Sitting in the library and your iPhone won’t connect to the Wi-Fi? Out on a trip and your cellular connection refuses to work? If you’re having trouble connecting to the internet on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max, this guide is for you.

Resetting your iPhone’s network settings is usually the most effective fix for all your Wi-Fi and cellular issues. Below, we’ll discuss when you should reset your iPhone’s network settings, what it does, and how you can do it easily.

When Should You Reset Network Settings?

If you can’t seem to connect to a Wi-Fi or cellular network, have issues staying connected, experience bugs, glitches, and lagging, or are finding general, consistent problems with your internet connectivity, resetting your network settings will fix the problem more often than not.

The reset only takes a few seconds and can be done on the go. If it doesn’t seem to work, or you want to avoid resetting all your network settings, you can try other fixes to connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi.

How to Reset Network Settings on an iPhone

This quick fix is pretty easy to pull off and can be done from the Settings app on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max with just a few taps. Follow the steps below to learn how you can reset your iPhone’s network settings to remove all existing Wi-Fi connections from your device:

1. Open Settings and tap on General.
2. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone at the very bottom of the list.
3. From the two options, choose Reset.
4. To reset your iPhone’s network settings, select Reset Network Settings.
5. Enter your iPhone’s passcode to finish the job. All your network settings will be reset as soon as you enter your passcode.

Once you’re done, head to the Wi-Fi settings menu to manually connect to your desired network. Can’t see it in the list? Don’t worry. Tap Other, then enter the name of the network, security type, and password.

What Happens When You Reset Your iPhone’s Network Settings?

When you reset your network settings, it will delete all network-related data stored on your device. This includes Wi-Fi passwords, saved Bluetooth connections, VPN information, and network preferences. They will all be restored to their default factory values, and your device will not remember any network names, login information, or paired devices.

Once you reset network settings, you will manually have to enter login information and pair your devices once again.

On the bright side, you won’t lose any files, photos, texts, browsing history, or other important data on your iPhone, as a network reset is completely different from a factory reset. A factory reset wipes your iPhone, reverting it back to the state it was in before you used it. A network reset does this only for your network settings specifically.

If you’re worried about losing passwords and any cellular network settings, you can back up your iPhone to iCloud before you proceed with the reset and then restore your iPhone from a backup afterward.

Reset Network Settings to Fix Connectivity Problems on Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

Whether you’re facing issues with your Wi-Fi or cellular data connection, you can reset your iPhone’s network settings to fix the problem within seconds. It only takes a couple of minutes and is a quick process.

This solution is effective most of the time, but remember that doing this will remove all the saved Wi-Fi networks and paired devices, and you will have to connect to them again manually, which will take some time.

If the top of your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max shows “SOS Only” where it normally shows your cell service reception, there are a few issues that could be going on. For one, you might not have coverage at your current location. Either your carrier doesn’t offer cell service at your coordinates, or you’re blocked by a structure that the signal can’t penetrate.

If neither of those is the culprit, there are several troubleshooting steps you can try to fix this problem. So, let’s take a look.

1. Turn Cellular Data Off and On

Your iPhone’s cellular data may not be working properly. If that’s the case, sometimes the best fix is the easiest fix: turning it off and on again.

Head into Settings > Cellular. It should be already on, so turn the Cellular Data switch off. Give it a few seconds, then turn Cellular Data back on. It may have just needed a quick reset, but if there is still no luck, move on to our next suggestion.

2. Enable Data Roaming

You may need to turn Data Roaming on, especially if you’re traveling internationally. This allows your iPhone to connect to another network in a different country without having to sign up for a new service. Beware that turning this on can come with additional fees on your phone bill.

To enable Data Roaming on your iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. Then, toggle on the Data Roaming switch.

3. Switch to LTE

Your iPhone may have trouble picking up a specific type of cellular data, especially 5G. While 5G coverage has rapidly expanded over the past several years, LTE still blankets a larger portion of the United States. If your iPhone is set to receive 5G in a location where it’s unavailable, you may need to disable 5G on your device and fall back on another option.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options like before, but this time tap Voice & Data. If 5G On or 5G Auto is selected, choose LTE and see if that gets rid of the SOS Only status.

4. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

Of course, we have to mention the good old reboot technique. If you haven’t yet tried turning your iPhone off and on again, let’s go ahead and test it out. You’d be surprised how many little annoyances a quick restart can resolve.

Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

5. Check for Carrier Settings Update

Sometimes, carriers roll out over-the-air updates that can solve problems with connectivity. To check if one is available for your iPhone, open Settings, then go to General > About and wait for a few seconds.

If your device needs a carrier settings update, you’ll get a pop-up on this screen. If you don’t see one, you’re up-to-date already.

Go to Settings > Cellular.

• If you don’t see your line, you need to set up an eSIM or insert a physical SIM. If you have a physical SIM inserted, take it out and then reinsert it.

  Note: iPhone 18 Pro Max models sold in the United States are activated with an eSIM and do not support a physical SIM.

• If you see that your line is Off, tap on it. Make sure Turn On this Line is on.
• If Turn On this Line is already enabled, toggle the switch to turn it off, then turn it back on.

6. Contact Your Carrier

When all else fails, you should contact your carrier to see what’s going on. Since having SOS Only status on your iPhone 18 Pro Max greatly limits the features you can use, you wouldn’t want to have it for long.

There may be an issue with your cell service that’s worth getting to the bottom of. So, visit your carrier’s website and search for a contact or support page to get a customer support phone number.

Getting to the Bottom of “SOS Only”

It’s frustrating when you don’t have cell service on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. So, we hope one of these solutions aids in getting your service up and running again.

If “SOS Only” is a frequently reoccurring issue, and you know lack of coverage isn’t the problem, you may want to contact your carrier anyway, even if you managed to fix the issue temporarily.

Dealing with an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max stuck in headphone mode can be frustrating, as it prevents sound from playing through the speakers, even after disconnecting your headphones. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to turn off the headphone mode on your iPhone with the solutions below.

1. Disconnect Your Bluetooth Headphones

Your iPhone allows you to disconnect or unpair your Bluetooth devices, such as headphones, through the Settings app. If your iPhone appears to be stuck connected to Bluetooth headphones, use these steps to disconnect it:

1. Open the Settings app and tap on Bluetooth.
2. Tap the More Info button next to your Bluetooth headphones.
3. Select Disconnect. Alternatively, you can select the Forget This Device option to unpair the headphones.

2. Plug and Unplug Your Wired Headphones

Temporary iOS glitches can sometimes mess up your iPhone’s headphone detection mechanism and prevent it from detecting the removal of headphones. If it’s just a one-off glitch, simply plugging and unplugging your headphones will help you fix the problem.

Plug your headphones into your iPhone’s USB-C connector, and then disconnect them. After that, open the Control Center on your iPhone by swiping down from the top-right corner and check if the headphone icon still appears in the volume slider.

3. Change the Audio Output

When listening to music or watching videos, your iPhone 18 Pro Max lets you choose between different audio output devices. Open the Control Center, then tap the AirPlay button in the top-right corner of the music player card. Select iPhone from the list to set it as the audio output device.

4. Clean the USB-C Connector

Accumulation of dirt, dust, or lint within your iPhone’s USB-C port can lead the device to incorrectly detect headphones as plugged in, even when they’re not. Inspect the port on your iPhone for any debris. If you find any, you’ll need to clean it out.

Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth—for example, a lens cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings.

Apple advises against using compressed air and aerosol sprays for cleaning your iPhone, so it’s best to avoid them. Also, it’s important to be gentle when cleaning the port to avoid damaging internal components.

5. Check for Water Damage

If you can’t find any debris in the ports, but your device is still stuck in headphone mode, it might be a sign of a water-damaged iPhone. This could happen from something as obvious as spilling coffee over your iPhone or as subtle as sweat dripping down your headphone cable.

If you’re unsure, check your iPhone’s Liquid Contact Indicators (LCIs) to get a better idea of whether it has suffered water damage or not. Open the SIM card tray and look for a small sticker inside. Its color is normally white or silver, but if your iPhone has come in contact with water, the LCI should appear red or pink.

Note: iPhone 18 Pro Max models purchased in the United States can only be activated with an eSIM.

Apple Support document confirms that eSIM-only iPhones don’t have Liquid Contact Indicators on the outside. They’re located internally, so you’ll need to disassemble your device to find it. However, we don’t recommend doing this.

If your iPhone has suffered water damage recently, it’s better to act quickly and get the water out to prevent further damage. Avoid using rice to dry your iPhone because it may worsen the situation by leaving harmful residue or further obstructing the ports.

