iOS 27

Smashing the screen on your iPhone 18 Pro Max is sadly a common issue. We’ve all been there: you drop your beloved device, reach down and pick it up – of course it landed screen down – and inspect the damage, only to have your worst fears confirmed. The screen is shattered.

Well, chin up. It’s bad, but it’s not disastrous. You have options. In this article we round up the best ways of repairing a damaged iPhone display, and explain the pros and cons of each. We’ll have that screen repaired in no time, don’t you worry.

The tips in this article, by the way, are all about mending iPhone displays that are visibly broken.

Get Apple to repair the screen

Apple will come to the rescue and repair your cracked screen, but it won’t do this for free, even if you’re still in the warranty period, as accidental damage isn’t covered by the standard warranty.

If you went the extra mile and paid for AppleCare+ then the cost won’t be too high. But there’s still an excess fee.

Many of us will be looking for a cheaper repair than this. So, what other options are available?

Go to a high-street retailer

The high street. The one-stop shop for all your needs – including iPhone 18 Pro Max screen repairs.

The high street is where most of us will go when we break our phone or tablet screen because, generally speaking, people like the personal touch, which is something you tend not to get when using online repair services. Another point for the ‘high street vs online’ argument is that if anything goes wrong with a high-street repair then you know where to go to complain (unlike with most online services).

Repairs performed by untrained individuals or using non-genuine Apple parts may affect the safety and functionality of the device.

Down sides of high-street screen repairs

High-street retailers are an obvious option, but what of the lesser known high-street shops promising to fix your iPhone? Using a high-street retailer could be a risky process because when you leave the store, you don’t know who’s handling your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max or what they’re doing to it.

People like to keep their private lives private – and what is at the centre of most people’s lives? Smartphones. From email to texts to photos, our digital world revolves primarily around smartphones. When you take your iPhone to a high-street retailer, you’re handing over your central hub, so to speak, and there’s a small risk that your data could be browsed and even remotely stored. A lack of security regulation in smaller, independent shops could be risky, especially for business users.

Replacement screen parts are fairly easy to come across and can be bought fairly cheaply online. The issue with this is that cheap screens and parts seem to have a tendency to break more often than official Apple parts. What does that result in? More trips to the shop to get it repaired and more money spent.

Send your device to an online repair service

The next option to consider is an online repair service. With these you send the device to the company, who then completes the repair and returns it to you.

iPhone should only be serviced by a trained technician.

Poor battery life is a common complaint among smartphone owners. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an iPhone or Android user; if you use your phone a lot during the day, the battery will be lucky to make it to sundown.

However, did you know that something as simple as calibrating your iPhone’s battery can help? Let’s take a closer look at how to calibrate an iPhone’s battery and why calibration is important. Once you do this, your iPhone can last longer and be ready when you need it.

Why You Should Calibrate Your iPhone’s Battery

Calibrating your iPhone’s battery (also referred to as resetting an iPhone’s battery) is a surprisingly important part of iPhone maintenance. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize its benefits, and even fewer take the time to perform the necessary steps.

Without a correctly calibrated battery, you’re likely to experience inaccurate and erratic battery percentage readings, quicker battery drain, and a shorter total lifespan for your battery. If your iPhone 18 Pro Max shuts down unexpectedly when your battery life percentage hits single digits, poor calibration is almost certainly to blame.

Many factors can cause a battery to become incorrectly calibrated. Software updates, background app refresh, new features, and even plain old day-to-day use can all cause discrepancies. And even if you haven’t noticed an incorrect calibration, performing the steps below will ensure all the ions in the battery are flowing, thus improving the battery’s peak performance.

While you shouldn’t need to calibrate regularly, it’s worth a try if your iPhone is older or you’ve had battery issues that other steps didn’t resolve.

Preparing to Calibrate Your iPhone’s Battery

Before starting the calibration process, you should take a few steps in preparation. They all revolve around disabling features and services, so as few tasks as possible draw power.

This will help lead to an accurate reading later in the process. After you’ve reset the battery, you can re-enable all of these options. It’s also worth ensuring you haven’t accidentally enabled Low Power Mode by going to Settings > Battery > Power Mode.

Disable Location Services

To disable location services on your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap on Privacy & Security
3. Tap Location Services at the top.

   

4. Now, toggle off Location Services.

Remember, you can use Location Services to track a lost iPhone, so make sure you don’t forget to re-enable this after you’re done calibrating.

Disable Background Refresh

Follow the instructions below to turn off the background app refresh feature on your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app and tap General.
2. Select Background App Refresh.
3. Tap on Background App Refresh a second time.
4. Select the Off option.

Decrease Your Screen Brightness

Here’s how to lower the screen brightness on an iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Display & Brightness.
3. Move the Brightness slider all the way to the left.

Turn Off Automatic App Updates

Finally, to turn off automatic updates, follow these three steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apps, then tap App Store.
3. Under Automatic Downloads, toggle off App Updates.

How to Calibrate Your iPhone’s Battery

Now, you’re ready to calibrate your iPhone 18 Pro Max battery. Be warned that it takes quite a bit of patience; you’ll need to wait around for a couple of complete charge and drain cycles to finish.

Luckily, you don’t need any third-party tools or apps. Anything you see in the App Store promising to reset your iPhone’s battery is, at best, unnecessary and, at worst, a scam. iPhone’s battery calibration is easy to perform without extra help.

Step 1: Drain Your iPhone’s Battery

The first step is to completely drain your iPhone’s battery. You can do so during normal usage. If you want to speed up the process, you can play a long video on YouTube with the volume turned up to the maximum level.

