iPhone: The Missing Manual, 12th Edition

Appendix B. Troubleshooting & Maintenance

The iPhone is a computer, and you know what that means: Things can go wrong. This particular computer, though, is not quite like a Mac or a PC. It runs a spin-off of the macOS operating system, but that doesn’t mean you can apply the same troubleshooting techniques.

Therefore, when things go wrong, let this appendix be your guide.

First Rule: Install the Updates

There’s an old saying: “Never buy version 1.0 of anything.” In the iPhone’s case, the saying could be: “Never buy version 12.0 of anything.”

The very first version (or major revision) always has bugs, glitches, and things the programmers didn’t have time to finish the way they would have liked. The iPhone is no exception.

The beauty of this phone, though, is that Apple can send it fixes, patches, and even new features through software updates. One day you’ll glance at your Home screen’s Settings icon, and—bam!—there’ll be a badge indicating that new iPhone software is available.

So the first rule of trouble-free iPhoning is to accept these updates when they’re offered. With each new software blob, Apple removes another few dozen tiny glitches.

And sure enough: Within the first few months of iOS 12’s existence, software update 12.1 came down the pike. And more will follow.

Six Ways to Reset the Phone

The iPhone runs actual programs, and as actual programs do, they actually crash. Sometimes, the program you’re working in simply vanishes and you find yourself back at the Home screens. ...