6. Install iOS Updates

There’s an odd chance your iPhone 18 Pro Max has become stuck in headphone mode because of a software problem. If that’s the case, it shouldn’t take long for Apple to release a fix via a software update.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for new updates. If any updates are available, download and install them on your iPhone.

7. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

This may sound cliche, but restarting your iPhone can take care of any temporary issues that may have caused it to become stuck in headphone mode. Hence, don’t skip this step.

Press and hold the Side button with one of the Volume buttons until the power slider appears. Drag the slider to your right and wait for your iPhone to turn off completely. Then, press and hold the Side button again to turn it back on. After that, check if your iPhone outputs audio through its built-in speakers.

8. Factory Reset Your iPhone

If installing iOS updates proves ineffective, you can consider factory resetting your iPhone. This process will erase all data and revert settings to their factory default values, essentially restoring your iPhone to its original state.

Make sure you back up your iPhone first to protect your valuable data. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap General, then tap Transfer or Reset iPhone. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

If nothing seems to work and your iPhone is still under warranty, you can make an Apple Store appointment to have your iPhone checked and repaired by a technician. If it’s a software issue, Apple will cover the repair cost as long as your iPhone’s still under warranty.

However, if physical damage is the culprit, Apple will charge a hefty sum unless you’ve purchased an AppleCare+ warranty, which covers accidental damage. Don’t try to save money by getting it fixed at a third-party repair shop, as that will void your warranty.

Summary

• The “Offline” status in Find My means your iPhone can’t connect to Apple’s Find My network to provide its location.
• You’re likely to encounter this when your iPhone has a dead battery or hasn’t connected to the internet in over 24 hours.
• To find your missing iPhone 18 Pro Max that’s offline, someone else should pick it up, power it back on, and connect it to the internet first.

Apple’s Find My network makes it easy to find a lost iPhone, but what can you do if iCloud shows that your iPhone 18 Pro Max is offline or no location is available? Fortunately, it’s still possible to locate your device.

What Does “Offline” Mean for Find My iPhone?

While the Find My network helps you find your Apple device if it goes missing, you can sometimes encounter the dreaded “Offline” status when you try to locate it. You may also see “No location found” or “Location Services Off” in the Find My app or iCloud Find Devices page.

This means that your iPhone is unable to connect to Apple’s Find My network, and as a result, cannot provide you with its location. But why is this?

Why Is Your iPhone 18 Pro Max Offline?

In most cases, you’ll encounter the “Offline” status in Find My because your iPhone’s battery is completely depleted or it has been 24 hours since its last known location was sent to Apple—due to the lack of an internet connection.

If you suspect that your iPhone is stolen, the thief may have put your iPhone in recovery mode and restored it using a computer. Fortunately, since they cannot turn off Find My without your Apple Account credentials, you will be able to locate your iPhone the moment it connects to the internet. Then again, the thief can remove the SIM card and disconnect from Wi-Fi to prevent this.

There’s also the small possibility that you lost your iPhone in a country without Find My support. A note on Apple’s Support page confirms that Location sharing and finding devices aren’t available in all countries or regions. So on the off chance that you visit, say, North Korea and lose your iPhone, you’re out of luck.

Lastly, it’s possible that you enabled Airplane Mode on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max before you lost it. In such cases, you’ll only be able to see your iPhone’s last known location.

On a supported iPhone, turning on the Find My network allows you to locate your iPhone for up to 24 hours after it’s turned off, or up to 5 hours when it’s in power reserve mode. However, your iPhone must be near other Apple devices for this to work. So if there aren’t any in the vicinity, Find My might instead display the “Offline” status.

How to Find an iPhone That’s Offline

When you open the Find My app on an Apple device or head to the iCloud Find Devices page, you’ll see a few options when you select your offline iPhone. If you’re using the Find My app on a Mac, Control-click your iPhone or click the Info (i) button next to the iPhone on the map to access the same options.

Firstly, it’ll tell you its battery level, but this isn’t something to be overly concerned about. You may also see its last known location. If you see the Directions option, click it to get a route to this location. If you don’t have this option, it means your iPhone isn’t sending its last known location. But that doesn’t mean it’s game over.

While it may seem futile, click Play Sound first. Sometimes, this can re-establish a connection with the lost iPhone; you’ll know it worked when “Offline” is replaced by “Now.” Once this happens, you should be able to see your iPhone’s location again.

If your iPhone is powered off or isn’t connected to the internet, you’ll see “Pending” when you click Play Sound. Your iPhone will only play the alert when someone turns it on and connects to the internet. In such cases, you can toggle on Notify When Found to be notified the moment your iPhone goes back online.

