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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

Best 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

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.

Jan 1, 2019 1:50 PM in response to gdoteof

Sorry to hear about this. I have the 256GB Silver XS. I contacted Apple support and they suggested I wipe and restore the device again and if it did it again to setup a new.

I can say that since I wiped it and restored again from my back, it has not frozen again at all. Could have had something to do with the fist time I initially set it up. Sometimes backups can be bad so if it happens again, then I’ll start new but so far so good now.

DrStupid

Level 1

4 points

Jan 9, 2019 10:53 AM in response to HarmoniousAZ

I have the same problem and, like many others, thought it was just me, or an issue with the latest iOS.

Probably happening 3-4 times per day, most noticeably when I go to Settings. I find swiping-up and killing the frozen app, then relaunching, solves it.

Might book a Genius appointment to get some diagnostics run.

Feb 10, 2019 3:33 PM in response to gdoteof

I have had it happen to my X 256gb, had it replaced twice at the Genius Bar, so was on my third X, upgraded this week to an XS 256gb gold and experiencing same issue, on all replacement devices and the XS I set up as a new phone and didn't restore from back up. Glad it's not just me.

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 15, 2019 2:36 AM in response to gregg1951

I’m on my 5th iPhone in a few weeks but I hat I tried last night was ‘reset all settings’ my phone hasn’t stalled since although it’s not been 24hrs yet but it has been stalling approx 3 times a day. Try that. It’ll just mean you have to put all your WiFi passwords in again etc etc.

my alarm didn’t go off this morning mind but that could have been a settings issue.

Feb 15, 2019 6:55 AM in response to gregg1951

I’m now almost 24hrs without a reboot!

were you getting full panics in your logs? Got to privacy, scroll to bottom click analytics, then analytics data.....scroll down and see if you have had any panic full-should conincide with when it’s been rebooting. I’m an expert now!

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.

Mar 4, 2019 7:05 PM in response to Nelsonic

Same. This XR is so unstable compared to my old bullet proof SE! Almost everyday it will go into a funk where apps won’t stay open and it will freeze up and get laggy and I can’t even reboot it sometimes. Glad work paid for it and not me!! Still seems like there is no solution.

Mar 9, 2019 1:49 AM in response to Nelsonic

I had mine replaced again yesterday, I am now on either my 7th or 8th device so far this year! Yes, I've lost count. I think this is my 8th....all with the same issue and all set up as new. I have had my new replacement XS for 21hrs and no issues so far.........

tjs00

Level 1

8 points

Mar 26, 2019 12:46 PM in response to jeremyj03

I just got my XS on Friday and on Monday it froze for the first time (I hadn't used it much). I didn't know what was happening. I thought I hard reset but then it wouldn't come back on. Suddenly 10 minutes later it is back on by itself and the alarm clock is going off (late).

Mar 26, 2019 12:55 PM in response to tjs00

My iPhone XS has freeze again 3 times in the last 15 days with always the same symptom. OLED shutdown, you don't know what happen. Try to reset it with left down button and right button but because you can't see anything, it's hard lol. You hear the sound and this is the only feed back you have. Then after playing with button during multiple minutes, Phone go back to life, in general 2-5 minutes later with OLED on. Really painfull ! Apple please do something... it just a 1300€ phone (my version has 256 gb). Scandalous to have such an issue. I'm nearly sure Apple have feedback of kernel panic in system issue logback system because iphone reboot (partially) which make him come back to life. So what are they doing ??? This issue occur since the begining I have the phone in october and newer iOs version doesn't change anything...

Mar 26, 2019 3:47 PM in response to jean-marie272

Make sure you have an online chat with apple support, I have to send them logs now when it crashes, had another one last week at the Apple store as the engineers said it was a hardware fault, the new one is also doing it. Updated to 12.2 last night and I’ve had 2 crashes today.

Apr 25, 2019 3:23 PM in response to rasand293

have you chatted with apple support? I did and although I am now on my 10th handset with the same issue I upload logs from my phone to them after a crash, they are still trying to identify the issue, they are very helpful though.

JMen2019

Level 1

8 points

Jun 1, 2019 11:23 AM in response to Nelsonic

Same. I have an iPhone XS 256GB Gold, and the keyboard intermittently freezes. I brought us up at the Genius bar along with the issue of it not charging on a mophie Qi wireless charger, in fact it indicated it was charging, but the battery continued to drop throughout the night. I have followed all of the fixes, and they ended up resetting the firmware with a fresh install. The issue with the keyboard freezing went away for about a week, and then came back.

iPhone XS Freezing Issue