Some iPhone 18 Pro Series Owners Have Reportedly Encountered Shutdowns While Using Apple Pay or Face ID

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max owners in South Korea have reported sudden shutdowns and unexpected reboots just days after the flagship devices hit shelves on 18 September 2026.

First-wave buyers claim their handsets freeze and restart during routine tasks, with analytics data logging 'panic-full' entries that record the crashes without explaining their origin.

The sporadic failures have surfaced across social media platforms and local tech forums, with some customers pointing to Apple Pay and Face ID authentication as potential flashpoints.

While technology analysts caution that these accounts remain isolated and unverified, the emergence of early hardware and software complaints has drawn intense scrutiny from global observers.

Apple has not yet confirmed the root cause of the unexpected reboots, leaving consumers waiting for an official technical verdict. Service centres have handled a handful of returns and replacements on a case-by-case basis, though no universal recall or policy adjustment has been announced.

As technical experts investigate the logs, users are advised to monitor device performance closely and log any recurring anomalies directly with authorised support channels.

iPhone 18 Pro Shutdown Reports Surface After Launch

The reports concern what users and Korean media have described as 'panic-full' incidents. In these cases, an iPhone reportedly freezes or shuts down unexpectedly before restarting, with a 'panic-full' entry appearing in the device's analytics data. The log records the incident but does not, by itself, establish what caused it.

One iPhone 18 Pro user said the device suddenly powered off while Apple Pay was being opened and posted a panic-full log from the phone's analytics data. Another iPhone 18 Pro Max owner reported a forced reboot while authenticating with Face ID in Apple Pay shortly after completing the initial setup.

Similar reports have appeared outside South Korea. Seoul Economic Daily reported accounts from overseas users describing repeated reboots during Face ID or Apple Wallet use, although the publication did not independently verify those reports.

The reports do not establish that Apple Pay or Face ID is causing the shutdowns. They only indicate that some users experienced the incidents while doing so. The cause also remains unconfirmed, with current reports leaving open the possibility of a software- or hardware-related problem.

Some users have also reported seeking remedies from Apple. One customer said a service centre approved a replacement after the panic-full problem continued, while another said they returned the device and received a refund. These are individual user reports and should not be taken as an indication that Apple has adopted a general replacement or refund policy for the reported incidents.

Some Users Report Damage to the Finish

The reboot reports are not the only early complaints. Some first-wave buyers have reported chipped or damaged finishes on the aluminium body. Those reports do not establish how widespread the issue is or whether it affects particular colours or production batches.

The reports also echo concerns raised before the iPhone 18 Pro launch. In June, Weibo account Fixed Focus Digital warned that the new iPhone would retain an aluminium-alloy construction and cautioned about potential paint-peeling issues with its new colours. The warning referred to earlier complaints about surface chipping on the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple's own technical specifications describe the iPhone 18 Pro as having an aluminium unibody design. However, the earlier warning and the current user reports do not establish that the same issue has carried over from one generation to the next.

What Apple Has Said About the Reports

Apple has not publicly confirmed a cause for the reported shutdowns. Yonhap reported on 22 September that Apple had not issued a separate official position on the reboot reports and had not confirmed the specific cause or whether a particular hardware component was responsible.

For owners experiencing repeated shutdowns or reboots, contacting Apple Support or an Apple service centre is the appropriate route for an individual assessment. Reports of replacements and refunds reflect individual cases and should not be treated as a guarantee of the outcome for other customers.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have only been available to customers for a few days. More reports and further investigation are needed to determine whether the incidents remain isolated or form a broader pattern.

For now, the available evidence supports reports of individual shutdowns and reboots, including incidents during Apple Pay and Face ID use, but does not establish a widespread product defect or a confirmed cause.