25 major problems with the iPhone 6, and what to do about them

Apple finally went large with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, bowing to peer pressure with bigger touchscreens than previous releases. The svelte and sexy iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been selling like hotcakes. Plenty of people are enjoying their new purchases, but there have been a lot of iPhone 6 problems being reported. If you’ve run into an issue then you might just find the answer you need right here.

Problem: Red screen

A number of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners have reported a problem in which the screen goes red. In some cases it may flash. It’s followed by the Apple logo. It may appear to resolve itself and return later, or it may stick on the red screen and refuse to turn off.
Workaround:

• Try holding down the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button for 10 seconds and you should see the Apple logo. In some cases the iPhone will restart normally now, but the problem might come back.

Potential solutions:

• There’s a possibility this is a software issue, maybe something to do with a corrupted backup. You can try the restore process to fix it. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button to turn your iPhone 6 off. Make sure that your computer is running the latest version of iTunes and plug your iPhone in with the USB cable. Now hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons for a few seconds, when the device comes on let go of the Sleep/Wake button, but keep holding down the Home button. You should get the Connect to iTunes screen and you can let go of the Home button. Follow the restore procedure through iTunes.
• It’s also possible that this is a hardware failure of some kind and in that case you’re going to have to contact Apple or visit an Apple Store and arrange a replacement. It can help to record the red screen using another device and take that with you, just in case your iPhone 6 decides not to perform when you take it in for an assessment.

Next problem: Enlarged image or icons filling screen

Glitch: Enlarged image or icons filling screen

It’s fairly common to hear reports about enlarged images or icons on the iPhone screen making it difficult for people to see properly or navigate. There’s a good chance that this has been caused by the accessibility feature, Zoom, and it’s easy to fix.
Solution:

• Hold three fingers together and double tap the screen and you should see things return to normal.
• To make sure that it doesn’t happen again go to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn Zoom off.

Next problem: Can’t hear during calls

Issue: Can’t hear during calls

Quite a few people have run into an annoying issue where they can’t hear the other caller during a phone call. They can make and receive calls as normal, but they can’t hear the person on the line, or they sound muffled even when the volume is turned up.
Potential solutions:

• Try using the Volume up button and make sure that the ringer volume appears on screen when you press it and not headphones.
• Make sure that nothing is covering the speaker grill. A screen protector, a case, or even dust can have a big impact. Use a brush or a blast of compressed air to make sure it’s free of any blockages.
  Make sure that you don’t have anything plugged into the headphone port. It can be worth plugging in headphones and taking them out again just to test if that helps.
• Try turning Bluetooth off via Settings to make sure that you aren’t connected to a headset or car system. If you regularly use a Bluetooth device try connecting to it and then disconnecting to see if it makes a difference.
• You could try going in to Settings > General > Accessibility and making sure that Phone Noise Cancelation is turned off, some people have found that this helped.
• Try toggling speakerphone on during a call and see if the issue persists.
• After you’ve tried the solutions above, hold down Sleep/Wake and Home together for 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo to reset the iPhone 6.
• If you’re still having the problem after trying all of these potential solutions then it’s time to talk to Apple and/or your carrier.

Next problem: iPhone 6 won’t charge

Problem: iPhone 6 won’t charge

We’ve heard a few iPhone 6 owners complaining that they are unable to charge their device up. They plug it in as normal and nothing happens.
Potential solutions:

• Make sure that you are using the cable and wall charger that came with your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. If the charger or cable you’re trying to use isn’t Apple certified then that could be your problem right there.
• Try using a different wall socket, a different cable, and a different charger.
• Take a look at the connector on your cable and the port on your iPhone. Make sure that they’re clean and free of dust. You can blow or blast a little compressed air into the port to clean it out.
• There are reports that if you keep your Lightning cable in a humid or wet environment the connector can get corroded. If it’s wet then you should never plug it in because you could also damage the port on the iPhone. If it looks corroded or there’s something on the connectors that you can’t remove with a microfiber cloth then it’s worth taking the cable into an Apple Store to show them, they may just give you a replacement.
• Try resetting your device while it’s plugged into the charger by holding down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons for 10 seconds or so until the Apple logo appears.

Next problem: No SIM card error

Glitch: No SIM card error

A few people have run into a glitch where the iPhone 6 keeps complaining about the SIM card. It might say “Invalid SIM” or “No SIM card installed”. There are a few things worth trying.
Potential solutions:

• Try toggling Airplane mode on and off again.
• Restart your iPhone by turning it off and on again.
• If you recently inserted the SIM card and started getting the error then there’s a chance it’s damaged or dirty. Try popping it out and taking a look. You can use a pencil eraser to clean the gold contacts and then blow away the debris before putting it back in your iPhone.
• Make sure that your software is fully up to date via Settings > General > About.
• Try the SIM card in another device if you have a compatible device, or try a different SIM card in your iPhone 6.
• If the problem persists then contact your carrier or Apple.

