If you have bought a second hand iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max and discovered that it is still linked to the previous owner you may encounter problems with Find My iPhone – a feature found in iOS and macOS that enables users to locate lost or missing iPhone and Mac devices. It can be very tricky to turn off Find My iPhone on a device that is linked to a previous owner – that’s exactly why we recommend that if you are selling an iPhone you disable Find My iPhone before you do so.

Another reason you may want to deactivate Find My iPhone is if you are concerned that Find My iPhone can allow someone to track you. In theory anyone who has your Apple Account log on details could use the Find My app to locate your iPhone (or Mac).

It’s a useful service if you do lose your iPhone because you can use it to locate the iPhone or Mac by logging on to iCloud.com (on a Mac or Windows PC) or using the Find My app on an iPhone. Using Find My iPhone you’ll be able to see the location of your device on a map, remotely lock it, wipe its contents or send a message to a lost device (encouraging a finder to return it).

But if you do want to remove Find My iPhone, either because you are selling the iPhone, because you don’t like the idea that Apple (or anyone else with your details) could track you, or because you have obtained an iPhone that is still linked to someone else’s Find My iPhone, then luckily it’s relatively easy to remove an iPhone from Find My iPhone. In this article we show you how.

How to disable Find My iPhone

Assuming it’s Find My iPhone on your own device – rather than someone else’s iPhone – that you want to turn off, here’s what you need to do.

On an iPhone 18 Pro Max

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap your name, then tap Find My.

   

3. Tap Find My iPhone.
4. On the next page tap on the switch to turn off Find My iPhone (the switch will be grey if it’s off).
5. You will need to enter the Apple Account and Password to turn off Find My iPhone, if you don’t have that move to the next section.
6. Find My iPhone will now be disabled for that iPhone, and you can continue to reset the device to its factory settings (if you’re planning to sell it.) Do this using Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

How to disable Find My iPhone on someone else’s phone

Find My iPhone is a tremendously useful service, and was implemented in part to discourage the theft of Apple devices. Because of this you cannot disable Find My iPhone without the Apple Account and password used to set it up. Furthermore, if you cannot turn off Find My iPhone, you cannot completely restore the iPhone to its original factory settings.

Because of this you must disable Find My iPhone before selling, or passing on, your iPhone. If you have purchased an iPhone 18 Pro Max second-hand and do not have the Apple Account and password requested by Find My iPhone, you will need to contact the original owner to retrieve it (or hand them the iPhone and get them to enter the password).

What if you inherited the iPhone or Mac and the previous owner is now dead? Unfortunately it’s not at all easy to gain access to an iPhone even in these sad circumstances. However, it may be worth a call to Customer Services who may be able to help, you may need to show a death certificate but it may be possible to get the device unlocked in these special circumstances.

Can Find My iPhone be used to find me?

Can Find My iPhone be used to track someone else’s phone though? And if you enter someone else’s Apple Account details to track their iPhone they will see a notification on their device?

If someone knows your Apple Account and password they could log on to Find My iPhone on their iPhone, enter your details and locate your iPhone (and any other devices you own). For that reason if you think someone might have your Apple Account and password and you don’t want them to be able to track your whereabouts (a stalker for example) then you should change your password. With two-factor authentication, a trusted phone number or trusted device helps verify your identity when you sign in to a new device or browser.

If someone logs on to your iCloud account via a web browser you will receive an email informing you.

How to turn off Find My iPhone so I can’t be tracked

If you are concerned that someone can track your whereabouts using Find My iPhone you might want to deactivate it. Here’s how:

Turning off Find My iPhone is pretty straightforward as long as you have the Apple Account and password. Follow these steps to turn off Find My iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name, then tap Find My.
3. Choose Find My iPhone.
4. Set Find My iPhone to Off.
5. Enter the Apple Account password for the account listed and tap Turn Off.

In an emergency, you can also use Safety Check to quickly reset access to your device and personal information. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check, tap Emergency Reset, tap Start Emergency Reset, then follow the onscreen instructions.

How to turn off Find My iPhone without the Apple Account or password

If you don’t have the Apple Account or password – even if it’s your own iPhone 18 Pro Max – turning off Find My iPhone can still be impossible.

If it’s not your phone, you need to request the Apple Account and password from the previous owner. Even if you don’t know the original owner, you should be able to find out which email is associated with the Apple Account and then email them and request the password.

While it’s normal for an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max to pause an update for a few minutes or so, you can sometimes get stuck in the middle of a download with no progress, which can be extremely frustrating. So, let’s see what you can do if your iOS software update download gets stuck halfway through.