Step 2: Wait Three Hours

You may have noticed that your iPhone 18 Pro Max will automatically shut down even if the battery has a small percentage left. This process is by design; it gives the device a chance to save the current state of your apps so you don’t lose data.

It’s important to let the last embers of the battery life die away. The only way to do this is to wait. The longer you wait, the better, but you should wait at least three hours. If you have time, letting it sit overnight is preferable.

Step 3: Charge Your iPhone

Now, it’s time to refill the battery. To ensure optimal performance, make sure you follow these tips:

• Use a wall socket rather than a computer to charge.
• Ideally, use an official Apple charger. At the very least, make sure you use a high-quality USB-C cable and not a cheap knockoff.
• Continue to charge for a couple of hours even after your phone shows the battery as 100 percent full. You need to ensure you squeeze in every drop of power to ensure the calibration works correctly.
• If charging pauses at 80% (Optimized Battery Charging), go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap Battery, then tap Resume Charging.

  

• If you set a Charge Limit, go to the Settings app, tap Battery, then tap Charge to 100%.

  

Step 4: Drain Your iPhone

Now, you need to repeat the whole process a second time. It’s the same drill as before: completely drain the power out of your device. Either use it as you normally would or play videos on loop to move it along faster.

Step 5: Wait Another Three Hours

It’s getting repetitive by now but stick with it. Once again, you need to ensure you drain that last bit of battery power from your iPhone 18 Pro Max. Like before, the longer you can leave it, the better.

Step 6: Charge Your iPhone Again

To finish the process, you need to recharge your device. Follow the same guidelines as earlier, ensuring you let your phone continue charging for a couple of hours even after it’s full.

Finally, you need to re-enable the services and functions you disabled earlier. Turn Location Services, Background Refresh, and Automatic Updates back on and turn the screen brightness back up.

And that’s it. Now, your iPhone’s battery has been recalibrated.

Enable Optimized Battery Charging and Charge Limit After Calibration

Once your iPhone is successfully calibrated, it’s time to ensure your battery won’t need another calibration, at least for a long time.

The best way to do this is by turning on Optimized Battery Charging on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. When this is on, your iPhone learns from your typical charging routine and won’t charge past 80% until you’re about to use it.

Head to Settings > Battery > Charging > Optimized Battery Charging to toggle this on. This slows down the aging of your iPhone’s battery, keeping its maximum capacity from degrading quickly.

You can set a maximum battery level—like 80%—to help reduce battery wear, especially if you charge your iPhone frequently or keep it connected for long periods. To set it, go to the Settings app, tap Battery, then tap Charging. Choose the charge percentage that works best for you. Your iPhone will occasionally charge to 100%—even with a lower limit set—to keep the battery percentage display accurate.

Other Battery-Saving iPhone Tips

If recalibration hasn’t fixed your iPhone’s battery problems, it might be time to spend some money on a new battery. An iPhone battery should only be repaired by a trained technician to avoid battery damage, which could cause overheating, fire, or injury.

Therefore, it’s always better to make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar and get it replaced with professional help. A new battery and the required labor aren’t as expensive as you might think.

Whenever you make a call, play some music, or watch a video on your iPhone or Mac, your AirPods are supposed to connect to each device automatically. But several problems—such as compatibility issues and outdated system software—can result in your AirPods not switching between devices.

If that’s what you’re experiencing at the moment, work through the troubleshooting steps below to fix your AirPods.

1. Make Sure Your AirPods Are Compatible With Switching

All AirPods models—except for the first-generation AirPods—support automatic device switching. If you’re unsure about the type of AirPods you use (the first and second generation AirPods look the same), you can identify them by model number.

Here’s how:

1. Connect your AirPods to your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Select Bluetooth.
4. Tap the More Info button next to your AirPods.
5. Check the Model Number. If you see A1523 or A1722 listed next to it, you have a pair of first-generation AirPods that don’t support automatic audio switching.

If you see A2031 or a later model number, your AirPods are compatible with automatic switching. In that case, move on to the rest of the fixes.

2. Update Your System Software

You should next check the operating system version on each iPhone and Mac you own and upgrade them if necessary.

Even if you have the latest major update installed, you may still want to download available minor updates. They should patch up any known bugs or issues preventing your AirPods from switching between devices automatically.

How to Update the Operating System on an iPhone 18 Pro Max

On an iPhone, head over to Settings > General > About. You should see your device’s current iOS version listed next to iOS Version.

Head back to the previous screen and tap Software Update. You should see an option to upgrade the system software here.

How to Update the Operating System on Mac

Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac to identify the macOS version installed on your Mac. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Software Update to upgrade to a newer version of the system software.

3. Confirm You’re Using the Same Apple Account on Each Device

To use automatic AirPods switching, you must be signed in to the same Apple Account across all of your Apple devices. If not, your AirPods will not switch between them automatically.

How to Check Your Apple Account on an iPhone 18 Pro Max

To confirm that you have the same Apple Account on your iPhone, open Settings and tap your profile at the top. You will see your Apple Account listed at the top of the following screen.

If needed, use the Sign Out option to sign out and sign in with the same Apple Account as the rest of your devices.

How to Check Your Apple Account on Mac

On your Mac, open the System Settings app and click your name at the top of the sidebar. If you notice a different Apple Account than what you expected, use the Sign Out option to sign out of the device. Then, sign back in with the correct Apple Account you’re using everywhere else.

4. Enable Automatic Audio Switching

Each of your Apple devices has a specific setting that allows your AirPods to switch to them automatically. Confirm that this is enabled on each iPhone and Mac you own.

