Summary

• iPhone crashes can be caused by problems with third-party apps or the operating system itself.
• Troubleshoot app crashes in iOS 27 by killing unresponsive apps, checking for updates, reinstalling problem apps, seeking alternatives, checking app permissions, and ensuring you have free space on your device.
• System crashes can be fixed by restarting or force restarting, updating the operating system, and reinstalling iOS or iPadOS.

Do your iPhone apps keep crashing after iOS 27 update? Apps can crash or freeze on iPhones, just as they can on any other platform. Apple’s iOS operating systems disguise app crashes by closing the app. If you’re experiencing crashing, freezing, or buggy apps after iOS 27 update, here are a few tips you can use to fix the problem.

Is It an App or Device Crash?

You should first figure out whether it’s an app crash or a device crash. This is pretty simple: if you’re using an app, and it suddenly closes for no reason, the app has crashed. If you’re using an app and it becomes unresponsive, but you can still access other apps, that’s also an app crash. If you’re trying to launch an app and it keeps disappearing, the app is repeatedly crashing.

If your iPhone has become unresponsive across the system, it’s likely a device issue. Your phone will display a black screen or remain stuck on the Apple logo if the device has crashed. Also, if your iPhone is slow for no apparent reason, and across multiple apps, it’s a device issue.

If you cannot connect your wireless headphones, send files over AirDrop, or see AirPlay devices, it’s possible a service used by the operating system has crashed.

Troubleshooting App Crashes After iOS 27 Update

There’s plenty that can go wrong and cause apps to crash, become unresponsive, or refuse to open at all. Problems usually stem from issues with the code, unexpected input, and even hardware limitations. Apps are made by humans, after all, and humans make mistakes. There is also a chance that the app is crashing because it’s not optimized to work with iOS 27.

If an app suddenly disappears, it’s due to a crash. In most cases, reopening resolves the problem. If you’re sharing analytics with developers (more on this later), they receive a crash report they can use to prevent the problem from reoccurring.

Kill Unresponsive Apps

If an app is unresponsive, you can kill it using the app switcher. There’s no need to routinely kill apps using this method unless they’re causing issues.

On modern iPhone models that lack a Home button, the app switcher is accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and flicking to the right. You can also swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold until you see a list of recently used applications.

If your iPhone has a Home button at the bottom of the screen, double tapping it will reveal a list of recently-used applications.

You can use this list to switch between apps quickly. Find the application causing the issue, and then touch and swipe up on it to “throw it away” and close it. The app will disappear from the list of recently-used apps.

You can now try to restart the app. After you kill apps this way, it takes slightly longer to open them than it does when they’re suspended in the background. This is why you shouldn’t kill apps unnecessarily.

Check for Updates

Apps that are not optimized to work with the iOS 27 can also cause issues. Upgrading from one major version of iOS to another can cause stability issues if an app isn’t updated to account for the changes. Sometimes, developers abandon their apps entirely.

The most obvious solution here is to check for an update. Launch the App Store and tap on your user icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Tap App Updates button:

You can either look for the app that’s causing you trouble in the upcoming updates, or you can tap “Update All” to perform all outstanding updates.

You can also find the app in the App Store (simply search for it) and check the “What’s New” section to see the app’s version history. If an app hasn’t been updated in quite some time, you might want to seek an alternative. Sometimes, developers upload new versions as new apps, with old versions of apps left as “legacy” versions that you can keep using but that may not receive future updates.

You can take a look at a developer’s other apps by tapping its name under the app description in the App Store.

Reinstall Problem Apps

Sometimes, apps crash way too frequently. If an app is crashing each time you try to start it, consider deleting and reinstalling the app. Keep in mind that you’ll lose all local app data when you delete it. You shouldn’t worry about this for apps that use cloud storage (like Evernote, Google Drive, and Pages).

If the app requires that you log in, you’ll have to do this again when you reinstall it.

There are multiple ways to delete an app from your device, but the easiest is to simply search for it. To do this, pull down on the Home screen to reveal a search field and type in the name of the app. Now tap and hold on it until you see a context menu appear. Hit “Delete App” and confirm in the pop-up that appears.

If an app has been hidden, you’ll need to find it first. To do this, unlock your device and scroll left on the Home screen until you find the App Library. Scroll down to the bottom of the app categories, and tap on the “Hidden” category and the app should appear. You can now tap and hold the app icon and choose “Delete App” then confirm.

