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10 Common iOS 16 Problems & How to Fix Them

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As we push away from the latest iOS 16 release we’re hearing about the bugs and performance issues plaguing Apple’s software.

The current list of iOS 16 problems includes abnormal battery drain, Wi-Fi issues, UI lag, crashes, Touch ID issues, and installation issues. A lot of these problems are brand new, others have carried over from older versions of iOS 16.

While some of these issues will require a fix from Apple in a new version of iOS 16 or perhaps a visit to your local Apple Store, some issues can be fixed in minutes from the comfort of your home.

In this guide we’ll take you through potential fixes for the most common iOS 16 problems we’ve heard about or seen on our iPhones.

If you’re noticing abnormal battery drain, issues with your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, or if you’re having issues installing iOS 16, have a look through these fixes before you contact customer support or take your iPhone into a store.

How to Fix iOS 16 Freezing

If your iPhone locks up and stops responding, here’s how to get it unstuck.

In order to get your iPhone unstuck, try performing a hard reset. Here’s how to do that if you own an iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE 2, or iPhone SE.

For more iOS 16 performance fixes, check out our guide.

How to Fix iOS 16 Battery Life Problems

If you encounter battery life issues after installing the latest version of iOS 16, there are a few things you can try.

If you’re experiencing extreme battery drain after installing Apple’s newest firmware, take a look at our list of fixes. They could help.

If nothing in that guide works, there’s a chance you’ve got a bad battery. If you determine that might be the case, you’ll need to get in touch with Apple about a replacement.

If you live near an Apple Store, make an appointment at the Genius Bar. They should be able to diagnose your problem in minutes.

If you don’t have an Apple Store near you, you’ll want to get in contact with Apple customer service.

How to Fix iOS 16 Bluetooth Problems

If you’re unable to connect your iPhone to a Bluetooth device, here are a few solutions that have worked for us in the past.

First, you’ll want to forget the Bluetooth connection on your iPhone. Here’s how to do that:

  • Head into your Settings.
  • Tap Bluetooth.
  • Select the connection using the “i” in the circle.
  • Tap “Forget this Device”.
  • Try reconnecting.

If that doesn’t work, try resetting your iPhone’s Network Settings:

  • Go to your Settings.
  • Tap General.
  • Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  • Tap Reset.
  • Tap on Reset Network Settings.

This process will take a few seconds to complete. It will also cause your iPhone to forget known Wi-Fi networks so make sure you’ve got your password(s) handy.

You can also try resetting your iPhone’s settings back to their factory defaults. Here’s how to do that:

  • Head into Settings.
  • Tap General.
  • Tap Reset.
  • Tap Reset Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  • Tap Reset.
  • Tap Reset All Settings.
  • Enter your passcode if you have one enabled.

Bluetooth issues can be difficult to fix so if none of these solutions work, you might need to get in contact Apple’s customer service or the company who makes the product you’re trying to connect to.

How to Fix iOS 16 Wi-Fi Issues

If you’re noticing slower than normal Wi-Fi speeds and/or your connection is continually dropping, here are some steps you can take to try and fix these issues.

If you’re on your home Wi-Fi network, try unplugging the router and/or modem for minute before plugging it back in. This could help.

If you can’t access the router and/or modem you’re connected to, or if you’re positive the issue has nothing to do with your router/modem, head into your iPhone’s Settings app.

Here you’ll want to forget the Wi-Fi network that’s giving you a headache. Here’s how to do that:

  • In the Settings app, tap Wi-Fi.
  • Select your connection by tapping the “i” in the circle.
  • Tap Forget this Network at the top of the screen.

If this doesn’t work, try resetting your phone’s Network Settings:

  • Go to your Settings app.
  • Tap General.
  • Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  • Tap Reset.
  • Tap on Reset Network Settings.

If none of those help, you’ll want to check out Apple’s guide to Wi-Fi problems.

How to Fix iOS 16 Cellular Data Issues

If you’re seeing a “No Service” symbol and/or your iPhone can’t connect to your cellular network, here are a few steps to take.

First, make sure there isn’t a cellular outage in your area. Check social media for reports and/or get into contact with your service provider on social media. We also recommend checking Down Detector to see if others in your area are having similar issues.