How to Enable Automatic Audio Switching on iPhone

Follow these steps to enable automatic switching on an iPhone:

1. Connect the AirPods to your iPhone 18 Pro Max.
2. Open the Settings app and select Bluetooth.
3. Tap the More Info button next to your AirPods.
4. Select Connect to This iPhone (if you don’t see that option, first tap Audio & Routing).
5. Select Automatically.

Enable Automatic Audio Switching on Mac

Follow these steps to enable automatic switching on a Mac:

1. Connect the AirPods to your Mac.
2. Open the System Settings app, then click the name of your AirPods in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down).
3. Open the menu next to Connect to This Mac and select Automatically (if you don’t see that option, first click Audio & Routing).

5. Upgrade Your AirPods Firmware

Your AirPods will not switch between Apple devices if they don’t run firmware version 3A283 or later. Typically, this isn’t something you need to worry about, since your AirPods upgrade to the latest firmware on their own.

But if you just started using a new pair of AirPods, you should double-check if they’re up to date:

1. Connect your AirPods to an iPhone.
2. Open the Settings app and select Bluetooth.
3. Tap the More Info button next to the name of your AirPods.
4. Check Version.

If you see an outdated firmware version number (you can check the latest firmware version on the Wikipedia page for AirPods), you must install the latest firmware on your AirPods. While there’s no option to do this manually, it’s possible to “nudge” your AirPods into upgrading the firmware.

To do that, put your AirPods in their charging case or Smart Case and connect them to a power source. Then, leave your iPhone 18 Pro Max next to your AirPods and connected to Wi-Fi. Check back again after 30 minutes. The firmware on your AirPods should have updated automatically in the meantime.

6. Reset Your AirPods

If none of the fixes above helped, it’s time to reset your AirPods. Usually, this takes care of common AirPods issues that prevent them from automatically connecting to your devices. Keep in mind that this will reset the settings, but it shouldn’t take long to change everything back.

Here’s how to reset your AirPods:

AirPods 1, 2, or 3, or AirPods Pro 1 or 2: Put the AirPods in their case, close the lid, then wait 30 seconds. Open the lid, then press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds, until the status light flashes amber, then white.

AirPods 4 or 5, or AirPods Pro 3: Put the AirPods in their case, close the lid, then wait 30 seconds. Open the lid, then double-tap the front of the case three times. When you successfully reset your AirPods, the status light flashes amber, then white.

AirPods Max: On the right headphone, press and hold the Digital Crown and the listening mode button at the same time, until the status light next to the charging port changes from flashing amber to flashing white (around 15 seconds).

Your AirPods are now reset. Go through the pairing process and connect them to your iPhone or Mac again.

You don’t have to reconnect your AirPods to each of your Apple devices; they should pair automatically using your Apple Account after connecting to the first device.

Get Your AirPods Switching Automatically

Automatic device switching is an amazing functionality that removes the hassle of connecting your AirPods manually to different Apple devices all the time. Hopefully, the troubleshooting methods above helped you get it working properly.

If you frequently leave your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max on the charger or in your bag, having your iPad ring can be handy to alert you to an incoming call. On the other hand, if your iPhone never leaves your pocket, the ringing from your iPad is likely more of an annoyance than anything.

It’s easy to turn this feature on when setting up a new iPhone or iPad without meaning to. Fortunately, not only can you turn this feature off, but there are multiple ways to disable it, depending on how and when you want to receive notifications.

How to Disable the Ringing on Your iPad

The simplest way to disable calls from your iPhone 18 Pro Max ringing on the iPad is to disable the ringer entirely. This method is quick and simple, though there are a few potential downsides.

To turn off the ringer on your iPad, open Settings and tap on Sounds. At the top of the screen, you’ll see a slider under the section labeled “Ringtone.” Bring this slider all the way to the left and make sure the toggle for Change with Buttons is disabled.

Now, you’ve turned off your ringer and alert notifications. This could be a positive if you only want notifications from your iPhone or Apple Watch. On the other hand, if you count on Mail alerts on your iPad, this option won’t work for you.

Turn Down the Volume on Your iPad

The above method is fine if you never want to hear calls ringing on your iPad, but what if you only need to disable them for a short while? In this case, assigning the ringer volume to your volume buttons makes raising and lowering notification volume on your iPad easy.

To do this, open Settings and tap on Sounds. Underneath the slider in the “Ringtone” section, enable the toggle for Change with Buttons. Now, the volume buttons control your ringer and alerts.

There’s a reason this is disabled by default, as many people prefer to find a volume they like and stick with it. You may also accidentally change your ringer volume if you press the buttons while listening to music or watching a video.

Still, this is a great option for quickly muting your iPad notifications.

Stop Your iPad From Ringing With Focus Modes

You can set up and use Focus modes to help you deal with that annoying ringer. Focus is essentially an evolution of the Do Not Disturb feature that can let you manually tweak what apps and services are allowed to launch notifications in various situations or times of the day.

Unfortunately, you cannot simply silence incoming phone calls. But you can disable most notifications using a custom Focus mode, then allow just the notifications you actually want to receive.

While this sounds complex, the process is fairly simple and straightforward. Open the Settings app, then tap Focus in the list on the left. You’ll see them here if you’ve already been using built-in modes like Do Not Disturb.

Tap the Add button in the top-right to add a new Focus mode, then tap Custom at the top. Choose a name, color, and icon for the Focus mode. Then, tap Customize Focus.

On this screen, you can select the people and apps you want to manage notifications from. Select Choose Apps, then select Allow Notifications From at the top of the list. The list below will populate with a few apps, but you can add more.

