM

Top-ranking reply

TrishKeys

Level 1

15 points

Posted on Nov 7, 2018 12:36 PM

This is my second reply. I went to my Apple store and explained my new XS is freezing. Also mentioned my iPhone 7

did the same thing and I traded it, thinking I'd not have the issue anymore. The tech said I needed to completely wipe my phone and set it up as a new phone, as my prior software had been corrupted. (iPhone 7s began freezing with the new ios11, and it affected 7 and 8 models) The tech had me wipe my phone at the store and she began installing fresh software for my XS. The only thing I lost in the process was everything in messages, but my music, mail, and photos came back intact. The object is to not use any of the old software from backups of your prior phones. This solution has worked for me so far. I wish I'd though of this myself (duh) but the tech was helpful and reassuring during the process. Hope this helps!

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53 replies

Oct 1, 2018 3:37 PM in response to MrBill3

Ive been having this same issue! Is yours still playing up? Im hoping this is a bug in the IOS and will be sorted with an update! Very annoying though!

cubbmind

Level 1

4 points

Jan 16, 2019 8:58 AM in response to Nelsonic

Yep had the same thing with my new Xs except they didn’t give new phone first time they just said to reinstall iOS as new phone but it did not fix it .. in the end I got a new iPhone

laurel97

Level 1

10 points

Oct 6, 2018 5:04 AM in response to Nelsonic

Same! There was no issue with returning first phone to Apple within the 14 days, but I had a lot of other issues besides just freezing. This one I’ve just started to have freezing issues after 4 days, but of course at a critical moment when I was trying to get a quick photo. Then, I’m trying to hard reset the device, it started calling “Emergency SOS” and I couldn’t stop it, the device was unresponsive.

Also, when my screen freezes “Assistive Touch” turns on, and I cannot get it to turn off without hard reset of the device. Not sure what that’s about.

Oct 14, 2018 5:57 AM in response to Nelsonic

Having the same issue. I have a new xs and the phone yesterday froze completely like it shut off. It didn’t unfreeze for 8 hours. I tried every hard reset trick that I could find. Nothing worked. Also, I had the calling my SOS and 911 repeatedly over and over as well. Very frustrating. This happened to me once on the iPhone X as well. Seems like both phones are like this.

Oct 20, 2018 5:14 PM in response to Nelsonic

Same....twice now in the last 3 days ....just freezes and then finally after hard restart screen goes black with something spinning in the middle ....takes forever for the hard restart to take care of it. So totally frustrating! Came from a xX Plus to this and not liking it.

Oct 26, 2018 9:11 PM in response to Nelsonic

Exact same problem, my xs is freezing alot of times. Mostly when i’m on facetime, it freezes up.

I had the iphone 6 before i got this new one, it never froze, and never had any problem as i’m having now. Still using the same apps, nothing has changed.

Kellywy

Level 1

4 points

Nov 5, 2018 4:21 AM in response to Nelsonic

I've had my iPhone xs for about a month no issues until I updated to the new iOS and it keeps freezing and takes ages to hard restart.

Has anyone found out what the problem is. Is it really a software issue?

Nelsonic Author

Level 1

34 points

Nov 5, 2018 4:46 AM in response to Kellywy

Update:

I have had my XS for 6 weeks now and even after two replacement units, my phone freezes at least once a day and often two or three times a day. I have been so busy that I haven’t been back to the Genius Bar to get help. I’ve just put up with the daily hard restarts that are required every time it freezes. My phone has frozen on during the use of many different applications, so it’s difficult to pinpoint the problem.

Later this week I will take my XS into Apple to see what they can do and report back as to my experience. Good luck to all the freezing XS owners out there. I feel your pain.

laurel97

Level 1

10 points

Nov 7, 2018 4:01 PM in response to Nelsonic

All these replies are making me feel not alone! I was “patient 0” too, twice replaced!! They acted though they had never seen an issue with this device - which I later theorized that in my market, probably not many purchased the latest and greatest!

I’ve been continuously plagued with frustration and upset by freezing. Especially when I go to take a picture of “the moment” and the phone goes unresponsive. Gahh. Keeps happening, guess I’m not a #iphoneonly travel photog, only solution for me here is going back to the camera equipment I was trying to replace!

laurel97

Level 1

10 points

Nov 7, 2018 4:04 PM in response to Nelsonic

Same! I really think it’s the hardware. I have an iPhone6 (not even 6S) that I keep as an iPod and for casting/streaming at home. I can stream 3 different networks, cast to my TV, chat on Instagram with no issue. This iPhoneXS can’t handle safari.

Essana12

Level 1

4 points

Nov 13, 2018 10:59 AM in response to Nelsonic

When I bought the cell phone I did not face any such issues. After a few days this issue started cropping up I thought it was due to A lot of apps that I had downloaded but it doesn’t seem to be the problem because on my android phone I had far more apps and was the low grade phone than Apple.

And now since past two days I’m facing severe issues once my phone just crashed and restarted itself. I will visit the

Dec 19, 2018 7:13 PM in response to Nelsonic

Same here. Freezes pulling up a basic webpage. Previous iphone x never froze. Apple says no issues but iphone xs is definitly much slower than any previous version and freezes with wifi or lte very consistently.

Dec 29, 2018 7:19 AM in response to Nelsonic

Thank you so very much for posting this! I’ve been having the same issue with my brand new iPhone XS. It has froze several times now and I’m so over it. I bever had this issue with my previous phone, iPhone X.

Feb 14, 2019 5:17 PM in response to Nelsonic

Just bought my iPhone Xs 14 days ago. Constant freezing on random apps. Several times I can’t hang up on phone call and people on other end can still hear my private conversations. Never had any of this on my 6 plus. Wish I never bought this piece of junk.

Feb 20, 2019 4:16 PM in response to gregg1951

The freezes came back, I went to Genius Bar again yesterday and had the phone replaced as it was deemed a hardware issue....guess what........my replacement has starting doing it as well. I can’t believe it. I didn’t restore from a back up again this time yet again and only installed about 4 apps. It must be either the hardware or could it be something in my iCloud account doing it.

Im going to have to spend more time now with apple support and probably another trip to the Genius Bar.

Glad I’d set my old radio alarm clock last night too as the phone alarm must have caused a freeze and it didn’t go off.

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iPhone XS Freezing Issue