If you determine the issue is unrelated to a network outage, you’ll want to restart your iPhone and see if that fixes the connection.

If you still can’t get it to work, you’ll want to try toggling Cellular Data off and on. Here’s how to do that:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap Cellular.
  • Toggle Cellular Data to off.
  • Leave it off for a minute and toggle it back on.

If that doesn’t work, try turning Airplane Mode on for 30 seconds before turning it off. Airplane Mode kills all of the connections on your device.

If nothing here works, it may have something to do with your account. If you think that could be the case, get in contact with your service provider.

How to Fix iOS 16 FaceTime Issues

If you’re having trouble making or receiving FaceTime calls, you’ll want to make sure Apple isn’t having issues with the service. If FaceTime has a green symbol next to it, the issues are probably on your end.

First, make sure your iPhone is properly connected to Wi-Fi or your cellular network. If it is, make sure FaceTime is turned on. Here’s how to do that:

  • Head into Settings.
  • Tap FaceTime.
  • If you notice a message that says “Waiting for Activation”, turn FaceTime off and then toggle it back on.

If FaceTime is on and you’re connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, try restarting your iPhone.

If you’re having trouble connecting via FaceTime over a cellular network, make sure cellular data is currently turned on for FaceTime. Here’s how to check that:

  • Head into Settings.
  • Tap Cellular.
  • Scroll Down and make sure FaceTime is toggled on.

How to Fix iOS 16 App Issues

If one or more of your applications start acting up after you move to the latest version of iOS 16, here are a few things you can try before getting in contact with the developer.

First, try restarting your iPhone. If that doesn’t improve the app’s performance, you’ll want to check the App Store for an update. Developers are still pushing iOS 16 support updates and the downloading latest version of the app could help.

You can also try deleting the app and downloading it again.

If you can’t fix the issue yourself, get in contact with the app’s developer and see if it knows about the issue. If it does, it might have a manual fix or an ETA on an update that will address the issue.

How to Fix iOS 16 Random Reboots

If your iPhone starts randomly rebooting, here are a few fixes to try before getting in contact with Apple.

First, restart your device. If you haven’t turned your device off in awhile, this could solve the issue.

If you’re still seeing random reboots, go ahead and update all of your applications and see if that solves the issue. If it doesn’t, you might need to have a chat with Apple’s customer service.

For more on how to fix iOS 16 performance issues, have a look at our guide.

How to Fix iOS 16 Visual Voicemail Issues

Visual Voicemail sometimes breaks after Apple releases a new version of iOS. If you can’t get visual voicemail to work properly on your phone, here are a few things to try.

First, try letting the voicemail play all the way through. Once it’s done, exit the Phone app and re-open it. If that doesn’t work, you’ll want to restart your iPhone.

How to Fix iOS 16 GPS Issues

If GPS starts acting up after you move your iPhone to the latest iOS 16 firmware, try restarting the device before you do anything else.

If that doesn’t work, you’ll want to try toggling Airplane Mode on and off. If it’s still acting up, go into your location permissions and make sure you’re permitting the app, or apps, to use GPS. Here’s how to do that:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap Privacy.
  • Tap Locations Services at the top.
  • Tap on the app in question and make sure you’re using something other than “Never.” If you have Never selected, GPS won’t work.

You can also try toggling Location Services off and on. Here’s how to do that:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap Privacy.
  • Tap Locations Services at the top.
  • Toggle Location Services off, wait a few seconds, and toggle it back on.

If you still can’t get GPS to work properly, try resetting your device’s Network Settings:

  • Go to your Settings.
  • Tap General.
  • Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  • Tap Reset
  • Tap Reset Network Settings.

Update Your iPhone

Apple will periodically release new software. Point updates (iOS 16.x.x) are typically focused on fixing bugs while milestone upgrades (iOS 16.x) usually deliver a mix of features and fixes.

The company may not call out general fixes (ex. a fix for Bluetooth issues) in an update’s change log, but new software always has the potential to help.

For more on the latest version of iOS 16, take a look at our guide.

Downgrade

If you can’t fix your issue and you can’t wait for the next version of iOS 16, you can try downgrading back to a previous version if the option is available. This could help improve your phone’s performance.