Next problem: Bent iPhone 6 Plus

Problem: Bent iPhone 6 Plus

The bent iPhone 6 Plus problem has stirred up a storm of coverage online, but Apple claims it’s not common and that only nine people have actually contacted the company to complain about a bent iPhone 6 Plus. We suspect there will be more in the coming weeks. The thin design and larger body obviously make it a lot more likely to bend than last year’s model, but if you look after it and don’t try to bend it, then it’s not likely to happen to you. Whether you believe it’s a big issue or not, there’s only one thing to do if it happens to you.
Solution:

• Contact Apple or take it into an Apple Store and they’ll inspect it and decide whether to offer you a free replacement.

Next problem: Cracked screen

Issue: Cracked screen

A lot of people report that the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are easy to damage when dropped. There’s always a risk when you drop your smartphone that the screen is going to crack. That’s why it’s a good idea to invest in a protective case. If you’ve got a broken iPhone 6 screen, then here’s what to do:
Potential solutions:

• Run through our guide on how to repair your smartphone for DIY advice, repair shops, and services.
• Go directly to Apple where an iPhone 6 screen repair will cost you $109, or $129 for the iPhone 6 Plus.

Next problem: No service, no Touch ID

Bug: No service, no Touch ID

It seems that Apple released the 8.0.1 patch a little too early and introduced a bug that killed service and Touch ID functionality for a number of iPhone 6 owners. It was quick to roll the update back and suggest users return to the previous version, but it has now created an 8.0.2 update that includes a fix for the no service and Touch ID bug, as well as the fixes that were in the original 8.0.1 update.
Potential solutions:

• Make sure you have backed up your device and that it’s fully charged. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and tap Download and Install. You can also do it via iTunes by plugging your device into your computer and selecting it in iTunes, and then clicking Check for Update on the Summary.
• If you are still experiencing problems after updating to 8.0.2, then you could try rolling back to version 8. You’ll need to download the right IPSW file, here they are for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Plug your iPhone 6 into your computer and back up in iTunes. On Windows you need to hold down Shift and hit the Restore option, then choose the IPSW file you downloaded. On a Mac you should hold the Alt key and click Restore and then choose the IPSW file.

Next problem: Bluetooth not working

Glitch: Bluetooth not working

A lot of new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus owners are having trouble connecting with Bluetooth devices, particularly systems in cars. Some people can’t get the in-car call system to work, while others are having trouble establishing any connection at all. It doesn’t seem limited to any specific manufacturer. We’ve seen reports about a wide range of car models, including Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Honda, Acura, BMW, Jeep, and more. There are reports that the connection works fine with older models of iPhone.
Potential solutions:

• You should delete all pairings from your car or other Bluetooth device. Now go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings on your iPhone. Now hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together until you see the Apple logo on your iPhone. Make sure your car or device is discoverable, and try setting up the connection from scratch.
• Some people reported success after a factory reset. Check out how to factory reset an iPhone.

Related: iPhone 6 review, iPhone 6 Plus review

Next problem: Unresponsive touchscreen

Issue: Unresponsive touchscreen

A few people have been complaining that the touchscreen on their new iPhone 6 is randomly unresponsive. This seems to manifest as a keyboard problem where it’s sluggish and certain keys don’t seem to work in portrait mode, but some reports talk about the whole side of the screen being unresponsive.
Potential solutions:

• The first thing to try is restarting your iPhone 6 by holding down the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button together until you see the Apple logo. The problem might return.
• Some owners had success after trying Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings (you’ll need to re-enter passwords, change wallpaper, set up Touch ID again, but it won’t delete your data).
• Others report success after a factory reset, but you’ll lose everything if you do this, so back up first. You may need to set up your iPhone 6 as a new phone rather than restoring, a few people found that restoring from an iTunes or iCloud backup brought the problem back again.