Now launch the App Store and search for the app to reinstall it.

Check Your App Permissions

Sometimes, privacy settings can wreak havoc with your apps. For example, if a mapping app can’t fetch your location, you need to make sure it has access to that information.

Head to Settings > Privacy & Security and check any relevant categories, like Camera, Microphone, or Location Services. Any apps that require your permission to access services or information will be listed here.

Create Some Free Space

If your device is full to the brim, you may encounter weird app behavior. This is particularly true of apps that require free space to function, like camera apps, audio recorders, and so on. You might also encounter a general operating system slowdown.

Head to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much free space you have.

Get a Refund

If you’ve downloaded an app that doesn’t work with iOS 27, you can reach out to Apple and request a refund. To contact the developer, find the app on the App Store, and then scroll down to the “Information” section. Tap on “Report a Problem” and login with your Apple account when prompted.

Use the “I’d like to…” drop-down to pick “Request a refund” and then describe the problem. Hit “Next” and submit your complaint. Apple will review your request and (hopefully) refund your account. Just make sure that you’re using the same Apple account with which you purchased (or downloaded) the app.

Troubleshooting Hardware and System Crashes

iPhone use Apple’s iOS software. Despite the platform being relatively stable, problems can occur occasionally. These can include random restarts, software glitches, and freezes that require manual intervention.

Restart Your iPhone

Many issues are resolved simply by restarting your device. If you’ve noticed weird OS behavior, like a screen that won’t “sleep” or problems with audio playback, a restart might do the trick.

The easiest way to restart your iPhone is to trigger Siri and ask “restart my iPhone.” You’ll then be asked to confirm your request. You can also restart your device by switching it off and on again. To do this, press and hold the “Side” (lock) button and one of the volume buttons until the “Slide to Power Off” menu appears.

Use the slider to turn the device off, wait a few seconds, and then press and hold the Side button to turn your iPhone back on again.

Recover an Unresponsive iPhone

If your iPhone is completely unresponsive or appears to be frozen, you’ll need to force a reset by holding some buttons.

You can do this by pressing the Volume Up button, pressing and releasing Volume Down button, and then pressing and holding the “Side” (lock) button until the Apple logo appears. You’ll need to be quick, so you might have to try multiple times to get this working.

Update iOS

Updating your iPhone can resolve issues sometimes. You can do this by heading to Settings > General > System Update and seeing if there are any updates waiting for you. You can also opt out of beta access using this menu. Beta versions of iOS can be unstable and cause crashes. After opting out you’ll need to wait for the next stable version to drop before you can update.

Reinstall iOS

Sometimes, problems can’t be solved by a restart, and you might need to reinstall the operating system. This is the last resort for persistent issues related to the core operating system. Problems like this can arise from the use of third-party software used to “clean” or maintain your iPhone and jailbreaking.

Keep in mind that reinstalling iOS will cause you to lose all of the data on your iPhone. Make sure you have an iCloud backup so you can restore your data when you’re done.

First, you’ll need to remove your device from Find My iPhone to disable Activation Lock. To do this, head to Settings and tap on your name followed by “Find My.” Tap the “Find My iPhone” option, then toggle “Find My iPhone” off and enter your Apple account password.

If this option is grayed out, you’ll need to disable Stolen Device Protection under Settings > Face ID & Passcode then tapping “Stolen Device Protection” followed by “Turn Off Protection” and following the instructions.

To reinstall iOS you’ll need to connect your device to a Mac or PC running Windows. On a Mac you can connect your device, accept the connection request that appears, and then use Finder to select your iPhone from the “Locations” section of the sidebar.

On Windows you’ll need to download and install iTunes, then select your device at the top of the screen.

You should now see a list of options under the “Summary” tab for your device. Use the “Restore iPhone…” option and follow the prompts to restore iOS.

Suspect a Hardware Issue?

If you’ve tried everything and believe your issue is hardware-related, you can find out for free by booking yourself an appointment at the nearest Apple Store or authorized service center. If your iPhone is still under warranty, any repairs will be covered and free of charge. You can find out if you’re covered on Apple’s website.

If your iPhone isn’t covered, you’ll only be charged for any work you approve. Apple’s technicians will run a diagnostic on your device and find out if there are any issues under the hood.