To take things further, you can tap the More button, then tap Lost Mode to leave a phone number and a message so that someone who finds your missing iPhone can contact you to return it. This remotely locks your iPhone, disables Apple Pay, and prevents notifications from showing up. You can still receive calls and FaceTime calls, so you can get someone to call your device to try retrieving it.

When you turn on Lost Mode for an iPhone that’s offline, you’ll see a “Pending” status until it’s powered on and connected to the internet again.

It’s also worth contacting your mobile service provider. If you know your phone’s IMEI number or serial number (which you can find on your iPhone’s packaging), your carrier may be able to trace its position.

Consider revisiting where you’ve been recently, and if you’re lucky, you may find your iPhone without further help from technology. Otherwise, you need to wait and keep your fingers crossed that someone finds it.

How to Protect Your Data if Your iPhone 18 Pro Max Is Offline

If you’ve tried everything above and waited patiently to get back your lost iPhone but to no avail, the next step is to protect all your data stored in it. If you think someone has stolen it or whoever locates it could access your private information, it’s time to erase your iPhone remotely.

To erase it, select your iPhone in the Find My app, tap the More button, tap Erase, then tap Continue. You can also use the iCloud Find Devices page. On a Mac, you can Control-click your iPhone in the Find My app to access it.

Erasing your iPhone should be your last-resort option. Only proceed if you’ve given up hope, or you’re confident all your data is backed up to iCloud or your computer so that you can restore your iPhone from a backup easily if you get it back.

Before you panic and take this step, remember that if you’re using Face ID and have a strong passcode, no one should be able to access your personal information. Again, your iPhone will only wipe its data when it’s on and connected to the internet.

Hopefully, these tips helped you find your iPhone 18 Pro Max, even if Find My showed it’s offline at first. If you’re out of luck, remember that putting it in Lost Mode for a day or two is safer than erasing all your data.

Do you keep seeing “Location Not Available” while tracking a friend or family member’s location in iMessage or Find My on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max? It’s an issue that’s pretty easy to resolve. However, you may need to ask your friend or family member to take action on their device as well.

So without any further ado, let’s check out what it takes to fix the “Location Not Available” error on an iPhone. We’ll start with the steps you can try yourself, before moving onto what the person you’re trying to track needs to do.

How to Fix “Location Not Available” From Your Own iPhone 18 Pro Max

There isn’t a lot you can do yourself if Messages or the Find My app says “Location Not Available” when someone has chosen to share their iPhone location with you. But it’s still easiest to try these steps first, before involving somebody else.

Quit and Relaunch Find My or Messages

Sometimes, the Messages or the Find My app can bug out and result in the “Location Not Available” error. The quickest way to resolve that is to force quit and relaunch the app in question.

To force quit Messages or Find My:

1. Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the center of the screen to invoke the App Switcher.

   

2. Locate the Messages or Find My card and push it off the top of the screen to close it.
3. Now go back to the Home screen and open Messages or Find My again.

Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

If closing and reopening the relevant app didn’t work, you might need to restart your iPhone instead. To restart your iPhone, simply open the Settings app and tap General > Shut Down. Drag the slider to turn off iPhone. Once the screen goes black, wait for several seconds and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.

How to Fix “Location Not Available” From Someone Else’s iPhone

If the two fixes above didn’t help, you’ll need to shift your attention to your friend or family member’s iPhone. Walk them through the fixes below on a call. Or, share this post with them and make sure they follow the instructions in this section.

Toggle Share My Location Off and On

Disabling and re-enabling Share My Location in the Find My preferences can help an iPhone broadcast its location again. To do that, go to Settings and tap the person’s name at the top of the screen, then select Find My. Toggle the switch next to Share My Location off and then on.

If you set up location sharing and others still can’t see your location, make sure Location Services is on in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Find My.

Share the Location in Messages and Find My Again

Next, disable and re-enable location sharing in the Messages or Find My app:

• In Messages: Open a chat with the person you want to share your location with. Tap the profile picture at the top of the chat and select Stop Sharing My Location. Now tap the Add button, tap Location, then tap Share.
• In Find My: Switch to the People tab, tap the name of the person you want to share your location with and select Stop Sharing My Location. Then, go back to the People tab, tap the Add button, Share My Location, and choose a contact.