1. Charge Your iPhone

Apple requires your iPhone to have a battery percentage of at least 50 percent to download an iOS update. If you started a download at 55 percent, for example, it’s highly likely the battery level will fall below this required percentage in the middle of an update.

Thus, this might be the reason why your iOS update is paused. To resolve this, simply charge your iPhone and leave it there until the download completes.

2. Reset Your Network Settings

One of the most common reasons for an interrupted iOS update is an unstable network. If you lose your internet connection while an update is downloading, your iPhone 18 Pro Max will automatically pause the iOS update. The same thing will happen if your connection is weak or fluctuating.

Typically, your iPhone will resume the update when your internet connection improves, but that is not always the case.

A sure indicator that your internet is the culprit of a paused iOS update is a grayed-out Resume Download option on the update screen.

There are several fixes you can try to make your network conditions better and unpause your iOS update:

• Try resetting your Wi-Fi connection by turning your iPhone’s Wi-Fi off and back on.
• Do a soft reset by restarting your iPhone.
• Turn Airplane Mode on and off to restore your connections. You can access Airplane mode from your iPhone’s Control Center.

  

• Reset all network settings on your iPhone to eliminate any underlying connectivity problems.
• Restart or reset your router.

Also, avoid using your iPhone’s cellular data to update iOS. Unless you have an active 5G plan, Apple doesn’t allow you to download a major iOS update on cellular data.

It’s best to use cellular data for minor updates only or rely on Wi-Fi if your cellular data connection is often slow, unstable, or has a limited quota.

3. Clear More Storage Space

If you’re running low on iPhone storage, your update may stop before it downloads completely. Before starting an update download, your iPhone indicates how large the file is. You can expect iOS updates to be anywhere from 1GB to 6GB in size. However, you’ll need to make sure your device has twice the storage space to download and install the update.

To confirm you have enough storage for an update, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. If you don’t have enough space on your device, try deleting some media or offloading unused apps to free up storage space on your iPhone.

If you have insufficient space to download the update, try updating your iPhone 18 Pro Max with a Mac. This way, you don’t need quite as much free space on your iPhone. Just follow these steps:

1. Connect your iPhone and Mac via USB.
2. Open Finder to locate your iPhone. You may need to trust your device to continue.
3. Select your iPhone from the sidebar.
4. Under the General tab, click Check for Update.

If you have a Windows PC, follow these steps using the Apple Devices app instead of Finder.

If you find that you have enough storage space for the update, then it’s likely not the problem. Let’s look at more fixes for your interrupted iOS update.

4. Remove Beta Software or Incomplete Updates

If you’ve previously downloaded an iOS beta or an incomplete update, it’ll almost certainly cause your update to fail this time.

The way forward is to uninstall the iOS beta or remove the former update’s installation package. To do the latter, open your iPhone’s Settings, go to General > iPhone Storage, and scroll down the list of apps till you find Software Update. Tap it, then select Delete Update.

Once you’ve deleted the update file, you can head to General > Software Update to restart the update.

5. Turn Off Content & Privacy Restrictions

Most people turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions to block themselves or someone else from installing and deleting apps. It’s also a great feature for parents trying to restrict their children from accessing certain content.

If you previously turned on content restriction for iTunes and App Store purchases, your iOS update will not succeed.

To lift the restrictions, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. You can turn off all restrictions by toggling off the switch at the top of the page or allow access for specific categories. For example, tap iTunes & App Store Purchases to create customized access rules for installing or deleting apps.

6. Check Apple’s System Status Page

When Apple releases a new iOS update, iPhone users all over the world rush to download it. This can cause Apple’s servers to become overburdened, resulting in downtimes that will cause your iOS update to pause.

It’s rarely the case, but we can’t rule out the possibility that Apple’s update servers have failed. To be sure, visit the Apple System Status page and check for a green circle for update-related services such as the App Store, iCloud Account, etc. If there isn’t a green circle, that means there’s a system problem, and you’ll have to wait until Apple fixes it.

Unpause and Finish Your iOS Update

When your iOS update pauses for whatever reason, one of these fixes should help you resume your iOS update download and installation.

But if none of these tips work, you may have to try a DFU restore to completely erase and reinstall all the software and firmware on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. This step will also erase all your data, so make sure you have a backup first.

Although iPhones are known to be resilient against malware and viruses, they’re not immune to all issues that plague smartphones, including concerns related to hardware. For example, iPhones can experience issues like the camera only showing a black screen, overheating, or the battery draining too fast.