You can then decide whether you want to get the device repaired. If repairs are expensive, it might be worth opting for a new device, instead. Apple will offer you some trade-in credit to use on your new device.

Is iPhone Auto-Brightness not working after iOS 27 update? Auto-brightness ensures your iPhone’s screen brightness levels adapt automatically according to the light around you. For example, when you step out in the sun, the brightness increases. And inside a room, it decreases. If your iPhone’s auto-brightness feature stopped working after iOS 27 update, it can spoil your user experience and even consume more battery. The auto-brightness feature is on by default.

When auto-brightness is on, you’ll notice that the brightness slider on your device moves according to changing light conditions.

To turn auto-brightness on or off:

1. In the Settings app, tap Accessibility.
2. Tap Display & Text Size.
3. Scroll to Auto-Brightness and tap to turn the feature on or off.

If auto-brightness isn’t working on your iPhone running iOS 27, you can use these solutions to fix it. Once that’s done, it should be more comfortable to use your iPhone during the day, night, and any other times.

1. Clean Your iPhone’s front camera Area

The ambient light sensor is at the top of your iPhone screen. Body oils, sweat, and other such gunk may stick to this sensor when holding the phone to your ear during long calls. Due to this, it may stop your iPhone’s ambient light sensor working, which is what’s responsible for adjusting the screen brightness according to your surroundings.

To fix this, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the top portion of your iPhone screen. After this, auto-brightness should work fine. If not, follow the remaining solutions below.

2. Restart Your iPhone

If you haven’t turned off your iPhone in a while, it can cause a few problems, like auto-brightness not working correctly. To fix this, simply restart your iPhone. After the device powers on, everything should work as well as it usually does.

3. Enable and Disable Auto-Brightness

Another quick solution to fix the iPhone’s auto-brightness problem after iOS 27 update is to turn this feature off and on. Here’s how to do that:

1. Open Settings and tap Accessibility.
2. Tap Display & Text Size.
3. Turn off Auto-Brightness.
4. Restart your iPhone.
5. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and enable Auto-Brightness.

4. Update Your iPhone

If turning off auto-brightness and then turning it back on doesn’t fix your issue, make sure that you are running the newest version of iOS 27. This will ensure your iPhone has all the latest features, bug fixes, and security patches.

To update your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

5. Try Turning Off Night Shift

In case none of the above solutions work for you, consider turning off Night Shift. For this:

1. Open the Settings app, tap Display & Brightness, then tap Night Shift.

   

2. Turn off Manually Enable Until Tomorrow and Scheduled.

6. Remove Any Thick Screen Protectors

Are you using an abnormally thick screen protector on your iPhone? If yes, it may cause problems with the smooth working of the ambient light sensor. To address this, consider removing your screen protector. If you must use one, opt for a screen protector that’s thinner, or medium thickness, instead.

Similarly, if you have a case that covers the entire front of the device, or even partially blocks the top sensor area, remove that as well.

7. Reset All Settings

When you reset all settings, personal data like downloaded apps, music, photos, videos, and such won’t be deleted. However, all the settings you have customized to your liking will reset and return to the default options. This includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, VPN configurations, Home Screen layout, keyboard settings, and more.

After you reset all your settings, several problems such as auto-brightness not functioning should be fixed. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Settings and tap General.
2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
3. Tap Reset and choose Reset All Settings.
4. Enter your device passcode to confirm.

Once it completes, your iPhone should adjust the screen brightness correctly based on the light around you.

Problems With Third-Party iPhone Displays

Did you break your iPhone screen and get it repaired at by an unauthorized service provider? If yes, it may cause multiple problems, like Face ID not working correctly, True Tone not functioning, and possible auto-brightness issues.

Contact Apple Support to get your device repaired by Apple authorized service providers instead.

Auto-Brightness Makes Your iPhone Easier on the Eyes

After following the above fixes, your iPhone display should automatically adjust the screen brightness to match your environment, ensuring that the screen is always comfortable to look at.

If auto-brightness still doesn’t work, you may want to turn off auto-brightness and adjust it manually until you get your device inspected at an Apple Store instead.

Is your iPhone frozen after iOS 27 update? A frozen iPhone won’t respond to touch, with the display completely stuck or working intermittently. Touches may register in the wrong locations, and physical buttons may refuse to work.