To add an app you want to allow notifications from, tap the Add Apps button on the left, then select it from the list of available apps. Once apps are added to the list, you can tap the checkbox in the top-left of each app to enable or disable notifications. There are plenty of other aspects to Focus modes, but this is all you need for notifications.

After you’ve created your custom Focus mode, you need to enable it from the Control Center. Pull down from the top-right of the iPad’s screen, then long-press on Focus and choose your custom Focus Mode.

When you want to disable it, you can tap the Focus toggle.

Disable “Calls on Other Devices”

All the other options we’ve looked at to stop your iPad from ringing involve addressing the issue on the iPad. These all have downsides, though, from silencing other notifications to having to use Focus Modes to manage the ringer. Those are fine options if you want to disable the ringer for a short while, but what about turning it off for good?

Apple uses iCloud to enable Continuity features, including notifying you of calls and text messages on every one of your devices. While this is handy, you may only want to attend calls on certain devices. So, instead of dealing with ringing on your other Apple devices, you can set your iPhone 18 Pro Max to have calls ring only on it and not on any other devices.

To get started, open the Settings app, tap Apps, and tap the Phone icon. On this screen, scroll down until you see the “Calls” section, and tap on Calls on Other Devices below it.

If you want to disable calls everywhere but on your iPhone, disable the Allow Calls on Other Devices toggle. But if you only want to disable calls ringing on your iPad, leave this toggle enabled but look for your iPad under the “Allow Calls On” section further down on the screen, and then disable the slider next to it.

Plenty of Ways to Silence iPad Calls

For most people, the best way to silence calls ringing on your iPad is to disable the “Calls on Other Devices” setting on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max, as it leaves the rest of the notifications on your iPad untouched. This lets you manage which devices do and don’t ring when you receive an incoming call.

You may not find the perfect solution, but Apple has provided enough options to disable phone calls ringing on your iPad that you should at least be able to find something you can settle on.

Many of us rely on our iPhones for everything, including letting us know when to wake up. But sometimes, iPhone alarms don’t go off. This can be a big problem that can lead to getting in trouble at work or school.

If your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max alarm didn’t go off, you should look into that immediately. After all, if it didn’t go off once, it might not go off next time either.

If this happened to you, don’t worry. It’s a somewhat common problem reported by iPhone users, so there are plenty of solutions, which we’ve listed below.

1. iPhone 18 Pro Max Alarm Not Going Off? Try This First

Sometimes, you may set an alarm as a one-time alarm by mistake, rather than setting a repeating alarm. This also means that if you forget to set it one night, it won’t go off the next morning.

To check this, head to the Clock app and tap Alarms from the bottom bar. Then tap on your desired alarm to check the settings and check the Repeat settings. You can schedule this alarm to repeat every day.

Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap Sounds & Haptics, then do any of the following below Alarms and Timers: Turn off Match Ringtone Volume, then drag the volume slider.

If you already have a repeating alarm and it didn’t go off, proceed to the next step.

2. Delete and Recreate Your iPhone Alarms

Some iPhone users have reported that deleting all their alarms and making them again resolved the issue. We’re not sure why this might help, but it does seem to be a legitimate way to fix your iPhone 18 Pro Max alarms.

To delete all of your alarms, head to the Clock app, open the Alarms tab. Make a note of any alarms you want to recreate. Then swipe left on each alarm and tap the Trash button.

Once this is done, you can create a new alarm using the Add button in the top right-hand corner. Be sure to set it to repeat if you plan to use this alarm every morning.

3. Update Your iOS Version

Sometimes, apps and iOS can interfere with one another working properly, especially if there’s a bug with one or the other. Because of this, updating iOS on your iPhone has the potential to resolve many issues, including issues with your alarm not going off. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap General, then tap Software Update.

4. Turn Off Your Sleep Settings

Sleep is the successor to the Bedtime setting. While less buggy than Bedtime, Sleep can still cause your alarm not to go off, especially if it interferes with another active alarm.

To avoid problems with this in the future, it might be best to turn it off. That way, if you change your alarm to the Sleep time, it will still go off.

To turn the Sleep features off, open the Health app, go to Browse, tap Sleep, then tap Sleep again. Scroll down to Your Schedule. Then tap Full Schedule & Options. This will open up the Sleep settings in the Health app. Then turn off Sleep Schedule at the top of the screen.

5. Disable Bluetooth Settings and Unplug All Accessories

The alarm plays at a set volume through both the built-in speakers on your iPhone as well as your headphones.

Bluetooth speakers, and even your car, can prevent you from hearing your alarm. This can also be an issue if you live with people who might turn on a Bluetooth speaker that your iPhone automatically connects to.

To prevent this from being an issue, you can put your iPhone 18 Pro Max in Airplane Mode before going to bed.

6. Reset All Settings

If all else fails, this could mean that a certain setting is interfering with your alarm. The best solution for this is to reset all of your settings.

To do this, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings.

This resets all of your settings to the default options, without erasing any of your data. In some cases, this could fix your issue. However, there are cases where nothing will change.

The last resort would be to erase all of your content and settings to factory default. This will work in almost every case if all else fails. However, doing so erases all of your data on your phone, so be sure to make a backup first.

To erase all content, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

7. Use a Third-Party Alarm App

If you can’t seem to find out why your iPhone alarm is not going off, try switching to a third-party app instead. Many of these apps work differently to the iPhone alarm, so there’s a better chance it’ll work.