Next problem: Camera not working

Problem: Camera not working

There seems to be more than one problem with the iPhone 6 camera. Tom’s Guide ran a piece about purple tinges and possible chromatic aberration, though that appears to be software related as it happens on the iPhone 5S with iOS 8, as well. We’ve seen a few reports of people starting up the camera app on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus only to find a black screen. We’ve also seen reports of photographs being rotated to the wrong orientation.
Potential solutions:

• Try going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings and see if that makes a difference. You will need to set up some bits and pieces again after, but it won’t delete any files or photos.
• Some owners found it was caused by an old backup. If you are restoring from a backup you made with an older iPhone, that could be the problem. Try setting the iPhone 6 up as new, factory reset it, and then put everything on it manually, and you might find that the problem is gone.
• If it persists, then you may have a hardware fault and you should contact Apple or head into an Apple Store to get it looked at. They should replace it for free if there’s a problem.

Next problem: Landscape keyboard

Glitch: Landscape keyboard

Some people have complained that there are problems with the keyboard when they switch the iPhone 6 to landscape view. The top row of letters and the text prediction row are being superimposed on top of each other. Sometimes other graphics are being superimposed making it difficult to type accurately. Some of the keys don’t seem to respond. This is happening mainly in iMessages and SMS with the native keyboard. There are also reports about part of the text field on the right being blank and cutting off the test that people are typing.
Workarounds:

• Try turning the iPhone off and on again. The problem might be temporarily gone.
• Try going to Settings > Messages and turning Raise to Listen off because it might be that the audio message prompt is being triggered when you rotate the iPhone.
• Go to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn Button Shapes That seems to have helped some people.
• Try going to Settings > General > Accessibility and turn Zoom
• Use a third-party keyboard instead.

Related: 14 iOS 8 keyboards
Potential solution:

• It may be because of previous settings from a backup. If you had an older iPhone and restored from a backup you made. Try going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings and see if that makes a difference. It won’t delete any data, but you’ll need to re-enter some passwords and set certain things up again.

Next problem: Random crashing and boot loop

Bug: Random crashing and boot loop

A few iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners have run into an issue where their iPhone repeatedly crashes without any apparent reason. For some people the iPhone 6 is then getting stuck in a boot loop where it repeatedly turns itself off and on again. It might happen when launching an app and it might display a blue or red screen. This seems to be largely confined to models with larger storage capacity and there’s speculation that the flash storage components could be to blame.
Potential solutions:

• There’s a chance that this is down to old settings or specific apps. You could try a factory reset and then set the iPhone up as new and reinstall apps selectively, but that’s quite a radical step and there’s no guarantee it will work.
• If this is genuinely a hardware problem, then you’re going to need to get a replacement handset from Apple. Take it into an Apple Store if possible and they’ll probably try a restore. If the problem persists they should offer you a replacement. The trouble is that if the flash storage is to blame the problem is going to reoccur on your replacement handset.
• It could be a software problem in which case a future iOS update might solve it. Keep checking in Go to Settings > General > Software Update and tap Download and Install when you see a new update.

Next problem: Dye coloring the plastic strips

Problem: Dye coloring the plastic strips

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have plastic strips in the svelte body to ensure that the antennas can hold a signal. Unfortunately they are a necessary evil, though plenty of people find them ugly. Some owners have found that slipping the phone into a tight jeans pocket results in some of the dye sticking to the white plastic on the gold model and discoloring it. This has happened with many other smartphones in the past (like the white HTC One X), so it’s not a new or exclusive problem.
Workaround:

• Put a case on your iPhone, it’s a fragile device that’s going to break easily if you drop it, so it’s worth considering a case anyway and it should prevent this problem or hide it.
• Wear white jeans (just kidding … although it would work).

Potential solution:

• Start with a damp cloth and work your way up the cleaning products until you manage to remove the marks. Just be careful not to get any cleaning fluid on the screen or the rest of the iPhone body.

Next problem: Headphones crackling or odd behavior

Issue: Headphones crackling or odd behavior

Quite a few people have had trouble getting their headphones to work perfectly with their new iPhone 6. It seems that there are a couple of different issues here. One relates to the headphones poking out the top and crackling noises. The other concerns Siri auto-launching and other strange behavior like music stopping or volume controls on the headset not working.
Potential solutions:

• Start by blasting a little compressed air or blowing into the headphone port and clean the headphone jack to make sure there’s no dust or dirt causing this problem.
• If you’re using the headphones that came with the iPhone 6 or another official Apple set and you’re getting crackling then check to see that they’re properly plugged all the way in. There shouldn’t be any metal visible at the top. It may feel tight, but it should snap all the way in.
• People using third-party headphones, especially if they have a microphone, seem to be inadvertently triggering Siri, or experiencing frequent cut-outs. This could be because the metal at the top of the plug is touching the iPhone body. Some people report success by using scotch tape, plastic, or even dental floss wrapped around the top of the headphone jack. Just make sure you don’t use something that could get stuck in the port.
• If the problem persists there’s a chance it’s a hardware fault. Go to Apple and have them take a look. If they can’t resolve the issue then you should be able to get a replacement handset.