The Home Screen or an app could become non-interactive. With a frozen iPhone—different from an iPhone stuck in a boot loop—standard troubleshooting steps will only take you so far.

But worry not; you’ve come to the right place to seek advice. Follow along with us as we show how to fix a frozen or unresponsive iPhone in iOS 27.

If your screen responds intermittently to touch

• Make sure that your screen is clean and free of any debris or water.
• Disconnect any Lightning or USB-C accessories. If your screen works after removing an accessory, try using a different outlet, cable, or charger.
• Remove any cases or screen protectors.

What to Do if My iPhone Freezes After iOS 27 Update? Try Force Quitting Apps!

If a specific app is causing your iPhone to freeze, force quitting the app can resolve the issue most of the time.

• iPhones with Face ID: Swipe up from the bottom edge and stop near the middle of the screen, then swipe up on the app to close it.
• iPhones with the Home button: Double-click the Home button to show the App Switcher, then swipe up on the app to close it.

Upon identifying the app causing the freezing, reinstall it. To do this, press and hold its app icon until a context menu appears, then tap on Remove App and choose Delete to confirm.

Doing so will also delete any app settings from the device that might be causing issues. You can now redownload a fresh copy of the app from the App Store. If the iPhone display remains frozen and generally unresponsive, the next troubleshooting step is a force restart.

Force Restarting May Unfreeze Your iPhone

Does your iPhone not display a shutdown screen at all? Here’s what you can do.

• iPhone 11 and newer: Press and hold the Volume button and the Side button simultaneously until the power off slider appears, then drag it to turn the phone off.
• iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation): Press and hold the Side button until the shutdown screen shows up, then drag the power off slider.

Wait 30 seconds after dragging the slider for the phone to fully shut down before turning it back on. The problem is that a fully frozen iPhone may not even let you reach the shutdown screen. If you cannot restart your iPhone because it’s not responding to your touches, performing a force restart might help bring it back to normal.

Force Restart an iPhone on iOS 27

Here’s how to force-restart iPhones running iOS 27:

1. Press and quickly release the volume up button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume down button.
3. Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo (this might take longer than 10 seconds).

Assuming this is a minor iOS 27 glitch, restarting should fix the frozen iPhone. But if it doesn’t, and your iPhone keeps freezing, draining the battery intentionally is next on your list of potential fixes.

iPhone Is Stuck after iOS 27 update? Wait for the Battery to Drain!

Leave your iPhone on until the battery charge is depleted and the device shuts down by itself. If your iPhone isn’t completely unresponsive, you can go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and set it to Never to speed up the process. Plus, you can go to the Control Center and boost the brightness all the way up and make the battery drain faster.

With the battery depleted and your iPhone powered down, wait at least 30 seconds before plugging it back into power. The device will start up automatically after a few minutes, as soon as the battery has enough charge for booting. But if draining the battery makes no difference, try putting a frozen iPhone into Recovery Mode.

How to Fix a Frozen iPhone With Recovery Mode

Entering Recovery Mode allows you to restore your iPhone from an iCloud or iTunes backup, which may fix the frozen iPhone without deleting any apps or settings. Connect your phone to a computer and open the Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows), then do the following:

1. Press and immediately release the Volume Up button
2. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button
3. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Recovery Mode screen

A common mistake here is letting go of the button as soon as you see the Apple logo. Be sure to keep holding the button past the Apple logo, and don’t let go until the device enters Recovery Mode and is recognized in the Finder or iTunes.

With the Recovery Mode active, a prompt should appear on the computer offering to restore or update your device. Click Update to have the computer download and install the latest version of iOS 27. Don’t worry; this won’t erase any data on the phone. Once the operating system has been reinstalled, your iPhone should be fully responsive again.

With the device restored and responsive again, now’s a good time to go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any pending iOS or security updates.

With that done, venture into Settings > General > iPhone Storage and delete anything that’s clogging storage space, like massive photo libraries, cached videos in streaming apps, games, and so on.

iOS needs at least one gigabyte of free storage space to function smoothly. Clearing storage space is the best way to avoid issues like slow-downs that could lead to sudden freezes.

Nothing Helps? Contact Apple Support

Is your iPhone still frozen even after trying out all the above tips? If so, we highly recommend talking to experts at Apple, as they’ll be able to assist you in more ways than we could in case the hardware is at fault.