If you don’t know how to downgrade your iPhone’s software, take a look at our walkthrough.

Restore as New

If your phone is really struggling on iOS 16, you can try restoring your iPhone as new. You can do this via Finder, iTunes, or iCloud. This should only be used as a last resort.

4 Reasons Not to Install iOS 16.7.6 & 10 Reasons You Should

Install iOS 16.7.6 for Better Security

Install iOS 16.7.6 for Better Security

If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 16.7.6 update on your iPhone right away.

iOS 16.7.6 delivers several security patches to iPhone users. If you want to protect your device from harm, you should install the upgrade sooner rather than later.

If you missed older versions of iOS 16, you'll get the fixes and features from updates you missed when you upgrade to iOS 16.7.6.

iOS 16.7.5 had nine security patches on board and they're important if you want to keep you device and its data safe from harm. 

iOS 16.7.3 delivered several security patches including one that patches up an issue with the Find My app. 

iOS 16.7.2 brought several security patches to iPhone models still running iOS 16. Learn more about them here.

iOS 16.7.1 carried two important security enhancements including one that addressed a kernel vulnerability. You can learn more about the pair over on Apple's website.

iOS 16.7 had three security patches on board and you can learn more about them right here.

iOS 16.6.1 brought two important security patches to iPhone. If you're interested in what they patch up, here's Apple's guide

The iOS 16.6 update featured 16 security patches. For more information about the changes, check out Apple's rundown

 iOS 16.5.1 brought two security patches to iPhone users  If you want to learn more, head on over to Apple's website.

The company's iOS Security Response 16.5.1 (c) update also included a security update and you can learn more about it right here.

iOS 16.5 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. You can find out more about them over on Apple's security site.

iOS 16.4.1 included two security upgrades . You can learn more about the pair right here.

Apple's iOS 16.4 update had a substantial number of patches on board. You can read about them in detail over on Apple's security site.

The iOS 16.3.1 update had three security patches on board including one for an actively exploited vulnerability. For more on the security contents of iOS 16.3.1, check out Apple's security page.

 iOS 16.3 brought 10+ new security patches with it and you can learn more about all of those right here

In addition, the software came with support for physical security keys for Apple ID. These will beef up your account security by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process. Learn more about the change right here.

If you skipped iOS 16.2, you'll get its changes with iOS 16.7.6. iOS 16.2 brought a ton of important security patches with it and you can dig into the details on Apple's security site

The update also brought end-to-end encryption to iCloud, iMessage, iPhone backups, Notes, Photos, and more. If you want to learn more about it, head over to Apple's guide

If you decided to missed iOS 16.1.2, you'll get its solitary security patch with your upgrade. Learn more about it right here.

If you skipped iOS 16.1.1, you'll get its security patches when you upgrade. You can learn more about them right here.

If you missed the iOS 16.1 update, it brought 19 security patches to the iPhone and you can learn about the particulars of those over on Apple's website.

If you failed to download iOS 16.0.3, it had one security patch on board, a fix for a potential exploit within the Mail app. For more about the fix, check out Apple's security site.

If you're still running iOS 15 your iPhone, you'll get a bunch of other patches when you upgrade.

iOS 16.0 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website.

In addition to those patches, iOS 16 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including Safety Check which, according to Apple, will help "people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations review and reset the access they’ve granted others." 

The feature also resets system privacy permissions for apps and restricts Messages and FaceTime to the device on hand.

Apple's also made some improvements to Passkeys in Safari. iOS 16 brings a brand new sign-in method that's end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks. 

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Landon Halter

    03/15/2023 at 7:36 pm

    For the pasted two days my phone has been randomly shutting off completely with a lot of battery life still there?! I found a trick online to bypass it today but I’m hoping it won’t happen again please help or even fix this bug if possible.

  2. Julie

    05/09/2023 at 6:05 am

    My iPhone 12 has not been able to send texts to android phones since last Thursday (5/4/23). I can see their texts but can’t reply.- “Not Delivered.” Is anyone else having this problem? I think it started after I updated to iOS 16.4.1. I’ve tried all online “fixes” and my carrier is having trouble helping me. I’m assuming it’s an Apple problem, not carrier.

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