Apple
This iOS 17 Bug Is Driving Me Insane
While some iOS 17 users are dealing with broken Wi-Fi and random shutoffs, I’ve run into a much smaller, but equally as aggravating, bug. And it’s slowly driving me insane.
I, like many other iPhone users, rely on Spotlight to get through the day. I’m a minimalist and only employ one home screen on my iPhone 12 Pro so I use Spotlight to quickly search for apps I want to access.
Ever since I installed iOS 17.1 on my device back in October, I’ve run into a Spotlight bug that causes the search bar to float all over my iPhone’s screen.
In rare cases, it remains accessible and I’m able to type in a query. In many others, I’m unable to use the search box to look for apps, news, photos, etc.
Instead, when I try and tap the search box to search, I end up tapping on whatever’s directly behind the search box. In the past that’s been a contact or a search result from the web.
Once the bug appears, Spotlight search remains in that state until I turn off my screen and lock my phone. Once I unlock my iPhone, the bug vanishes and I’m able to use Spotlight normally again.
While the bug might have existed on prior versions of iOS 17, its become prominent on iOS 17.1 and it might force me to downgrade back to iOS 17.0.2 if I can’t find a permanent fix.
Fortunately, it looks like I’m in the minority here because I can’t find any reports about the issue impacting other iPhone 12 Pro/iOS 17.1 users. It’s not widespread.
Other staff members at GottaBeMobile haven’t seen the issue on their iPhones and they’ve been unable to replicate the problem. It’s extremely hard to replicate, even for me, because I can’t figure out what’s causing it. Given how much I use Spotlight, I don’t think it’s a skill issue.
I’ve seen reports about a Spotlight bug wherein it’s unable to find an app, even if the application is installed on the iPhone. I haven’t run into this issue.
Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t confirmed any fixes for Spotlight in its next major release for iOS 17, iOS 17.2. With iOS 17.2 likely coming in December, my hope is the company releases an iOS 17.1.1 update and the bug dissipates.
As I note in a lot of my guides, new versions of iOS often fix unlisted issues so there’s a chance new iOS 17 software cures my insanity.
Install iOS 17.4.1 for Better Security | ||||||||||||||||
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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 17.4.1 update right away. The iOS 17.4.1 update includes two security patches. These patches will help keep your device and its data protected from harm. And that makes iOS 17.4.1 an important upgrade. If you missed iOS 17.4 and older software, you'll get the security patches from updates you missed when you upgrade to iOS 17.4.1. iOS 17.4 had four security patches on board. The update also delivered quantum security protection for iMessage. The company says the upgrade gives iMessage "the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world." The iOS 17.3 update brought 15 new security patches to iPhone. The software also added Stolen Device Protection to iPhone. It increases the security of your iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID to gain access to passwords, make purchases in Safari, and more. This is useful if someone gets access to your iPhone and its passcode. iOS 17.2 delivered 10 new security patches to iPhone. If you wish to find out more, you can head on over to Apple's security site for the details. iOS 17.2 also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. The company also fixed an exploit that let the Flipper Zero multi-tool lock up iPhones. iOS 17.1.2 had two security patches on board. Both were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more, you can do so right here. iOS 17.1 brought 18 security fixes to iPhone. It addressed issues within Weather, Status Bar, WebKit, and more. iOS 17.0.3 brought two patches for two security issues Apple identified within the software. If you want to read about the patches, head here. iOS 17.0.1 delivered three important patches to iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. As for iOS 17 itself, it brought 40+ new security patches with it. A staggering number to say the least. If you want to learn more about them, head over to Apple. In addition to those patches, iOS 17 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages. It now includes content sent by AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime, and the systemwide photo picker. You now have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them. There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks. Apple's also improved sharing permissions and you now have more control over what you share with the apps on your device. The company also notes that starting in iOS 17, Voice Memos encrypts the titles of recordings stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves. If you skipped older versions of iOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your iOS 17.4.1 update as well. | ||||||||||||||||
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