Even better, you can make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar, provided you have one nearby where you live.

An Unresponsive iPhone Is Virtually Useless

An iPhone that suddenly freezes is a brick in your hand. Whether iOS is outdated, some apps are incompatible with it, the battery is low, or the device is running low on storage space, following the instructions in this guide should help fix a frozen iPhone.

Hopefully, you won’t have to factory reset your iPhone and wipe all the saved data and settings just to solve the responsiveness and freezing problems.

Summary

• If you’re lucky, a force restart may be all you need to fix iOS 27 black screen issue on your iPhone. Otherwise, you’ll need a computer.
• If Find My is enabled, or you’re connecting your iPhone to a computer for the first time, you cannot restore it using Finder or the Apple Devices app.
• If software fixes fail, physical damage might be the culprit. Take your iPhone to Apple or an authorized service provider to diagnose and resolve hardware issues.

The black screen of death occurs when an iPhone is completely unresponsive. You’ll hear alerts and feel vibrations, but you won’t be able to interact with your phone. Although physical damage is often the culprit, users have reported that they started experiencing this problem immediately after iOS 27 update. So, if your iPhone has black screen after iOS 27 update, try these fixes first.

1. Force Restart Your iPhone

The first thing you should do to fix the iOS 27 black screen of death issue is to force restart your iPhone. This is different from a regular reboot, and it’s useful when you can’t shut your iPhone down normally.

Force restarting requires a combination of button presses and can take a few tries since you’ll need to press each button quickly. Press and release the Volume Up button. Repeat the same with the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold your iPhone’s Side button until the Apple logo appears.

2. Restore Your iPhone With Apple Devices or Finder

If your iPhone doesn’t reboot even after you’ve tried force restarting it, you’ll need to factory reset it. You can do this using the Apple Devices app for Windows or Finder on macOS.

Restoring your iPhone with the Apple Devices app or Finder will erase all its data and bring it to factory settings. So, only try this if you have a recent backup so that you don’t lose all your data.

Note that this method will only work if you’ve connected your iPhone to Apple Devices or Finder before. That’s because when you connect your iPhone to a computer for the first time, you’ll get an alert on your iPhone (and your computer), prompting you to trust the device.

You can’t tap Trust on an iPhone showing a black screen, so you’ll have to hard reset your iPhone using the recovery or DFU mode, which we’ll discuss later.

Additionally, you can only proceed with these steps if you have Find My disabled on your iPhone. Otherwise, you’ll get an alert message prompting you to turn off Find My during the process. In this case, you’ll need to disable the Find My feature from iCloud and erase your iPhone remotely.

As long as you meet the above requirements, you’re all set. Simply connect your iPhone to your PC or Mac using a USB cable. Launch the Apple Devices app or Finder, and follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Click [Your Name]’s iPhone under the Locations header on the sidebar. You can skip this step if you’re using Apple Devices.
2. Head to the General tab and click Restore iPhone on the right.
3. When prompted to back up your settings before restoring your iPhone, click Back Up.
4. Next, click Restore when you get a confirmation pop-up.

The process may take several minutes to complete. So, be patient. Once it’s done, you can restore your iPhone from a backup.

3. Use Recovery Mode to Factory Reset Your iPhone

Recovery mode is Apple’s built-in recovery system that allows you to factory reset your device and reinstall the latest iOS version when your iPhone becomes completely unresponsive.

Entering recovery mode on your iPhone requires you to hold and release a combination of buttons on your device in a specified order once you connect it to your computer and launch Apple Devices or Finder.

Press and release the Volume Up button. Then, repeat the same with the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side button until you see the Recovery Mode screen.

The Apple Devices app or Finder will now show a pop-up message indicating that it has detected an iPhone in recovery mode, after which you can choose to Update or Restore your device.

4. Take Your iPhone to Apple

If everything fails, the black screen of death is likely due to physical damage or other hardware issues. In that case, you must contact Apple Support or take your iPhone to a nearby Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. It’s easy to make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar.

Remember that Apple’s standard one-year warranty doesn’t cover replacements or repairs for damaged screens. So, unless you’ve spent money on an AppleCare+ extended warranty plan, you’ll have to pay a fee to get your iPhone serviced.