  

Restart the iPhone

The simplest method is to go to Settings > General > Shut Down. Drag the slider to turn off iPhone. Then, press and hold the Side button to restart the iPhone.

Check the Date and Time

An incorrect date or time can create issues with location sharing. To check this, go to Settings > General > Date & Time. If the date or time is wrong, turn on the switch next to Set Time Automatically to get the correct date and time from Apple’s servers. If this doesn’t help, deactivate the switch and set the correct time manually.

Switch to Cellular Data

Spotty Wi-Fi can also play a factor, so try using cellular or mobile data instead. To do that, open the iPhone’s Control Center (swipe down from the top-right of the screen) and tap the Wi-Fi icon to disable it.

If cellular data is active, the iPhone should automatically start using it. If not, tap the Cellular icon to activate it. Just make sure you don’t have any cellular data problems on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max as well.

Sharing Your Location Isn’t Always Wise

Location tracking can be a double-edged sword. Although it enables valuable features such as location sharing in iMessage and Find My, various third-party apps and services can also use your location for nefarious purposes.

When you move to a new iPhone 18 Pro Max you don’t want to spend ages setting everything up from scratch to get the apps, data and settings just the way you like them. That’s why restoring from a backup is so convenient: one quick tap, a bit of a wait, and you’re good to go.

The same is true if a phone malfunctions badly, or is bricked. Knowing you can wipe the iPhone and recover your photos, documents and data easily from an iCloud or a computer backup is reassuring.

A backup is also an insurance that, should your iPhone be lost or stolen, you won’t lose everything on it. It’s easier to replace the device than the memories and other data stored on it.

Yes, backups are an essential part of the modern digital life. But knowing how to restore an iPhone 18 Pro Max from that backup is just as important. Read on for our complete guide.

Step 1: Find your iPhone backup

First things first: make sure you’ve got a backup that you can restore from. Crucially, this backup needs to be recent enough to include the apps and data you want to keep, and/or sufficiently old that it happened before the technical problem if you are trying to fix a faulty iPhone.

There are two places you may find a backup, as long as you are making backups. One is iCloud, to which you may need to subscribe to get enough space. The other method depends on whether you are using a Mac or a PC: on a Mac iPhone backups are made via the Finder (in macOS Catalina and later) and on a PC (and older versions of macOS) they are made via iTunes.

To see iCloud backups follow these steps:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap your name/face at the top.

   

3. Now tap iCloud.

   

4. Tap iCloud Backup, then tap your iPhone (This iPhone).

Computer backups

To see backups made on a Mac follow these steps:

1. Plug in your iPhone.
2. Open the Finder.
3. Click on your device in the sidebar.
4. In the General tab click Manage Backups.
5. If there are any backups you will see them here. (You’ll also see if iCloud backups are being made).

The process is similar in iTunes:

1. Open iTunes.
2. Click iTunes in the top bar and select Preferences.
3. Select the tab labelled Devices. The date and time of each backup is listed.

Should I back up first?

If you are wanting to make a backup that you can recover to a new iPhone, and you’re not sure you’ve got a sufficiently recent backup, play it safe by doing another backup of the old device right now.

If you are hoping to solve an issue with your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max that started recently and you have an old iPhone backup you can recover don’t back up your iPhone, the old backup may be your best bet in getting your iPhone working again. This applies if you want to recover your iPhone to a time before you installed a beta version of iOS.

Step 2: Wipe your iPhone

If you are just recovering the backup to a brand-new iPhone, or one that has already been wiped you can skip this step.

However, if you are trying to troubleshoot an issue with your iPhone, want to remove a beta, or if you want to wipe the iPhone you have to pass it on to a new owner, you’ll need to wipe it first. You can’t restore an iCloud backup to an iPhone 18 Pro Max without erasing the contents first.

This process is easier if you are recovering an old backup to an iPhone that is running the same version of iOS that you intend to run. It gets a lot harder if you are running a beta version of iOS–in which case you may need to plug it into a Mac, force the iPhone into recovery mode and restore it that way.

Normally resetting your iPhone so that you can recover a recent backup is a simple process and hopefully one of these two options will work:

On an iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. General.
3. Transfer or Reset iPhone. Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Erase and then work through the various steps.
5. Your iPhone should restart with the Welcome screen if this process has worked.

On a Mac:

A second option is to plug your iPhone into your Mac and restore it from the Finder.

