iOS 18 Bug Keeps Crashing the Messages App on iPhone — Here’s How to Avoid It

Apple recently released iOS 18, bringing a range of new features and updates to iPhone users. However, shortly after the update went live, some users began reporting an annoying bug that causes the Messages app to crash repeatedly on iPhones. This issue has been frustrating for many, especially those who regularly use the Messages app.

The iOS 18 Bug Causing the Messages App to Crash

According to reports from 9to5mac, the bug in iOS 18 is triggered when a user sends or receives a watch face from an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch includes a feature that allows users to share custom watch faces with friends, making it easy to personalize their devices. However, when a user replies to this shared watch face in a conversation thread on an iPhone running iOS 18, the Messages app crashes.

This issue doesn’t just affect iPhone users — it has been reported on iPads and even Macs running the Messages app. The bug affects both the person who sends the watch face and the recipient. Each time the conversation is opened, the app crashes, making it impossible to use the Messages app for that specific thread.

Steps to Avoid the iOS 18 Messages Bug

To avoid this bug, it’s best not to send or respond to shared Apple Watch faces in Messages for the time being. If someone sends you a watch face, it’s advised to leave the message alone and not respond to it in the thread. Following these precautions will help prevent the Messages app from crashing until Apple releases a fix.

How to Fix the Bug, But With a Catch

There is a workaround to resolve the issue, but it comes with a downside. The only way to stop the Messages app from crashing is by deleting the conversation thread entirely. Unfortunately, this means you’ll lose all your chat history with that specific contact. Deleting the conversation can be tricky since the app continues to crash, but it’s the only temporary fix available.

It’s important to note that trying to restore the deleted conversation may reactivate the bug, so it’s recommended to delete the conversation permanently until a proper fix is implemented.

Apple Expected to Address the Bug in Upcoming Updates

Apple is likely aware of this bug and is expected to address it in a future iOS 18 update. The upcoming release will likely be a minor patch focused on resolving this and other bugs, as well as improving the overall stability of iOS 18. Stay tuned for updates, and we’ll keep you informed when the fix is available.