There are many great third-party alarms on the market, so you just need to find the one that’s right for you.

iPhone Alarm Not Working? It’s Possible to Fix It

Unlike external iPhone parts like buttons, the alarm not working on your iPhone 18 Pro Max is most likely software-related. This means that something is interfering with the alarm, and finding out what that is allows you to fix the problem.

If you can’t find the problem, you can download a third-party alarm which will help you wake up in time while you figure it out. While this issue is common, there are ways to resolve it while you wait for a permanent solution from Apple.

One of the most irritating popups every iPhone user eventually faces is the dreaded iCloud Storage Full notification. This prevents you from making convenient cloud backups and uploading your photos to the cloud.

Every time it appears, you probably rush to clear out your storage, which photos are a large part of. However, sometimes, your iPhone 18 Pro Max may still show photos taking up a considerable amount of space even after clearing them out.

As frustrating as this sounds, there are several ways to tackle this problem. So, let’s run through each of them.

1. Check the Recently Deleted Folder

A common reason for this issue revolves around the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app. This album allows you to recover deleted photos and videos for up to 30 days after deleting them. Like the Recycle Bin on your computer, it acts as a temporary safety net in case you change your mind.

This means that deleted data still exists on your phone—and is synced to iCloud—for some time, despite you having deleted it. People commonly forget to clear this album out since the folder is buried far down in the Photos app.

Thus, the first step to take if the Photos section of your iCloud storage still uses a lot of space is to delete the pictures in Recently Deleted permanently. In Photos, tap Collections, tap the Recently Deleted collection (below Utilities), tap View Album, then unlock your iPhone. Tap Select, choose the items, tap the More button, then tap Delete. Make sure you back up the photos to another location before doing this, in case you want them back in the future.

If the problem isn’t fixed after clearing out this folder, the rest of the below tips will lead you to a fix.

2. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

Rebooting the system is a conventional fix to numerous bugs and errors. After you’ve removed a huge chunk of media from your storage, it’s important to restart your iPhone. This will hopefully clear out any temporary hiccups causing your available storage to show incorrectly. 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.

3. Update to the Latest iOS Software

More often than not, there may be a minor bug in the current version of iOS you’re using that’s causing the problem. Apple usually fixes this in the next version of iOS, so make sure you have updated your iPhone 18 Pro Max to the latest iOS. To update your software, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings and go to General.
2. Tap on Software Update.
3. If a new version is available, tap on Update Now to begin.

4. Modify the Date and Time to Reveal Old Photos

The exact reasoning behind this fix isn’t clear, but it often happens that media you deleted in the past returns as hidden files on your device. You won’t know they exist, and you can’t see them in your Library either.

This method provides an effective workaround to solve this problem and regain your storage. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open Settings and select General.
2. Select the Date & Time option.
3. Set Time Automatically will likely be enabled. If it is, turn the toggle off.
4. You can then manually change the date and time using the fields below. Select any date and time that’s at least a year in the past.
5. After that, open the Photos app and check all your albums, including Library and Recently Deleted.

   

6. Select everything that has reappeared in your albums and delete them from your phone. If you don’t see anything, try going back another year or two and check again.

Deleting these “ghost files” that reappear should help free up that extra space on your iPhone 18 Pro Max (and even iCloud). Don’t forget to set the time option back to automatic when you’re done!

5. Disable iCloud Sync (After Completing a Backup)

iCloud Photos allows you to upload your iPhone’s pictures to iCloud automatically. While this is convenient and a good way to protect your photos, it can also lead to your photos taking up too much space in iCloud.

As a temporary adjustment to fix the issue of Photos taking up phantom space, you can thus disable iCloud Photos for a time. This will prevent your photos from syncing and taking up more space, hopefully clearing out the problem.

You should back up your iPhone (locally to a computer if you don’t have enough iCloud space) before doing this to avoid losing any photos in the process. Then, to turn off iCloud Photos, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.

   

2. Go to iCloud and choose Photos.
3. Turn off the toggle next to Sync this iPhone.

6. Optimize iPhone Photos for Storage

If photos are taking up too much space on your iPhone’s storage all the time, the optimization option is handy. This has your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max decrease the resolution of media saved locally in Photos but retains a full-resolution copy in iCloud. There, you will have to toggle on iCloud Photos for this fix, unlike the previous one.

This helps you save storage while not deleting your original images. Once you’ve enabled iCloud Photos, you can follow these steps to turn on photo optimization:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap your name, then tap iCloud.

   

3. Tap Photos, tap iPhone Storage, then make sure the Optimize iPhone Storage option is selected.

7. Factory Reset Your iPhone

If you’ve tried all the above steps and your storage is still taken up by photos that don’t exist, you should next opt for a full iPhone reset. This is a drastic measure, but it will hopefully clear out any persistent issues causing the storage glitch.

A factory reset will erase everything on your iPhone. So, ensure you’ve backed up all the data on your device before you proceed.

To factory reset your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Scroll down until you find Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap it.
3. From your list of options, tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Confirm your choice, and your iPhone will return to factory defaults the next time it reboots.

8. Contact Apple Support

You need to get in touch with an expert when all else fails. If the problem persists even after a factory reset, then it’s likely severe, and you should get professional support from Apple.

You can do this online through Apple Support or visit your nearest Apple Store to talk with experts. A valid warranty will likely help your case in case of a major issue.

How to Better Manage iPhone Storage in the Future

While this error was hopefully a one-time problem for you, there’s a chance it could happen in the future. It’s better to maintain your iPhone 18 Pro Max storage ahead of time to reduce the impact of such an issue, so you should consider ways to avoid filling up your storage.