While Apple typically provides free diagnostic support at its Genius Bar, not everyone can take the time out of their day to show up at a physical store. Thankfully, Apple makes it possible to perform a diagnostic exam remotely. Here’s how.

What Is a Remote Diagnostic Exam?

While it’s not always possible to escape a trip to the Apple Store, especially if the physical damage is a broken screen, there are some problems that you can resolve from home. With a remote diagnostic exam, Apple Support can identify any potential hardware issues with your device without inspecting it in person.

If it’s possible to fix your concerns remotely, the tech support will guide you through the methods of resolving it. Apple support can also recommend visiting a physical Apple Store or authorized repair center if they identify that the issue requires a professional repair.

How to Request for Remote Diagnostic Exam

To request a remote diagnostic exam, you must first contact Apple Support and receive a prompt from their end. If your iPhone still works at all, you can get in touch with tech support using the Apple Support App.

Alternatively, follow these steps:

1. Go to Apple’s Get Support website.
2. Click Sign in to view your products, or just click Choose a product and select the iPhone.
3. Click Repairs & Physical Damages.
4. Choose the most relevant option and select Continue.
5. Under Contact, click Chat. If you don’t see a Chat option, go back and select a different option instead.

Afterward, you can explain your hardware concerns with your iPhone 18 Pro Max. If the Apple support specialist wants to verify your iPhone’s issues, they will ask you to allow a remote diagnostic exam through a prompt.

If your device with an issue is not linked to your Apple Account, you may have to provide your iPhone’s IMEI number instead. Thankfully, there are several methods to find out what your iPhone’s IMEI is.

How to Allow Apple Support to Conduct a Diagnostic Exam on Your iPhone 18 Pro Max Remotely

Take note that you will not be able to initiate the remote diagnostic exam without a prompt from Apple. If you follow these steps without talking to a specialist, the option to start a diagnostic report will not show up on your iPhone.

Once a request for a diagnostic report is sent by your Apple specialist, here’s what you have to do:

1. On your iPhone, navigate to Settings.
2. Select Privacy & Security.

   

3. Tap Analytics & Improvements.
4. Select Start Diagnostic Report with Apple Support.
5. After reading the terms and conditions, tap Agree.

Then, wait for Apple to run the diagnostic exam on your device’s hardware. According to Apple support, this process will take a minute or two to complete. After the diagnostic exam, the Apple support specialist will be able to guide you with the best methods to resolve your concern.

Find Out What’s Wrong With Your iPhone Remotely

By asking for the help of Apple support, you can avoid the hassle of traveling by finding out what’s wrong with your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max before going to the Apple Store. If the issue isn’t severe, Apple support can help you with some concerns in just a few minutes through a remote diagnostic exam.

Although the Apple support specialist will attempt to help you as much as possible, it’s important to remember that there are limits to what they can do remotely. For this reason, you may still have to go to an authorized Apple repair center to get a physical repair if the matter is still not resolved.

Here’s how to keep all your Messages in sync across all your devices, back up the photos and attachments that are sent to you via iMessage, plus save space on your iPhone, iPad and Mac, and access your entire message history on any device any where.

At WWDC in June 2017 Apple revealed that it was going to improve Messages so that your texts would always be in sync across all your devices. It took until the end of May 2018, almost an entire year, before the company updated iOS and MacOS to make this possible.

If you’d like to know how to implement Messages in iCloud read on…

But, first, a little background:

How Messages used to sync

Before, if you were signed into the same Apple Account on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, then the Messages apps on each device would show incoming messages at the same time. If you replied to a message, the conversation would be updated on each device. Except it didn’t always work like that.

If, for example, all your devices weren’t powered on or connected to the internet, the messages wouldn’t arrive there. And if you deleted a message on one device – say some spam from some random iCloud address – it would still be on all your other devices until you deleted it there too.

What does Messages in iCloud do?

If you turn on Messages in iCloud (we’ll show you how below), this is what you can expect:

Backed up to iCloud All your Messages (that’s iMessages and SMS texts sent from other types of phone) will be stored in iCloud rather than on your devices.

Attachments and images That will include all the attachments and images that are sent to you via Messages – they are often the reason why Messages takes up so much room on your iPhone 18 Pro Max, for example.

On any device Because all your text messages are stored in the cloud, you can access them on any of your devices – as long as you are signed into your iMessage account.

Always in sync One of the annoyances about the way Messages used to work was that Messages weren’t always in sync. It depended on whether your device was online during a conversation, for example, and if you deleted a message on one device it would still be left on another device. Now, because everything happens in the cloud everything is mirrored across all your devices.