Next problem: Home button not working

Problem: Home button not working

If pressing the home button on your iPhone doesn’t always get a response, then the device may have a problem, even if the issue is intermittent.
Solution:

• Apple is apparently aware of a manufacturing issue with the Home button on some iPhone models. Make an appointment with the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store to discuss the issue.

Next problem: Incoming call screen not displaying

Problem: Incoming call screen not displayed

Reported on a number of iPhone 6 models running iOS 8 and higher, the iPhone will ring and vibrate, but will not show the option to answer the call.
Potential Solution:

• The good news is, this is an easy one to fix. A simple reset should cure the problem, so hold down the Sleep/Wake key and the Home button at the same time until the Apple logo shows on the screen. When the phone powers back on, the problem should have disappeared.
• If the problem persists, there are recommendations to do a full restore. However, make sure you back up all your data before doing this, as it will wipe all the information on your phone.

Next problem: Music app crashes

Glitch: Music app crashes

The music app is causing a few problems on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with users finding it will crash, restart, stop playing, or randomly shuffle songs, all without warning.
Potential Solutions:

• The first thing to do is check the settings under Settings/Music. Check Shake to Shuffle and Sound Check are both disabled. If not, they may be the source of your problems.
• Some users have found success by removing all stored music, performing a reset by holding down the Sleep/Wake key and the Home button until the Apple logo appears on the screen, then syncing the device with iTunes again.
• Other users have found the crashes only occur if you use Smart Playlists. Disabling these and syncing music without them may also cure the problem.

Next Problem: Overheating iPhone

Issue: Overheating iPhone

Smartphones get warm to the touch when charging, or if you’re playing a graphically intensive game, but they should never get burning hot. There are some reports the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus can get especially hot, and not under the conditions mentioned above. Areas of concern include the rear panel, particularly near the volume controls.
Potential solutions:

• If your iPhone is so hot you risk burning yourself, the you need to take it back to Apple. Make an appointment with the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store.
• If it’s not quite so serious, but it’s clear the phone is far hotter than normal, some users have found reinstalling the operating system has helped. Remember to backup your data before doing so, as it will wipe your phone.

Next Problem: iPhone won’t turn on

Problem: iPhone won’t turn on

You might find that your iPhone 6 sometimes refuses to turn on when you press the Sleep/Wake button. Perhaps it unexpectedly turned off and now seems to be unresponsive, or you’ve just reached for it only to find that it won’t wake up. Here’s what to do:
Potential solutions:

• Start by holding down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together. Keep holding them down, for up to 30 seconds. It might feel like a long time, but keep holding them. You Apple logo should eventually appear.
• There could be a problem with the Sleep/Wake button itself, but you should be able to feel or see the fault. You’ll obviously need a repair it if it seems to be damaged.
• If that doesn’t work, then the battery is probably dead. Plug your iPhone into the charger and leave it for half an hour, before trying to turn it on again.
• If it still doesn’t respond, then try plugging your iPhone into your computer and launching iTunes. You may find it recognizes your iPhone and indicates that it’s in recovery mode. If so, you should try restoring it.
• If nothing works, then it’s time to visit an Apple Store or contact Apple regarding a repair.

Next Problem: Won’t connect to Wi-Fi or drops

Issue: Won’t connect to Wi-Fi or drops

A lot of people have had trouble with their Wi-Fi connections and the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. If you find that you can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network, or that your connection frequently drops or slows down, then there are lots of things you can try.
Workarounds:

• Toggle Wi-Fi/Airplane mode: You might find that it temporarily comes back if you toggle Wi-Fi off and then on again. Alternatively, you could switch on Airplane mode and then turn it off again. Swipe up from the bottom to open the Control Center and toggle these settings.
• Reboot: Some people report temporary success by switching the device off and on again. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button for 10 seconds or so, until you see the Apple logo. Your Wi-Fi may work again for a while.