1. Open the Finder.
2. Click on your iPhone in the left-hand column.
3. Click on Restore iPhone.
4. Click on Don’t Back Up.
5. Click on Restore.
6. Your iPhone should restart with the Welcome screen if this process has worked.

On a Mac using Recovery Mode:

Here’s how to put your iPhone into recovery mode so you can wipe it (if the above options don’t work):

1. Plug your iPhone into your Mac.
2. Open the Finder.
3. You may see a message that indicates you need to download an update to access the iPhone, in our experience the said software was unavailable from the software update server, so don’t worry about this.
4. Press and release the Volume Up button. Press and release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Side button. Keep holding the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
5. On your Mac you should now see a message indicating that there is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored. Click on Restore.
6. You will see a warning: “Are you sure you want to restore the iPhone…” Click on Restore and Update.
7. Click Agree on the next screen that details the license agreement.
8. Just note that there’s only about 15 minutes before your iPhone will exit recovery mode, at which point you will have to enter recovery mode again.
9. Your iPhone should restart with the Welcome screen if this process has worked.

Step 3: Restore your iPhone from a backup

Now you have wiped your iPhone 18 Pro Max you can get on with the process of recovering it from your backup. Or, if you have a brand new iPhone, you can follow these steps to set it up as a clone of your old iPhone with all your data just as you left it.

How to recover from an iCloud backup

We’ll start off with how to recover from an iCloud backup:

1. Swipe up from the Welcome screen.
2. Tap on English (or your language) and select your country or region.
3. Tap Set Up Manually.
4. Work through the various steps until you get to the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen and tap on Restore from iCloud Backup. Check the date to make sure it’s the backup you want.
5. Log into your Apple Account and wait while your device signs in.
6. Now choose an iCloud backup from before you downloaded the beta. Click on Show more backups to find an older one if you don’t see it.
7. Wait while the Restore from iCloud takes place, which could take a while.

The device will need to be connected to Wi-Fi throughout the process, and it can take a while, depending on how much data needs to be restored. It’s also likely that you’ll be asked to log in again so that any purchased items from the App Store or iTunes Music can be downloaded.

When the core elements of the backup are finished you’ll be able to use the handset again, but you might notice that apps and other data continue to install in the background. This is perfectly normal.

How to recover from a Finder/iTunes backup

Whether you are using the Finder on a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes on an older macOS or PC, the process for recovering the iPhone backup is similar.

1. You need to plug it into a Mac or PC.
2. If you’ve not connected the device to this particular computer before, you’ll see the ‘Welcome to Your New iPhone’ page.
3. Click continue and then agree to sync your iPhone.
4. With this completed, you’ll be taken to the device summary page in the Finder/iTunes, which includes various options for backing up and restoring your device.
5. In the Backups section you’ll see a button marked Restore Backup (as long as you have one). Click this.
6. If Find My is switched on then you’ll see a message telling you that it needs to be turned off before you can proceed. To do this, open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name/face at the top of the screen, then tap Find My. Tap Find My iPhone, move the toggle switch to off, enter your password to confirm, then return to iTunes on your Mac or PC.
7. After clicking Restore Backup a popup should appear with the current iterations available. Select the one you want, then click the Restore button.
8. Now your iPhone will run through its automated restoration process. iTunes will let you know when the update is complete, then you can disconnect the iPhone and go about your business with your data safely on board.

Summary

• You don’t need another Apple device to use the Find My service to locate your lost iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• Find My gives several options to help find your missing iPhone besides spotting it on the map.
• Your options may be limited if your lost iPhone isn’t powered on or connected to the internet.

There’s no need to panic when your iPhone 18 Pro Max goes missing. Regardless of where you lost your device, Apple’s Find My app simplifies the tedious process of locating it. We’ll teach you how to use Find My to track and find your lost iPhone.

Accessing Apple’s Find My Network

You can use the Find My app to locate any of your Apple devices and even choose to get directions to that location and lock the device until you arrive. Since you lost your iPhone, you have two options to access the Find My network.

Find My is enabled on iPhones by default. However, if you disabled this setting before you lost your iPhone, it won’t appear on Apple’s Find My network.

1. Use Your Other Apple Devices

If you own more than one Apple device, like an iPad or Mac, you can use the Find My app on it to locate your missing iPhone 18 Pro Max. Use the Spotlight search feature to find and open it quickly. If you still can’t find it, download it again from the App Store.

Download: Find My (Free)

After opening the Find My app on your iPad or Mac, head to the Devices tab to view all the devices linked to your Apple Account, including your lost iPhone.