Although the black screen of death on an iPhone can be an immediate cause for concern, it’s worth trying a few software fixes before seeking professional help, especially if you haven’t physically damaged your iPhone. However, in case of hardware issues, you have no choice but to contact Apple or a third-party service provider for expert assistance.

Is your iPhone not charging after iOS 27 update, or charging very slowly? This is a sadly common problem for Apple customers, and the complaint spikes in the weeks after a major software release like iOS 27. Before long the battery will be empty and you’ll be stuck with the world’s most expensive chopping board.

This isn’t a problem that’s unique to Apple products: for various reasons the charging port and cable are almost always a weak point on tablets and smartphones.

Your iPhone’s charging port – USB-C on iPhone 15 models and later, Lightning on iPhone 14 models and earlier – is open to the air and therefore susceptible to dust getting inside and clogging up the connections; the bit just behind the head of the charging cable often frays. And this all assumes that there are no problems with the plug or your power outlet, and that the iPhone’s battery unit is still performing properly – neither of which are safe assumptions.

In this article we walk you through a range of troubleshooting tips that will help you establish why your iPhone won’t charge after iOS 27 update, and offer solutions that will fix many of these issues either permanently or temporarily. If all else fails, we explain your consumer rights, and offer some advice about getting Apple to step in and repair a malfunctioning device for you.

1. Absolute basics

Let’s check the absolute basics first.

Make sure the cable is plugged firmly and fully into the iPhone, that the other end is plugged firmly into the power adapter plug, and that the adapter plug is plugged firmly into the wall outlet. Apple starts in the same place with an iPhone that won’t charge: a wall outlet, firm connections the whole way along, and a different outlet if you have one to hand. (If you’re charging via a Mac rather than through a wall plug, jump to the next step.)

Make sure the power outlet is switched on. Yes, we know – but it’s still worth checking.

2. Charging via a Mac

A computer is rarely the quickest way to fill a battery. Plug into a machine or a hub that already has other devices hanging off it and the maximum power output drops, because everything attached is drawing on the same budget. Car ports are no better.

The iPhone may warn you if the Mac isn’t able to charge it, but in our experience that often doesn’t happen: sometimes the charging icon appears yet the percentage doesn’t increase, or does so at a glacial rate.

If you’re charging via a MacBook, make sure the MacBook itself is plugged in: depending on the settings you’ve selected, there may be problems if the laptop is trying to preserve battery power. And whichever Mac you’re using, be sure to plug into the Mac itself rather than a USB-connected keyboard or similar.

As in the previous step, make sure the cable is attached firmly to the Mac. Similarly, make sure the Mac is switched on and awake. Technically, you should be able to charge from a sleeping Mac provided it was awake when you plugged your device in – if it then goes to sleep the charging should continue. But let’s play it safe here.

3. Stop using the iPhone!

Are you using your iPhone at the same time as charging it? Any charge you gain will be set against the loss incurred through working the processor and screen. Graphics-heavy games, processor-heavy apps, the camera, video streamed at full brightness – all of them slow the charge while they run.

Charging via a Mac in particular (see previous step) is almost always a dead loss if you have the screen powered on at the same time – a sad fact we discovered after trying to use an iPad Air 2 as a spare screen at work. Despite being plugged into the main Mac and only having a (continually refreshing) web page open, the iPad was always dead by lunchtime. You’re losing charge quicker than you’re gaining it.

In other words, try switching the iPhone off – at least power off the screen – and see if that helps.

4. Check the charging port for detritus

Remove the cable from the charging port and take a look at the connector at the bottom of your device. Every iPhone that can run iOS 27 has either a USB-C port (iPhone 15 models and later) or a Lightning port (iPhone 14 models and earlier). Whichever you have, the same principles apply.

Clear any debris out of the port, then plug the cable back in firmly. Check here before you spend money on an iPhone not charging after iOS 27 update: lint compacts at the bottom of a port over months, and it will hold the connector just short of contact.

5. Are you using the right kind of charger?

The old 5W, 10W and 12W plugs are long gone. Pair a modern iPhone with the wrong adapter and you can lose an afternoon diagnosing a fault that was never there.

For fast wired charging you want a USB-C Power Delivery charger, with a USB-C cable on iPhone 15 models and later, or a USB-C to Lightning cable on iPhone 14 models and earlier. A wired charger of 7.5W or less will crawl. So will a wireless charger under 10W, such as a Qi1 pad. And with a USB-A charger, iPhone 15 models and later cap out at 7.5W anyway.

