iOS 11 problems and fixes
Despite Apple’s extensive testing and the public and developer beta programs, there are have been a fair few problems with iOS 11, the newest version of the iPhone and iPad software. As we hear of them we will outline them here, along with any fixes that have been suggested.
If you are having any issues with your iPhone or iPad let us know. There have been reports of not being able to connect to the WiFi network, the device filling up its storage too quickly, the screen freezing or buttons becoming unresponsive, and Message syncing issues with iCloud.
We run through the various versions of iOS 11 that have been issued by Apple in a different article, some of the fixes address issues listed below, so check out our guide to iOS 11 updates and find out about the latest version of iOS 11, to see whether you should update your iPhone.
Below we will look at some of the key issues and the suggested fixes for them.
iOS 11.3 breaks touch screen functionality
Some people who have had the screen on their iPhone replaced are experiencing issues since updating their iPhone to iOS 11.3.
Apparently the issue – which is causing the touch functionality in some iPhone 8 models to stop working – is linked to the use of non-Apple screens being installed by third parties, rather than Apple.
Aakshay Kripalani, CEO of Injured Gadgets, a repair shop, told Motherboard: “Customers are annoyed and it seems like Apple is doing this to prevent customers from doing 3rd party repair.”
This isn’t the first time Apple has stopped the touch functionality working on repaired iPhones. In 2017 notes issued with an update noted that third-party replacement parts might not work correctly. Apple issued an update a week later that fixed that issue.
How to fix it…
One store mentioned in an Apple Insider report has found that a DFU restore will fix the problem.
DFU (or Device Firmware Update) is a kind of restore – we have a complete guide to putting an iPhone in DFU mode here.
Siri privacy bug
Thanks to another bug in iOS 11, it is possible to ask Siri to read third-party notifications – including those that are hidden – even if an iPhone is locked.
The bug doesn’t affect iMessage – but it does affect third-party apps, such as Whatsapp and Gmail. In some cases, Siri has read the subject line of emails received in the Mail app.
Apple has confirmed that the issue will be fixed in an upcoming software update. Apple told MacRumors: “We are aware of the issue and it will be addressed in an upcoming software update,” so the best fix will be to wait until that update is issued.
iMessage speech bubble bug
Apple posted a new iPhone X ad on YouTube at the end of March – only to re-upload it a few days later after someone noticed that the ad showed an iOS 11 bug in action.
The iOS 11 bug shows a text arriving in iMessage that doesn’t appear within a speech-bubble.
The Verge has this gif of how the message was appearing in the ad before Apple re-submitted it:
iPhone crashing bug
iPhones started crashing at midnight on 2 December due to a fault in iOS 11.1.2. Apple was quick to issue iOS 11.2 which fixes that problem, along with adding some new features to the iPhone and iPad operating system.
At midnight on 2 December iPhones started rebooting and crashing due to the bug, which seemed to relate to iOS notifications that happen on an individual’s iPhone (rather than on Apple’s servers).
iOS 11.2 fixed that bug, but some people were finding it hard to update given the fact that their iPhones were in a rebooting loop.
How to fix it…
If your phone is crashing due to this bug, try the following:
- Go to Settings > Notifications and scroll down and turn off notifications for any of your apps that have them – this should solve the issue in the short term (so that the phone doesn’t reboot while you are attempting to update iOS). Unfortunately, it has to be done on a per-app basis as you can’t just turn off notifications system-wide.
- You should be able to update to iOS 11.2 now – Go to Settings > General > Software Update. (Read more about how to update your iPhone here).
- If your iPhone won’t stop rebooting, try plugging it into your Mac or PC and update iOS using iTunes. Find out how to do that here: How to update an iPhone via a Mac.
Autocorrect bug
The latest bug (as of 27 November) in iOS 11 is turning the word ‘it’ into ‘I.T’. The bug is fixed by the iOS 11.2 update that was issued on 2 December – more about that above.
Some users were finding that if they type the word ‘it’ they will see I.T as a QuickType suggestion, but even if they don’t select that option when they press space it will automatically change ‘it’ into ‘I.T’.
Apparently the same happens with ‘is’, except that word is changed to ‘I.S’.
The company had already addressed a similar bug that turned the letter I into a question mark in a box. The company issued a fix for that issue in iOS 11.1.1.