2. Use the iCloud Website From Any Device

If you don’t have any other Apple devices, you can use a non-Apple device, like your Windows PC, to access the iCloud website instead. It doesn’t matter if you use someone else’s device for this as long as you remember to sign out afterward.

Open any web browser on any device, head to icloud.com/find, and sign in with your Apple Account. You should be able to view all your devices under the All Devices section. The web version of the Find My app offers all the same features you need to locate your lost or stolen Apple devices.

How to Locate Your Lost iPhone on Find My

Find My uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals to show the approximate location of your iPhone. The location is usually accurate to within a few hundred feet.

However, if Find My shows your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max as offline, you may only see its last known location—if there is one. Offline devices can show up with a black screen in the Find My app. This might happen if your device ran out of battery or if someone turned it off.

As mentioned earlier, there’s no point in using Find My if you disabled the feature on your lost iPhone. It won’t appear in the list of devices when you open Find My.

Get a Notification When Your iPhone Goes Online

If your lost iPhone is offline, you can set Find My to notify you when it goes online again. This would happen when someone powers on the device or if it connects to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth again.

To set this up in Find My, select the missing iPhone and toggle on Notify When Found. On a Mac, you need to select your offline device and click the Info (i) button next to it on the map to access the Notify When Found toggle.

The Find My app will send you a notification, and Apple will email you the location of your lost or stolen iPhone as soon as it goes online.

Get Directions to Your Lost or Stolen iPhone

If your lost iPhone is online, you can use the Find My app to get directions to its location. Select your device in Find My and hit Directions. On a Mac, you need to select your iPhone in Find My, then click the Info (i) button next to it on the map to access this option.

Apple Maps will launch and load a route from your current location to your lost device. Unfortunately, you won’t find this option in Find My’s web client. You’ll only see it in the Find My app on one of your Apple devices.

You shouldn’t try to retrieve your iPhone 18 Pro Max if you believe it was stolen. Instead, follow the instructions below to enable Lost Mode and contact law enforcement agencies to tell them where it is.

Play a Sound to Find Your Missing iPhone

The Find My app only offers a vague location for your lost iPhone. This might help you narrow it down to work, home, or the supermarket. But you’ll still struggle to find it if it’s tucked beneath a couch cushion or at the bottom of the laundry basket.

Fortunately, you can use Find My to make your iPhone play a loud sound, making it easier to find when you’re nearby.

You’ll find the Play Sound button once you select your missing iPhone in Find My, whether you’re using the web client or the native app on iPhone or iPad. On a Mac, remember to click the Info (i) button after selecting it to access this option.

Your iPhone will keep playing a sound until you find and unlock it or someone else powers off the device. Note that your iPhone must be connected to the internet for this to work.

Enable Lost Mode if You Still Can’t Find Your iPhone

It’s always a good idea to enable Lost Mode if you can’t get your hands on your missing iPhone right away. The Lost Mode option on Find My suspends Apple Pay and locks your device. And if your missing iPhone doesn’t have a passcode set, you’ll be prompted to create one.

You can also use Lost Mode to display a message on the screen telling whoever finds it that this device belongs to you, along with details on how to reach you. Your device will still receive phone calls in Lost Mode, but it won’t display any alerts.

To enable Lost Mode, select your device in Find My, tap the More button, then tap Lost Mode. Then, follow the prompts to create a passcode (if you don’t already have one) and write a message for people to see when they find your iPhone. Then, choose Activate.

Lost Mode keeps your data intact. You won’t lose anything if you recover your iPhone and disable Lost Mode with your passcode.

Only Erase Your Device if You Never Expect to Find It

Find My also lets you remotely erase all the data on your lost iPhone. However, you should only use this option if you never expect to find your missing device again.

When you erase a device remotely using Find My, Activation Lock remains on to protect it. If you erase a device, you can use Find My to locate or play a sound on the device.

We only recommend this option if you’ve given up on ever getting your device back. To erase it, select your iPhone in Find My, tap the More button, tap Erase, then tap Continue.

Keep in mind that your iPhone must be connected to the internet to start this process. Otherwise, you’ll notice that the erase is pending on Find My.

Apple’s Find My app makes locating a lost or stolen iPhone easy. But this isn’t the only tool at your disposal. In fact, there are other ways to find your lost iPhone, which can be handy if you have Find My disabled.