An iPhone 8 or later reaches 50 percent in around 30 minutes on an Apple 18W or greater USB-C Power Adapter, or a comparable third-party unit that supports USB Power Delivery. iPhone 12 and later need 20W or higher. iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max get to 50 percent in around 20 minutes on a 40W adapter or higher.

If you’re not sure which Apple power adapter you have, the wattage is printed on the top or bottom of the plug. Label it once you know, and you’ll never grab the wrong one again.

6. Check your charge limit before blaming the update

Here is the one to check before you buy anything. If the percentage climbs and then parks at 80, an iPhone won’t charge after iOS 27 update because you told it not to.

Optimized Battery Charging reduces the time your iPhone spends fully charged, and delays charging past 80 percent when your iPhone predicts it will be connected to a charger for an extended period. When it’s active, a notification on the Lock Screen says when your iPhone will be fully charged. If you need it charged sooner, touch and hold the notification, then tap Charge Now.

On iPhone 15 models and later there’s also Charge Limit, which stops charging at a level you set:

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Battery.
2. Tap Charging.
3. Choose an option. You can choose a charge limit between 80 percent and 100 percent in 5 percent increments. When the charge limit is 100 percent, Optimized Battery Charging is available.

On iPhone 14 models and earlier, open the Settings app, tap Battery, tap Battery Health & Charging, then turn Optimized Battery Charging on or off.

The same screen flags chargers, too. A Slow Charger message appears on the Lock Screen and in Battery when a higher-wattage charger would improve things. An Incompatible Charger message appears when iOS sees a charger connected but not charging. It will also show you whether charging went on hold because the battery got too warm.

7. Waiting, restarting and resetting

Leave it plugged in for half an hour before going any further. That costs nothing but patience, and it clears a surprising amount.

If it still won’t power on, or the screen just shows a battery icon, force restart it. Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. Then give it another half hour on the charger.

You may see an alert when you plug in your device saying the accessory isn’t supported or certified. In which case you know the problem is the charging equipment. Connect the device straight to the charger with nothing in between, clear the port, restart the iPhone, try a different cable or charger, and check you’re on the latest version of iOS. We’ll try swapping out various parts of the charging setup in the next step.

8. Work out which component isn’t working

At this point we appear to be headed into the realms of component failure. But if we’re lucky, the part that is misbehaving may be cheap to replace. Fingers crossed.

Set up the iPhone, cable and plug as before – keep everything the same – but this time, plug into a different power outlet (or into a different USB port on your Mac). If it starts working, congratulations! Your power outlet (or USB port) is broken. Okay, that’s not ideal but at least you know.

If it still won’t charge, keep everything the same but this time use a spare charging cable or borrow one from a friend. There are alternatives to Apple’s own cable: you can buy a third-party MFi-certified cable.

Finally, do the same with the plug adapter on the end of the charging cable.

If your cable or power adapter is at fault, in almost every case we would strongly advise paying for a new unit instead of attempting a repair – the words "amateur repair" and "mains power" should never appear in the same sentence.

If none of these substitutions work, it’s most likely your iPhone that’s misbehaving. If that’s the case, we need to get help from the professionals.

9. Get Apple to fix your iPhone

First of all, be warned that the Apple representative who deals with your issue will ask you to repeat some or all of the steps we have outlined previously. Try not to lose your patience!

Many of us prefer to speak to an Apple employee face to face while discussing tech problems, but it may be inconvenient to get to an Apple Store, or to make an appointment there. Instead you may choose to get in touch with Apple support, but you will most likely be asked to send or take in your iPhone for a service, and at that point you just have to sit back and wait for Apple’s diagnosis.

If you’re still in warranty, this should remain financially painless. The one-year warranty covers the battery as well, on top of whatever rights your local consumer law gives you. Out of warranty, you may be able to claim for the repair through any insurance you took out specifically to cover the iPhone, or even a good quality of home and contents insurance.

If not, consider whether the repair is worth the cost. Check the latest prices for the model you would choose as a replacement. Would you have been thinking about an upgrade soon anyway?

Before you get that far, though, go back to step 6. An iPhone not charging after iOS 27 update is far more often a charge limit somebody set and forgot than anything a technician needs to open up.