iPhone users have been left outraged by ‘convoluted’ changes to key apps and ‘annoying’ glitches that appeared with the lasted Apple iOS update.
While some have shared that they like iOS 18 and report little to no issues, many have taken to social media to complain about depleted battery life, issues while using apps, and worst of all – the redesigned Photos app.
Apple first released iOS 18 to the public in September, packing numerous new features into the software update, including the ‘biggest-ever redesign to Photos.’
This revamp ‘Makes it easier to find and relive special moments,’ the company said. ‘The beautiful, simplified layout puts the library into a unified yet familiar view.’
But many users disagree, saying that the app’s new interface is difficult to navigate and overwhelming to use.
‘Every time apple makes a major change to iOS we all immediately hate then slowly come around to realizing it’s better, but I just don’t see it for the photos app,’ an X user wrote.
‘Updated to iOS 18 last night and all of a sudden the photos app is ugly and convoluted,’ one user posted on X.
Meanwhile, iPhone users have also found that installing iOS 18 significantly depleted their battery life and introduced glitches that cause apps to crash, or make it difficult to open and sign into them.
Luckily, there is a way to fix many of these issues in a few simple steps, including returning your Photos app to the original layout.
Many who downloaded the iOS 18 update have taken to social media to complain about depleted battery life, issues opening or signing into apps, and most of all – the redesigned Photos app
Once you open the Photos app, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. There, you will see a tab titled ‘Customize & Reorder.’
When you click that, you will see a list of 11 image collections available to use for sorting your photos, such as ‘Recent Days,’ ‘People,’ ‘Pinned Collections.’ They will all be selected by default.
To make your Photos app look similar to the way it was before the iOS 18 update, simply de-select all collections except for ‘Media Types.’
Now, the Photos app should look more streamlined. If you’d like to add more Collections back in for easy access, such as ‘Albums’ or ‘Utilities,’ simply re-select them.
The fix has been shared widely on social media with many responding to say it resolved the issue.
‘You, sir, earned my follow for this post alone,’ one X user commented on a thread detailing the solution.
iPhone users have also reported several common glitches that are disrupting their ability to open and sign into apps.
One iOS 18 user told DailyMail.com that installing the update seemed to wipe his stored login information on certain apps.
App crashes are another common issue after updating to iOS 18. Users have reported apps unexpectedly closing while using them, especially with those that take a lot of power to run
‘I went to use my Chase banking app which usually auto fills my username and password after scanning my face,’ he said.
‘I needed to quickly review some card payments made on vacation last month. But on this occasion the logins did not autofill and the face scanner did not work.’
‘I ended up having to go through the ‘forgot my username’ route which everyone knows can be a total pain, leaving you scrambling to log into old email accounts or to complete the two-step authentication process. It turned into a 25-minute ordeal.’
If you’re dealing with a similar issue, you may be able to recover your saved passwords in the Passwords app.
Open the app and sign in with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. Then, you will see all your saved passwords displayed in the app. Scroll through to look for the one you need.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, make sure you’re viewing all of your passwords and passkeys. To do that, tap ‘All’ in the app.
You can also check to see if your password was mistakenly deleted by tapping ‘Deleted’ in the Passwords app, which displays all your discarded login information.
Another user seeking Apple Support said: ‘I updated my iOS to 18.1.1 on my iPhone pro max 16 last night and this morning I’d say about 80% of my apps refuse to open.’
‘Reinstalling doesn’t seem to solve the issue. Causing me major issues as I can’t open my banking apps to verify transactions. Can anyone tell me how to roll back my iOS update or if there is a fix?’
So far, no one has responded with a solution but 214 others responded ‘Me Too’ to the post.
App crashes are another common issue after updating to iOS 18. Users have reported apps unexpectedly closing while using them, especially with those that take a lot of power to run.
This issue may occur due to the overloaded storage on your device, according to magfone.com. Clearing the app cache and freeing up the storage could fix it.
First, delete and reinstall the problematic app to clear any corrupted data.
If that doesn’t work, make sure all the apps on your device are up-to-date with the latest software, and update those that are not.
To see a full list of available app updates, open the App Store, then tap the icon associated with your iCloud in the upper right corner.
Scroll down, and you will see all the software updates available for the apps installed on your iPhone.
If your apps are still crashing, try freeing up your storage space. Go to Settings, then tap General, then iPhone Storage.
This will show you which apps are using the majority of your storage. Messages and Photos tend to be high on the list.
Take some time to delete texts, pictures and apps you do not need anymore. This may help your other apps run more smoothly.
A slew of iPhone users have also stated that the new software significantly deteriorated their phone’s battery life.
‘WTF is wrong with the latest iOS update?! My phone is dying every 7-8hrs despite being fully charged!’ one user posted on X.
Another added: ‘iOS 18.1.1 battery drained 2x faster than 18.’
And one tweeted: ‘Even with iOS 18.1.1, the battery drain issue has not been fixed.’
It’s not uncommon to experience battery drain after installing a power-intensive update.
Sometimes it can take hours and even days for software changes to finalize, which means that battery health can fluctuate in the meantime.
‘Installing a new OS on an iPhone triggers a lot of stuff to go on in the background, from indexing to recalibrating the battery, and this can go on for hours or even days,’ Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a researcher at ZDNet, previously explained.
The redesigned Photos app isn’t the only reason why people regret downloading iOS 18. Many have stated that the new software significantly deteriorated their phone’s battery life
One iOS 18 user told DailyMail.com that installing the update seemed to wipe his stored login information on certain apps
‘Not only does this consume power, but the battery recalibration can give the impression that the battery is draining more rapidly when in fact it isn’t.’
However, if issues last for longer, it may be a good idea to check your phone battery’s maximum capacity.
This reflects an iPhone’s capacity to hold charge, which lowers as the battery chemically ages. This may result in fewer hours of usage and worse performance between charges.
To check your phone battery’s maximum capacity, open the Settings app and scroll down to the ‘Battery’ tab. Tap to open it, then tap ‘Battery Health and Charging.’
On that screen, you will see a percentage listed next to ‘Maximum Capacity.’ Anything less than 100 percent means that your iPhone’s capacity to hold charge has been depleted.
If your battery needs replacing, an ‘important battery message’ will pop up indicating that its health has significantly degraded.
There are steps you can take to maximize your battery life.
Keeping your device away from extreme temperatures higher than 95°F is a must for preserving battery life.
Certain phone cases should also be removed while charging a device if they generate excess heat, to avoid unexpected device shutdowns.
Users should also check if Wi-Fi Assist setting is switched on, which keeps devices connected to the inert when the Wi-Fi connection is poor but can drain battery too.
When Apple released iOS 18.1.1 in November, the company said the update fixed two vulnerabilities which have already been ‘actively exploited’ by hackers.
According to security experts, these bugs could be used to remotely compromise a user’s device and even gain access to their online accounts.
While the security weaknesses have only been exploited on Mac so far, waiting too long could leave your iPhone vulnerable to being hacked.
This is part of the reason why iPhone users jumped to download the new software.
But many of them are regretting their decision – and the redesigned Photos app, glitches and battery life deterioration are some of the biggest reasons why.