Some methods you can employ to manage both your iCloud and local storage on a long-term basis include:

• Delete unused apps at regular intervals.
• Upgrade your iCloud storage plan to get more space.
• Delete old messages and unimportant conversations.
• Clear Recently Deleted in Photos regularly.
• Offload apps that take up a great amount of storage.
• Disable iCloud Photos if you don’t use it—consider backing up photos to another cloud service.

Your iPhone Storage Can Breathe Now

This iPhone and iCloud storage error, experienced by many, is definitely a pain. Fortunately, there are some ways around it. Hopefully, the methods presented here let you get your photo storage usage back to normal.

And by keeping your storage clear ahead of time, you can reduce the impact of this issue if it happens again.

Summary

• You can reset your Screen Time passcode with your Apple Account details.
• Only the family organizer or a parent/guardian can reset the Screen Time passcode on a child’s device.
• If you disabled “Share Across Devices” and skipped the Screen Time passcode recovery step while setting up the feature, you’re out of luck.

Have you set a Screen Time passcode on your Apple device (or your child’s to prevent them from messing around with settings), only to forget it later? Don’t worry—resetting the Screen Time passcode on an iPhone 18 Pro Max is simple!

How to Reset the Screen Time Passcode on Your iPhone

Here’s what you need to do to reset the Screen Time passcode on your iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode and choose Change Screen Time Passcode again from the two options.
3. If asked, enter the Apple Account email address and password that you used to set up the Screen Time passcode.
4. Once your details have been verified, you’ll be prompted to change your Screen Time password on the next screen. Enter a new Screen Time passcode, and then enter your new passcode once again to verify.

If you skipped the step to enter your Apple Account details for Screen Time passcode recovery while setting the feature up and have Share Across Devices disabled, you won’t be able to reset the passcode.

How to Reset the Screen Time Passcode for Your Child’s Device

If you’re taking complete advantage of parental controls on your child’s iPhone and use Apple’s Family Sharing feature to control your child’s screen time, you can use your iPhone to reset the Screen Time passcode for your child’s device.

You must be the family organizer or a parent/guardian to reset your child’s Screen Time passcode.

On an iPhone

To reset the Screen Time passcode on your child’s Apple device from your iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max and tap Screen Time.
2. Scroll down and tap the child’s name under Family.
3. Tap Manage Screen Time.
4. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, and then tap Change Screen Time Passcode again from the two options.
5. You’ll now be prompted to enter your device’s passcode. If you use Face ID to unlock your device, you may scan your face to proceed with the authentication process.
6. Finally, enter the new Screen Time passcode and type it again to confirm.

It’s that easy! However, if you also forgot your Apple Account login details, you’ll have to go through the complicated process of resetting your Apple Account password first.

If you have enabled Share Across Devices, your Screen Time settings will sync seamlessly across all devices under your iCloud account. This means you won’t have to individually change the Screen Time passcode on each of your devices.

Does your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max say Security Lockout? Looking at your iPhone and seeing that it is locked out can be gut wrenching. Many might not know what happened or what to do next.

Luckily, there are a few ways to restore your iPhone and prevent it happening again. Even if you don’t fully understand what happened, this guide will show you what to do next.

Why Does iPhone 18 Pro Max Say Security Lockout?

Most iPhones become unavailable after too many failed unlock attempts. If you enter the wrong passcode four times in a row, you’ll be locked out of your device, and you’ll see the iPhone Unavailable or Security Lockout screen.

Sometimes, this can happen without you realizing it, if your device is in a bag and getting knocked around.

If you set up your iPhone to be erased after 10 failed login attempts, a tenth failed attempt will erase your device. If not, you will need to either restore or erase your device to access it again.

While a Security Lockout on your iPhone 18 Pro Max can be annoying, there are several things you can do to get back in and start using your device again. They mostly involve erasing your device and restoring the latest backup.

If you forget your passcode, try Passcode Reset first. If you can’t use Passcode Reset, you can then reset your iPhone without a computer to regain access to your Apple device.

From your iPhone’s Lock Screen, try to enter your passcode until the iPhone Unavailable screen appears. When you’re able to, tap Forgot Passcode? and follow the onscreen instructions. The Forgot Passcode? button only appears if you have an active cellular or Wi-Fi connection and have Find My turned on. This process erases the data currently on your iPhone.

Reset Your iPhone With a Computer

One of the easiest ways to fix an unavailable device is with Finder on a Mac (or the Apple Devices app on a Windows PC). If you use your iPhone with a computer frequently, you might have a backup on file and can quickly restore your device and get it running correctly again.

To restore your iPhone with a computer, simply connect your device to your computer using the USB cable. Then open up Finder or the Apple Devices app and you will see your device in the sidebar. To access your iPhone after you forget your passcode, you must reset your device. This process erases the data currently on your iPhone.

Note: Some users will be automatically asked to restore after plugging in an unavailable device. Some users will also only see a Restore iPhone option if they don’t have a backup on file.

If you don’t have a backup on file on your computer, there are other places you might have a backup, like on iCloud. However, you will need to restore your device first before you can restore the backup.

Erase Your iPhone Using iCloud

If you don’t have access to a computer, there are ways to erase your iPhone 18 Pro Max without having to plug it in. This option also works for those who don’t have any backups available anyway and just want to reset their phone quickly.

If you use iCloud, you can log in and erase your iPhone there. Simply head to icloud.com/find and log in to your account. In Find Devices, select Erase iPhone.

Once this is done, you can use your iPhone again immediately, but you’ll need to restore a backup to get all your data back. Since iCloud is frequently used, your contacts and photos will automatically restore. Once you sign in to your iCloud account again, your device will take care of the rest.