Prior to the iOS 11.1.1 update if you typed the letter I it would autocorrect to an exclamation mark within a box.
How to fix it…
Initially, Apple offered the following fix, although the subsequent iOS 11.1.1 update should fix the issue.
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard
- Tap on Text Replacement.
- Tap on +
- Type I for Phrase.
- Type i for Shortcut.
- Tap Done.
The same fix should work for the I.T autocorrect bug, just choose ‘it’ for Phrase, and type ‘it’ for the shortcut.
Alternatively, you can use a third party keyboard or turn off predictive text.
It is thought that the I issue is linked to an emoji as those people affected have an I character appearing in their frequently used emojis.
iOS 11 Battery issues
One of the new features in iOS 11.3 was access to information about battery capacity and whether Apple had been throttling your iPhone to prevent unexpected shutdowns – read about why Apple was slowing down some iPhones here.
However, even before light was shed on this practice, there have been some concerns about battery life in iOS 11. One issue was with the YouTube app, which has been found to drain significant amounts of battery in iOS 11.
The YouTube app appears to be at fault here, rather than iOS 11, with reports of iPhones running hot when the YouTube app is in use.
Hey @YouTube any news on fixing the insane battery drain on your Apple iOS YouTube app? 10-15 mins of watching a video shouldn’t drain 20% of my battery
— Verik (@easycheesyfondu)
13 November 2017
YouTube has responded claiming that it is addressing the issue.
@TeamYouTube Please address heating and battery issues in iOS youtube app.
We are annoyed with these issues, please roll an update to fix it please— ShivamKrishn Agrwal (@ShivamKrishn)
13 November 2017
Earlier in the iOS 11 release cycle some battery life concerns identified by mobile security firm Wandera.
The company monitored 50,000 iPad and iPhone users on its networks and found that those using iOS 11 were finding that their battery was draining ‘twice as fast’ as those on iOS 10.
This battery life issue could be related to the way Spotlight reindexed iOS 11 once installed, and also it could be due to users trying out new features and thereby using their device in an unusual way.
If you are experiencing a problem with battery life then the suggestion was that factory resetting your iPhone or iPad could fix it, but this would mean wiping your device. Here’s how to factory reset your iPhone or iPad.
Apple’s iOS 11.0.1 update was thought to go some way to correcting the battery life issues, by addressing WiFi and Bluetooth settings. However, battery life appears to be the top complaint from those who have installed iOS 11.0.3.
There were also concerns about the battery inside the iPhone 8, with reports of two iPhones breaking after the battery burst the case open. Apple is said to be investigating the claims, which were made about iPhones bought in Taiwan and Japan. We have more information in this article: iPhone 8 battery problems: Latest news & what to do.
You can also save battery life by following our tips here: How to save battery life on iPhone.
iOS 11 Crackling (or ‘static’) noise
Some users reported hearing an annoying crackling noise from their iPhone’s earpiece during phone or FaceTime calls since updating to iOS 11 – but it only seems to affect the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus handsets. Apple has addressed this with a patch in iOS 11.0.2 (discussed here).
WiFi & Bluetooth issues with iOS 11
Users have been confused to find that when they toggle Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off in iOS 11 Control Centre on their iPhone it doesn’t actually turn off the functions.
Apple explains that this is so that the following applications can have access to the functions:
- AirDrop
- AirPlay
- Apple Pencil
- Apple Watch
- Continuity features, like Handoff and Instant Hotspot
- Instant Hotspot
- Location Services
What it means is that even if you think you have turned off WiFi or Bluetooth you haven’t really, and functions like AirDrop will still be available.
If you want to turn off Bluetooth or WiFi you need to go into Settings, but even if you turn them off here they will turn on again automatically at 5am the next morning.
Missing apps or apps not working
Because iOS 11 marks the end of support for 32-bit apps some of the older apps on your iPhone may stop working following the iOS 11 update. We have more information on this here: Which apps won’t work in iOS 11?
iOS 11 not working with email in Outlook/Exchange
There was a “cannot send mail. The message was rejected by the server” bug in iOS 11 that was stopping emails being sent via Microsoft servers.
Apple acknowledged this and worked on a fix with Microsoft which was issued with the iOS 11.0.1 update, so if you are experiencing this issue update your device.