New device, old messages If you register a new device it will have your entire Message history, without having to restore from an old iPhone back up which would be the only way to do that previously.

Save space It could save valuable space on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. Before we turned the feature on our Messages took up 5.7GB of space on our iPhone. Plus, because it stores photos and attachments in the cloud this frees up local space on your iPhone and Mac.

Faster backup And since every device you owned backed up its entire Message library, you could be wasting iCloud storage space. Plus, your usual iPhone back up should happen quickly because your Messages file will be smaller since only your newest messages are stored locally.

Sound like a good feature to you? Here’s how to set up Messages in iCloud.

The negatives:

A few things that might hold you back:

Deleted forever If you delete a message it will be deleted from the back up – so bear that in mind when deleting a message on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Storage requirement It is likely that you will require more than the 5GB storage if you turn on Messages in iCloud.

How to set up Messages in iCloud

If you have decided that you want all your Messages to be in sync across all your devices, so that if you delete a message it will delete on all your devices, so that you have your entire Messages history accessible on any device and via the cloud, here’s how to turn on Messages in iCloud.

On iPhone 18 Pro Max:

You will need two factor authentication enabled.

1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Messages. If Messages doesn’t appear, tap See All in the Saved to iCloud section.

   

2. Turn on “Use on this iPhone” (if it’s not already turned on).

Make sure that your iPhone is turned on and connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network, and that you sign in to the same Apple Account on each device.

After the initial sync, everything should always stay up to date – as long as you are connected to the internet.

On the Mac:

Messages in iCloud arrived on macOS in the 10.13.5 update. This is how to set it up:

1. Go to Messages > Settings, click iMessage.
2. Click on the box beside Enable Messages in iCloud.

The upper-left and sometimes upper-right corner of your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max display does a lot of work packing in meanings using symbolic shorthand. Apple has used since the iPhone’s introduction a few letters or a tiny graphic to let you know at a glance the performance, nature, and quality of your internet signal.

But with so many generations of cellular technology in use and so many symbols involved, can you decipher them all? Here’s your guide to understanding the oldest to newest U.S. symbols.

Cellular generations started with an analog service, now called 1G. The first digital service, 2G is our starting point:

• G, E, 3G: These symbols represent 2G, 2.5G (EDGE), and 3G. EDGE was a bridge technology that aggregated 2G cellular channels for greater throughput, used by Apple in iPhones before the company felt 3G chipsets were low energy enough to deploy without draining batteries quickly. 2G, 2.5G, and 3G networks have either shut down or have deadlines to shut down in most countries that have deployed 4G and 5G networks. These early flavors used frequency ranges inefficiently, and carriers want to use them now to carry much more data.
• 4G: Really a faster version of 3G, it was more of a marketing label–about 6Mbps downstream and less than 2Mbps upstream. You may still see this on some networks and phone models. It’s more likely you’ll see, however…
• LTE or 5GE: Both technologies use 4G protocol–the “5G” in “5GE” is pure marketing–which offers up to tens of megabytes per second downstream and several Mbps upstream. They were evolutionary steps on the road to true…
• 5G: The 5G icon appears when connected to a 5G network that roughly overlaps frequencies previously used for LTE. T-Mobile uses it to indicate its “extended range” network, as their 5G upgrade allows a greater high-speed coverage area than LTE cellular transmitters in the same locations. Data rates are somewhat speedier than LTE, but not lightning fast.
• 5G or 5GUC: Depending on your carrier and region, you might see either 5G or 5GUC for connections that can run from 100 to 300 Mbps downstream.
• 5GUW: In the United States only, another version of 5G uses a high frequency or millimeter wave band that can offer up to 1Gbps, and some carriers call this “ultrawideband.” For that flavor Apple confusingly shows 5G+; for others, 5GUW.
• Cell/satellite: The number of bars indicates signal strength. If you have either a SIM and eSIM or two eSIMs active, the upper row of bars indicates the signal strength of the line you use for cellular data. The lower row of bars indicates the signal strength of your other line. Apple enhanced a “No Service” label when there’s no signal to read “SOS” with dots beneath it when another cellular network may be available for emergency calls. In a country that supports it, the icon that shows a satellite appears when you engage Emergency SOS via satellite.
• Wi-Fi: The familiar Wi-Fi waves show a weak, moderate, or strong connection. When Wi-Fi Calling is available, “Wi-Fi” is displayed after your carrier name in the status bar, and all your calls go through Wi-Fi. The icon, two overlapping chains, indicates the iPhone 18 Pro Max is connected to the Internet via tethering. (This includes Wi-Fi for a Personal Hotspot, Bluetooth, and USB.)