After this, your device is ready to use again.

If you had an iCloud backup saved, when you set up your device and log in with your Apple Account, you will see an option to restore using an iCloud backup. This will make your iPhone exactly the way it was when the backup was saved.

Restore an iPhone Using Recovery Mode

If you don’t use a computer or iCloud to back up your device, you will need to put your iPhone 18 Pro Max into Recovery Mode to use it again. This should be tried last, as it will erase everything on your iPhone and you won’t be able to get anything back.

Recovery Mode is essentially a way to erase your iPhone and start over. You will need a computer to do this.

First, you will need to plug your device into your computer with a USB cable and open Finder or the Apple Devices app on your computer. Once this is done, force your device to enter Recovery Mode.

To enter Recovery Mode, you need to press the volume up button, followed by the volume down button, and then hold the Side button until the device enters Recovery Mode. Remember to keep holding the button when the logo appears. You will see a computer icon, indicating that your device is in recovery mode. Once this appears, you can let go.

Please remember that the device must be plugged in for this to work. Some users might also get a notification saying that a device has been detected but could not be identified. If this comes up, keep holding the button, and eventually it will enter Recovery Mode.

Once your device is in Recovery Mode, it will appear on your computer and you will get a notification saying that there is a problem with the device and it needs to be updated or restored.

When this appears, hit Restore and your device will be wiped. It may take a long time for it to restore (sometimes a few hours), but once it is done, your device will be ready to use again.

Contact Apple for More Support

If for some reason your device can’t be restored using any of the methods above, or if you have a broken button that won’t allow you to put it in Recovery Mode, the last resort would be to contact Apple.

To do this, head over to Apple Support to get assistance. While it can be difficult for Apple to assist in these cases, Apple does offer this support link for these very instances and rarely can help you recover your device if you can prove you own it.

This option usually only works for those who purchased an iPhone directly from Apple, but it is worth a try.

Preventing Future Issues

The simplest way to prevent a Security Lockout on your iPhone 18 Pro Max is by using a password that is easy to remember. Also, take advantage of other security features such as Face ID to make it easy to unlock your phone.

If you’re finding that your device is frequently becoming unavailable in a pocket or backpack, consider turning on Auto-Lock. With Auto-Lock on, your device screen will lock after 30 seconds, and previously entered digits on the pin pad will be erased.

By using iCloud, you can back up your device frequently and prevent having to lose everything when you do need to reset your device. This is very simple to set up. Open the Settings and at the very top, you can sign in to iCloud using your Apple Account.

If you already have an Apple Account, be sure to head to the iCloud settings to make sure Photos and iCloud Backup are on.

You can also set up your device to be erased after 10 failed login attempts. Simply go to Face ID & Passcode and enter your password. At the very bottom, you will see a setting called Erase Data. Tap this to enable this feature. Just be sure you have backups ready to go!

Getting Your iPhone 18 Pro Max Out of Security Lockout

Having one of your devices locked out can be annoying at first, but thankfully there are many ways to recover your device and restore it. While some data might be lost, you will gain access to your phone again, having learned a lesson to make sure this won’t happen in the future. After all, a wiped device is better than no device.

Now the sun’s out you may be wearing your sunglasses and wondering why your iPhone 18 Pro Max won’t unlock. If you are fed up with having to remove your sunglasses every time you need to unlock your iPhone. Here’s what you can do to speed up the process.

The reason why Face ID isn’t unlocking your iPhone is it can’t verify that you are looking at the phone. Face ID normally only unlocks the phone when you are looking at your phone–that way it offers you greater security as someone can’t just hold your phone at your face to unlock it without your authorization, it won’t unlock just sat on your desk beside you, and it can’t be unlocked while you are unconscious or asleep.

However, you can set your iPhone to unlock even if it can’t tell you are looking at it. If you do want your phone to unlock without detecting what your eyes are doing here’s what you need to do.

How to make Face ID work with sunglasses

There’s a simple setting that makes it a lot easier for Face ID to recognize you when you’re sporting your favorite shades (although it comes at the expense of sacrificing a bit of security). Here’s how you do it.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility, then tap Face ID & Attention.
3. Turn off Require Attention for Face ID.
4. Tap on Ok.

That’s all! Face ID should now work when you’re wearing most sunglasses. The benefit is that by turning this requirement off Face ID will speed up in general.

How to set up Face ID while wearing sunglasses

If you would rather not disable Require Attention for Face ID (reasons why you might not want to do this are below) you could set up an Alternate Appearance in your Face ID settings. As before, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll down to Face ID & Passcode. Tap it.
3. Enter your passcode.
4. Scroll down to Set Up an Alternate Appearance and tap it.
5. Now follow the instructions to record your face while wearing your sun glasses.

   

What are the risks of disabling Require Attention for Face ID?

The option above comes with a warning that says, “TrueDepth camera will provide an additional level of security by verifying that you are looking at iPhone before unlocking. Some sunglasses may block attention detection.”

Basically, “attention” means that you’re looking directly at your iPhone with your eyes open. When attention detection is turned off, Face ID will still be “secure” in that your iPhone will only unlock if the TrueDepth sensors are sure that they’re seeing you, but now it also works if your eyes are closed.

That means someone could force you to unlock your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max by merely lifting it up to your face, even if you shut your eyes. Someone could even unlock your iPhone if you’re asleep. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth the risk.

Fortunately, it’s easy to quickly disable Face ID for unlocking your iPhone if you know you’re about to be in a situation where this could be a problem. All you need to do is hold down the side button and either of the volume buttons at the same time for a couple of seconds. Anyone trying to access the phone after that will have to enter the passcode.