Potential solutions:

• Set up connection again: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap on the problem network, then choose Forget this Network and tap Forget. If you go back to the Wi-Fi page, you should now be able to choose your network and set up a fresh connection.
• Reset Network Settings: Try going to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset Network Settings. This has worked for a few people, but the problem might return.
• Turn off Wi-Fi Networking: Try going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and under System Services you need to toggle off Wi-Fi Networking.
• Turn off Wi-Fi Assist: It’s designed to switch you to your mobile data network when Wi-Fi is patchy, but it could be causing your problems. Go to Settings > Cellular and scroll down to toggle Wi-Fi Assist.
• Toggle 2.4/5GHz: If you have a two-channel router, then try changing from 5GHz to 2.4GHz. Generally speaking 5GHz is faster, but with a shorter range. Some people report a better connection on 2.4GHz and a few find an improvement by switching the other way.
• Change router channel: You could also try changing the channel on your router. You’ll need to put your router’s IP into your browser and log in to change settings. Refer to your ISP for instructions.
• Switch DNS to Google: Some people report success after switching DNS to use Google servers. You can do this via Settings > Wi-Fi then tap the ”i” icon next to your router, scroll down to DNS and tap the numbers and enter “8.8.8.8”. You might have to restart your device for this to take effect.
• Turn off MAC Filtering on your router: It’s possible to add your iOS 9 device’s MAC address, but due to Apple’s MAC randomization there’s a good chance it’s going to change and refuse to connect the next time you try. The simplest solution is just to turn MAC filtering off altogether.
• Update your router firmware: You may need to check with your ISP or the router manufacturer.
• Factory Reset: It’s a drastic step with no guarantee of success, but you could try a factory reset. Here’s how to factory reset an iPhone.

Next Problem: Gray bar in Messages app

Bug: Gray bar in Messages app

Quite a few people have encountered a problems where a gray bar with “0.00” at the end appears on top of the text box in the Messages app, making it impossible to type messages. However, it’s only supposed to appear when you’re recording audio.
Workarounds:

• It might be enough just to double tap the Home button and swipe the Messages app up to close it, but the problem can return.
• Turning your iPhone off and on again should also resolve the issue, at least temporarily.
• Some people report success after going to Settings > Messages and turning on Show Subject Field and Character Count. If it solves the issue for you, then you can go back in and turn them off again and it shouldn’t come back.
• You can also get rid of the gray box by going to Settings > Messages and turning iMessage off. Once the box is gone, go back in and turn it on again.

Potential solution:

• This is listed as one of the bug fixes in iOS 9.1, so if you haven’t updated, then you might consider doing so.

Next Problem: iTunes restore error 53

Problem: iTunes restore error 53

Quite a few iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners have encountered error 53 upon plugging the iPhone into a PC or Mac and attempting to restore through iTunes. It effectively leaves your iPhone in a reboot loop where it goes into recovery mode, prompting you to plug it in, and then iTunes says, “The iPhone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (53).”
Potential solutions:

• There’s really only one course of action open to you if you encounter error 53, and that’s to contact Apple or visit an Apple Store. If you haven’t done anything to invalidate your warranty, then they should offer you a replacement iPhone.
• A lot of people get this error after having a third-party repair their screen or Touch ID. Ostensibly for security reasons, Apple doesn’t allow the iPhone to work without its original Home button. You could go back to the repair shop and try to get them to put the original Touch ID sensor back in there, but there’s no guarantee it will work. If your iPhone has been repaired by a third-party, Apple will not offer to repair or replace it without a fee.

Next Problem: Email not updating

Glitch: Email not updating

Some iPhone owners have been having trouble with their email accounts not updating. New emails are not coming into the inbox, or perhaps they’re only coming in when the Mail app is opened.
Potential solutions:

• The first thing to do is go into Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data and take a look at your settings. If you want emails to come in as soon as they arrive, then make sure that Push is turned on. Otherwise you can set the frequency that your iPhone checks for new email under Fetch.
• It’s worth checking that there’s nothing in your outbox. If there’s an email that’s failing to send and repeatedly trying, it could be causing your issues.
• Try switching Airplane mode on and off.
• Try deleting the email account via Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and then add it fresh.
• Go to Settings > General > Reset and try Reset Network Settings.

Next Problem: No alert sound for incoming messages

Issue: No alert sound for incoming messages

If you find that you aren’t hearing any alert sound when a new message comes in, or perhaps you’re only getting alerts intermittently, then you aren’t alone. This is quite a commonly reported problem.
Potential solutions:

• Start by checking the obvious things: Turn the volume up, check that the mute switch isn’t on, and take a look under Settings > Do Not Disturb. Bear in mind that it’s possible to have Do Not Disturb turned on for specific contacts, in which case you’ll see a half moon icon next to the contact. Check the Details on any incoming message that you didn’t hear an alert for to make sure that’s not your problem.
• Go to Settings > Notifications and try toggling them on or off. Now, reboot the device and go back in to turn them on again.
• You could also try Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings, but it means re-entering a lot of your settings afterward.