Note: iPhone 18 Pro Max models purchased in the United States can only be activated with an eSIM.

Not being able to hear music, audiobooks, or your alarm on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max can be a headache. See iPhone 18 Pro Max Alarm Not Going Off. There’s often a quick fix, especially if it’s a simple problem with your software. Here are some simple tips for boosting your smartphone’s volume.

High volumes can damage your ears, so take care when using the tricks below.

Your iPhone Could Be on Silent

We’ll first check through some of the basic areas that are easy to overlook. For instance, you might’ve been annoyed by that shutter noise when taking a photo, so set your phone to Silent. Press and hold the Action button to turn Silent mode on. Press and hold the Action button again to turn Silent mode off. Important: Clock alarms, audio apps such as Music, and many games play sounds through the built-in speaker, even when Silent mode is on.

To change the Action button to Silent mode, go to Settings > Action Button. To choose an action (like Silent Mode), swipe to the action you want to use—its name appears below the dots.

Your iPhone 18 Pro Max Volume Could Be Turned Down

On the side of your phone, under the Action button, you’ll find the Volume buttons, which adjust sounds for videos and music in increments. This also works if you’re trying to increase the ringer volume.

If the buttons don’t change anything, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then check that Change with Buttons is turned on. Alternatively, alter the volume via the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right of your screen.

There’s also an option to limit the maximum volume. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety. There, you can toggle on Reduce Loud Audio. This should be automatically set to 85 decibels (“as loud as heavy city traffic”), but you can go up to 100 decibels (“as loud as an ambulance siren”), just be careful with this. Your phone will warn you if you exceed recommended volume levels in a week.

Attention Aware Features: iPhone checks for attention before dimming the display, expanding a notification when locked, or lowering the volume of some alerts.

If you don’t want iPhone to check for your attention, do the following: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Face ID & Attention.

Check That Your iPhone Isn’t Connected to Bluetooth

There may not be a problem with your speakers at all; you might be connected to another device. You might not notice this if you use wireless earphones like Apple’s AirPods. This could also be the case if you use an Apple TV or connect your phone to your vehicle’s audio system.

To test this, swipe down from the top-right of your interface to access your Control Center and turn off Bluetooth. Otherwise, go to Settings > Bluetooth, where you can also check which devices you’re connected to. Disconnect as needed.

When playing music or videos, you can also tap the AirPlay button at the bottom of your screen to select where the track is playing.

Make Sure Do Not Disturb Is Turned Off

Do Not Disturb stops interruptions while you’re busy or asleep; notifications won’t appear and calls won’t ring out. You might’ve activated it and forgotten to turn it off.

You should first check your Control Center by swiping down from the top-right of your screen. Tap on Focus and check on Do Not Disturb to see whether it’s disabled or not.

You should also check whether this feature is on a schedule, so head to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb. Scroll down to see if there’s a schedule set; if so, tap on it and either turn it off by tapping on Schedule or get rid of it completely by tapping Delete Schedule.

Update and Reset Your iPhone

The classic advice of turning your device off and on again when an issue arises is a great way of fixing problems on your iPhone. A force-restart on your iPhone could clear your device of any minor software issues. Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button. When the Apple logo appears, release the side button. Don’t worry, you won’t lose any personal data through restarting.

You may also have an old version of iOS installed. While this shouldn’t cause sound complications, it’s always worth keeping your iPhone updated to iron out potential problems. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if a new iOS version is available.

If the problem lies in an app—for example, volume everywhere on your iPhone except when using a specific app—check whether there’s an update to install via the App Store. If not, you could contact the developer and ask for advice.

Toggle the Equalizer to Make Your iPhone 18 Pro Max Music Louder

Perhaps there’s nothing wrong with your phone. Some just want music and alarms to play as loudly as possible.

Head to Settings > Apps > Music > EQ. This is Off by default, but you can use it to accentuate certain sounds when listening to songs. Go to Settings > Apps > Music and turn on Sound Check to normalize the volume level of your audio. For supported Apple and Beats headphones, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations to make soft sounds louder.

The difference isn’t massive, and will depend on the tracks you’re listening to. Nonetheless, you’ll often hear a boost in volume, particularly when listening through earphones.

Check That Your iPhone Isn’t in Headphone Mode

This largely affects older iPhones with headphone jacks, but newer models can still be affected by dirt in the charging port (especially if you use an adapter for wired headphones).