Wearing a mask has been common around the world thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, with masks having been a requirement in many indoor locations for months. It might seem like Apple has taken slightly too long to come up with a solution to one of the biggest frustrations of the pandemic: having to use your pin to unlock your iPhone 18 Pro Max if you are wearing a mask.

When you turn on Face ID with a Mask, Face ID analyzes the unique characteristics around your eyes, and it works with all of the Face ID options you turn on in Settings > Face ID & Passcode.

We’ll explain how that works below.

How to use the Face ID with a Mask setting

Go to:

1. Settings > Face ID & Passcode
2. Enter your passcode.
3. You will then see some options including Face ID with a Mask – turn it on.

After switching the features on, you will be prompted to go through the Face ID setup process again. To do this position your face in the middle of the circle shown and slowly rotate your head to fill the indicators on the circle.

The iPhone will also do another scan of your face that uses more data points from the eye area and the upper part of the face and ignoring the lower part that a mask would cover.

You don’t have to wear a mask during this scan, but the scanner will assume you have one on.

There is also an option to Add Glasses (which will be handy for spectacle wearers!)

Apple points out that Face ID is more accurate if the settings are disabled.

How to unlock iPhone with Apple Watch

If you have an Apple Watch, there is a solution if you don’t want to have to enter your passcode every time you need to unlock your iPhone 18 Pro Max while wearing a mask.

The Unlock with Apple Watch option means you can unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask. The only requirement is that you will need an Apple Watch running watchOS 7.4 or later.

What you will need

• To use the unlock iPhone with Apple Watch feature you will, obviously, need an Apple Watch. That watch needs to be running watchOS 7.4.
• The Apple Watch needs to be on your wrist and unlocked.
• In addition you will need to have a passcode enabled on your iPhone (if you haven’t got a passcode go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Turn Passcode On).
• You also need to have Wrist Detection turned on.

How to use Apple Watch to unlock an iPhone

You need to turn on the Unlock with Apple Watch feature on your iPhone.

1. Open Settings
2. Face ID & Passcode
3. Enter your passcode
4. Scroll down, then turn on Apple Watch (below Unlock with Apple Watch).

If your Watch isn’t up to date you will see a warning “Software Update Required”.

Now, as long as your Watch is on your wrist and unlocked when you attempt to unlock your iPhone with Face ID, and your iPhone detects that you have a mask on, it will unlock automatically.

A message will appear on your Watch to alert you to the fact that your iPhone is unlocked and indicating that you can lock it again.

This is a great feature as long as you have a Watch. There are a few other disadvantages though. If you were hoping this would mean you wouldn’t have to enter your passcode to use Apple Pay in shops you will be disappointed: this method will unlock your iPhone but there are some limitations to what you can do with it in that state – and one thing you can’t do is pay using Apple Pay. Of course if you are wearing a Watch the sensible thing would be to pay using Apple Pay on your Watch.

When you have unlocked your iPhone this way you also won’t be able to access apps that should be securely unlocked, such as your banking app. In that case you will need to use Face ID unmasked or enter your passcode.

These disadvantages are obviously advantages from a security standpoint. It will mean that someone who wasn’t you couldn’t gain access to your finances.

Apple implements a few other security features for this service. For example the Face ID does actually still scan your eye area and your iPhone and Watch need to be close together. And of course you also get a tap and see that message on your Watch allowing you to lock your iPhone again.

Note: It’s not necessary to use Apple Watch to unlock iPhone when you’re wearing a face mask.

How to turn off Face ID

One option is to simply turn off Face ID as a means to unlock your iPhone.

1. Go to Settings
2. Face ID & Passcode
3. Enter your Passcode
4. Now you can deselect the sliders beside the options for iPhone Unlock etc.

Now your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max will require a passcode every time you need to unlock it or identify yourself for Apple Pay and so on.

How to set iPhone to unlock with a mask on

Here we will share some tricks that will allow you to set up facial recognition on your iPhone so that it recognises you even with your face half covered by a mask. Before we run through the steps please note that we had to try this several times until we were able to set up reliable face recognition, but it is possible.

Method 1:

1. Fold your face mask in the middle and attach the two eyelets to the ear, hold the mask with one hand in your face so that it covers it exactly in the middle.
2. On your iPhone go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and enter your passcode.
3. Select the Set Up an Alternate Appearance option. (If you have already set up an alternate appearance you won’t have this option. You will need to reset your Face ID and set it up again.)
4. You will be invited to set up Face ID. You may see a warning that your face is covered, but in our experience after a couple of tries this message will disappear.
5. Follow the steps on screen to allow the TrueDepth camera to take its measurements and the circle appears guiding you to rotate your face in a circle.
6. Wait while it takes the first scan of your face.
7. Before the TrueDepth camera starts its second scans remove the mask and cover the other side of your face.
8. Once the second scan is completed you should be able to unlock your iPhone 18 Pro Max while wearing a face mask.

Method 2:

If it doesn’t work for you our tip is to reset your Face ID and start again, but this time create your first Face ID scan while holding the mask on one side of your face.

Then create the Alternate Appearance option while holding the mask on the other side of your face.

When we used the second method – which involved creating our Face ID from scratch while covering our face on one side and then covering our face on the other side to do an Alternate Option – we found that Face ID was capable of unlocking our iPhone while we were wearing a mask.

When we used the first method – just creating the Alternate Appearance option with a mask – we found it to be less accurate. It tended to work if the tip of the nose was visible – if the nose was completely covered we found it to be unreliable.

This tip was originally identified by students in the Tencent Xuanwu Lab.