If your iPhone thinks earphones are attached, it will play music through a non-existent connection. Adjust the volume using the side buttons; the screen will tell you if it’s being routed through another speaker.

If you use AirPods, the Bluetooth solution above should fix it. Otherwise, shine a light in the USB-C connector; you might see blockages. Such debris can be tiny, so you could have an issue even if you don’t see anything. This can also be the issue if your iPhone speaker isn’t working.

Try to insert headphones or a charging cable, then remove them. Do this a few times and test the volume again. Doing so could dislodge any dirt inside.

Use a soft lens cloth to gently clean the port and speaker areas. You can also use a dry cotton swab, cotton ball, or toothbrush to lightly rub around the edge of the small recess. Don’t press anything into recesses because you may push dirt further inside.

Avoid liquids as these can cause further damage. Even small amounts of sweat can trick your phone into thinking headphones are connected.

Sadly, if these tricks don’t help—and you’re not experienced enough to deconstruct your device—you need to visit Apple for professional help. But in most cases, you shouldn’t be too worried about troubles with your iPhone 18 Pro Max volume not working. They’re usually caused by a simple oversight.

The App Store is at the heart of the iOS ecosystem. It’s the portal to great new games, productivity tools, camera apps, and pretty much anything else you want to install on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. So not being able to connect to it is kind of a big deal.

If you’re experiencing difficulties with slow performance, load times, or logging on then the problem could be due to the site itself. We’ll show you how to quickly check whether things are working as they should at Apple’s App Store.

Visit the Apple System Status page

Your first port of call when checking to see if the App Store is offline or in trouble is the Apple System Status page. This shows the current state of all the Apple online services, letting you know if there are issues or scheduled maintenance that could be causing the problems. It will also indicate whether there were recent disruptions that have now been resolved.

If you do see a message next to the App Store, clicking on it will bring up more details about the issue, including when the outage occurred and the kind of problems users would have experienced.

While on the Apple System Status page you can also check on the current health of Apple Pay, Siri, iCloud, Photos, Maps, and pretty much anything else Apple provides. A very handy site to have on your bookmark list.

Visit an independent status checking site

Apple isn’t the only site that provides up to date information about problems and outages on the App Store. Visiting Down Detector will also give you the latest news on any disruptions currently being reported by the service. The site provides the facility to report problems (about any website, not just the App Store) and allows you to see any past issues that have affected performance.

For a more detailed analysis of the App Store status you could try www.isitdownrightnow.com which offers similar data as Down Detector but also features a grid layout displaying access speeds over the past few days.

Just remember that when you search for the App Store to use the following URL – itunes.apple.com – or you’ll have trouble finding it on the site.

Check your device and settings

If, after checking the various status sites listed above, you find that the App Store is working properly then the bad news is that it could be a problem with your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. See Cannot Connect to App Store on iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Thankfully there’s no need to book that Genius bar appointment just yet.

Can’t connect to the App Store to download apps on your iPhone 18 Pro Max? Is your device refusing to sign in? Or are you having problems downloading an app or an update to an app?

These are quite common problems, sadly. But more happily, there are plenty of simple solutions you can try. We recommend you work through the following steps to try and fix the problem.

1. Check if the App Store is down

From time to time Apple suffers from a server outage. It could be that the App Store is down and nobody can access it.

The quickest way of finding out is to check Apple’s System Status page, which lists problems with all of the company’s online services; the App Store is first on the list. Note that if the problem occurred very recently it may not have been noticed yet: the site’s update frequency is in the order of minutes, not seconds.

If that comes up blank, a search for relevant terms on X can often be a good way of finding out if people are sharing your pain.

If the store is down, this is both bad news and good news. There’s not much you can do to solve the problem, but on the other hand you can just sit back and wait for Apple to solve it, which should happen quickly.

2. Check your web connection

It’s an obvious one, but you need to be online to access the App Store.

Make sure you’re connected to the internet – visit Google, for example.

3. Try another Wi-Fi network

Even if the Wi-Fi network is working there may be a restriction on it that is stopping you from accessing the App Store. Work networks, for instance, may be set up to block certain sites and services to preserve bandwidth.

Try using an alternative Wi-Fi network and see if that fixes the problem.

4. Are you set to download over cellular?

Perhaps you aren’t on a Wi-Fi network at all. If you are accessing the App Store over your cellular connection, that may be the root of your issue.

While using your mobile network connection shouldn’t stop you from accessing the App Store entirely, if your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max is set to only download apps over Wi-Fi you won’t be able to download apps over a cellular connection.

Try connecting to a reliable Wi-Fi network and see if this allows downloads to go ahead. Or, as long as you can spare the data, open the Settings app and tap Cellular. Make sure the slider beside App Store is set to on (green).

While we’re on this topic, there is a separate option that dictates whether your device can automatically download app updates as soon as they appear on the App Store, as long as your iPhone is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi. This could be a handy setting if you are frequently finding apps aren’t working because they need to be updated. But it could prove annoying if you have a lot of apps and feel that your iPhone is always downloading updates (and wasting battery life doing so). Go to Settings > Apps > App Store, and turn on App Updates.

There is even a setting that allows your iPhone to use mobile data to automatically download app updates. Before you turn this on beware that it could mean that your iPhone uses a lot of data downloading updates. If you think that the risk of using up data is worth it, go to Settings > Apps > App Store, and turn on Cellular Data.

5. Have you run out of data?

Even if your settings allow you to download apps over a cellular connection, your data allowance for the month may be maxed out.

It’s a good idea to check the terms of your contract to see how much data you’re allowed and to find out the date on which your data allowance is reset.

If you know this information you can reset the Cellular Data statistics on your iPhone in Settings > Cellular, on that day of the month and at least keep tabs on how much data you are using, and which apps are the biggest data swallowers.

If it turns out you need more data then you might have to pay for more.

6. Is the app no longer supported?

It’s possible that you’re trying to update an app that is out of date and no longer supported by iOS. Try downloading a different app to see if this is what’s causing the update to fail.

Try searching for the app in the App Store, if it isn’t showing up it’s likely that it’s been removed.

7. Is the app too large to download over cellular?

A final note for those unable to download apps: remember that iOS stops you downloading really large apps over a cellular connection, so check the size of the file. Go to Settings, tap Apps, tap App Store, then tap App Downloads below Cellular Data and choose Always Allow.

8. Try logging out and logging in again

Okay, let’s try some simple resets to see if this jogs the App Store into working. First, try logging out and then log back into the App Store on your iPhone 18 Pro Max – that should fix it:

• Go to Settings, tap your name, then tap Media & Purchases.

  

• Tap Sign Out.
• Log in again using your Apple Account and password.

9. Clear your memory

Perhaps it’s a memory issue. To quit the app, open the App Switcher, swipe right to find the app, then swipe up on the app. Reopen it and see if that fixes the problem.

If it doesn’t, close all open apps and turn your phone on and off again to clear the memory.

10. Force-refresh the App Store

If you’re trying to get updates to load you can force a refresh by dragging down on the screen until a spinning icon appears.

11. Check your Date & Time settings

Your Date & Time settings are unexpectedly relevant to this issue, because the App Store uses them to check on your location (probably).

Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and turn on Set Time Automatically. (This setting means that if you travel from, say, London to San Francisco, as soon as your iPhone recognises it is in a new territory it will automatically change the time accordingly.)

12. Reset your network settings

Try resetting your network settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings and see if that fixes the problem.

13. Update your software

There might be a known issue with the way the App Store is accessed by your iPhone 18 Pro Max that has been fixed in an update to iOS, so it’s worth checking you’re on the latest version.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update and see if there are any available updates.

14. Contact Apple

If all else fails you could contact Apple and seek further advice.

Summary

• Restarting your iPhone 18 Pro Max or the Camera app can clear temporary glitches that cause camera blinking issues.
• Using the right settings for specific camera options can help fix blinking or flickering.
• If your iPhone’s camera blinking issues persist after trying all the fixes, contact Apple support.

Are you experiencing blinking or flickering issues with your iPhone 18 Pro Max camera? Various factors can cause this, so don’t assume it’s a hardware issue and take it to an Apple Store just yet. Go through these troubleshooting steps first.

1. Close the Camera App and Open It Again

One of the first fixes is to close and relaunch the Camera app. Doing so will reset the app’s state, eliminating any temporary data that may be corrupt and cause blinking issues. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the App Switcher (by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and pausing in the middle).

   

2. Swipe to the Camera app and then swipe up to close it.
3. Reopen the app and check if you encounter the blinking issue.

Closing and relaunching apps is also one of the best solutions if your iPhone apps keep crashing.

2. Disable Macro Mode

Even after restarting your Camera app, the camera blinking issue might persist. In such cases, the built-in macro mode that helps you take detailed close-up photos might be the culprit. If you experience blinking or flickering problems only when taking close-ups, this might be due to your camera switching to the ultra-wide lens.

Disable macro mode by following these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Camera.
3. Turn on Macro Control. When you get within macro distance of your subject, tap the Auto Macro On button in Camera to turn off automatic macro switching.

3. Manually Adjust Your Camera’s Exposure

Your iPhone’s camera automatically adjusts the exposure (amount of light entering the lens) depending on the environmental conditions. It will reduce exposure in a bright environment and increase it in a dark environment. This automatic adjustment might not always be ideal. Sometimes, your iPhone 18 Pro Max might find it difficult to settle on a specific exposure value, which leads to blinking.

To solve this, you should manually adjust the exposure by following these steps:

1. Tap the Camera Controls button or swipe up from the camera modes at the bottom of the screen.

   

2. Tap Exposure, then drag the slider to adjust the level.
3. Once you’re satisfied with the outlook in the Camera preview, tap the Shutter button to take a picture.

4. Enable Lock Camera in Settings

Macro mode isn’t the only feature on your iPhone that switches camera lenses to help you snap the best shot. Your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max will also switch lenses automatically at any point while shooting a video to try and give you the best results. However, this can also cause camera blinking and flickering issues if your device can’t quite get it right.

Fortunately, Apple allows you to prevent the Camera app from switching lenses while recording a video. Here’s how to turn off this default behavior:

1. Open the Settings app and select Camera.
2. On the next page, tap Record Video.
3. Toggle on Lock Camera.

5. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

Restarting can fix most smartphone problems, so it’s no wonder it’s commonly recommended in almost every guide on fixing most issues. Restarting clears all the data stored in memory, thus removing any temporary glitches causing irregular behavior, such as your iPhone camera blinking.

It also releases all resources and restarts all apps afresh, including the Camera app, which can help fix the issue. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Hopefully, one of our fixes helped you sort out your iPhone camera’s blinking or flickering problem. However, if you’ve tried all the solutions above and the camera is still blinking, it’s time to contact Apple support.

You can easily get tech support for your iPhone using the Apple Support app. If the issue is hardware-related, you’ll need to take your iPhone 18 Pro Max to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for lens replacement. But this may cost you a lot of money unless you’ve purchased an AppleCare+ warranty.

Guided Access limits the content a user can access on your device. It’s a handy iOS feature that helps to protect your privacy when, for example, you let your friend borrow your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

So, what should you do if a person can still access other content on your iPhone, even after you enabled Guided Access? Or if your iPhone’s Guided Access triple-click is not working, and pressing the button just turns off your iPhone screen?

Let’s look at the different solutions you can apply when your iPhone’s Guided Access is not working.

1. Review Your Guided Access Settings

Before assuming that Guided Access is not working because it’s faulty, it’s best to check the settings you have in place first. If you can still triple-click your Side button to enable Guided Access, do so, then triple-click again to access Session Settings to review your customized settings.

For example, if Touch is toggled on, this is the reason why other people can explore the contents within your opened app. Toggle off Touch to solve the issue.

If you don’t want users to type anything, toggle off Software Keyboards. To prevent a Guided Access session from ending automatically, toggle off Time Limit.

2. Turn Off Guided Access and Turn It On Again

If your Guided Access triple-click is not working, the first method probably isn’t applicable in your situation. In this case, you need to head to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access. Toggle off Guided Access and toggle it on again.

It’s that simple because the triple-click issue may just be a random glitch. Afterward, head to your desired app, triple-click your Side button as usual, and Guided Access should start working again.

3. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

The next solution is to soft reset your iPhone. The procedure is also known as a force restart. There are a couple of reasons why restarting your smartphone fixes most problems, making it a go-to solution for technical issues like this. Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button. When the Apple logo appears, release the side button.

4. Update Your iPhone

iOS updates often come with bug fixes and performance improvements. Therefore, you can resolve your iPhone’s Guided Access problem by ensuring that you have updated your iOS to the latest version.

Head to Settings > General > Software Update to check if an update is available for your device.

5. Reset All Settings on Your iPhone

If your iPhone’s Guided Access is still not working, the last solution you can try is to reset all settings on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings.

The procedure restores all settings on your iPhone to the default state. As long as you follow the above instructions carefully and tap the correct buttons, rest assured that you won’t delete any data on your iPhone.

Get Guided Access Working Again on Your iPhone

The convenience of Guided Access makes it easy for you to control what users can look at when they’re using your device.

When Guided Access is not working, check that you have customized the settings correctly first. But if the issue lies with the Guided Access triple-click, try applying the other solutions, and the feature should start functioning again on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.