For instance, you can ask friends and family members, or try calling your phone number to listen for the ring if it’s nearby. With these tips, you should be able to get your iPhone back in no time.

Were you so keen to try out the new features coming in iOS 27 that you decided to throw caution to the wind and install the iOS beta on your iPhone 18 Pro Max? Are you regretting it? Note that after a software update is installed for iOS, it cannot be downgraded to the previous version.

While running the beta of iOS 27 gives you a glimpse of what was to come, it’s a beta, which means that it’s likely to be buggy at best, and at worse it could make your iPhone unusable. Those two reasons are why we advise against installing the iOS beta. If you do need to run the beta then run it on a spare iPhone and make sure that everything is backed up before hand.

If you really want to run the iOS beta and you aren’t a developer, the Public beta release should give a slightly more stable version, but even better, wait for a few months and let Apple iron out the initial, iPhone breaking, issues.

If it’s too late for those words of caution, don’t despair. Read on to find out what to do to remove the developer or public beta for iOS 27.

How to switch from iOS beta to the full version

Thankfully, once Apple releases the final version of iOS 27, switching from the beta to the public release is much easier. You don’t need to erase your iPhone 18 Pro Max or reinstall iOS. Instead, you can choose to stop receiving beta updates.

If you’re running the iOS 27 beta and want to receive only public releases in future, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to General > Software Update.
3. Tap Beta Updates.
4. Switch to Off.
5. Tap Back.
6. If a newer public release is available, you’ll see it listed under Also Available or as the available software update. Tap Update Now to install it.

If you don’t see a public version of the iOS update, don’t worry. This will be because your iPhone is already running the same build as the public release. In that case, you’ll remain on your current version until Apple releases a newer public update, at which point your iPhone will move back onto the normal public update track.

You will find more information below on how to leave the beta program and stop getting beta updates, which you may want to do now the full version has arrived.

How to stop getting iOS Beta updates

Even after Apple releases the final version of iOS, it continues to issue beta updates while testing upcoming features and fixes. If you no longer want to receive beta software, you can opt out and return to receiving only public releases.

To stop receiving beta updates:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Software Update.
4. Tap Beta Updates.
5. Select Off.
6. Tap Back.

Now you’ll only receive software updates when Apple pushes them to the general public, roughly once every six weeks, although Apple has no fixed schedule. You can still see that there is a beta update, but your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max won’t volunteer to download them unless you switch Beta Updates back on by following the steps above.

You can rejoin the beta program at any time by returning to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and selecting a beta option.

How to leave the beta program

If you want no part of the iOS beta program you can remove your device from it. That way you won’t be able to see any Beta updates, and won’t be tempted to install them.

To leave the iOS beta program, follow these steps on the Apple Beta Software Program site:

Remove your device from the iOS beta program.

1. Sign in.
2. Click Leave Program.

If you ever decide you want back into the beta program you can head over to the Apple Beta Software Program site and re-enroll your device.

From time to time, the developers of even the most beloved and seemingly perfect iOS app will decide that it’s time for a change, and they will release an update.

Updates happen for a variety of reasons, some good and some frivolous: they may simply tweak the graphics or change the icon, or they may fix a critical bug, add a new feature, or make the app compatible with a newer version of iOS. Occasionally an update will make an app worse, but this is rare, and as a general rule it’s a good idea to install available updates for the apps on your iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Updating your iOS apps is an easy thing to do, requiring only a few taps. It’s also free. In this article we’ll show you how.

Checking if you need any updates

The simplest way to check if any of your apps have updates available is to check the App Store icon on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. This looks like a blue tile bearing a white capital A made out of three lines. Obviously, it also has App Store written underneath.

If the icon has a red circle with a number inside displayed in the upper-right corner, this means updates are ready to be installed. The number inside the circle denotes how many are available.

Installing updates

Tap the App Store icon to open the store itself.

We need to tap the account icon at the top right of the screen. It’s likely to be a picture of your face or your initials.

Tap App Updates, then tap Update next to apps you want to update, or tap Update All. If you’re wary of bad or unnecessary updates, go through them one by one and read the details before hitting Update. Tap More for extra information.

Before you start down either route, make sure you have a Wi-Fi connection. Updates can be quite large and therefore hazardous to your data plan.

Depending on the size of the update, the process might take seconds or a few minutes. You can track the progress by either watching the circle that replaces the Update button as it fills up with a deep blue colour, or by returning to the Home screen where you’ll see that the app icon is now greyed out and also displays a slowly filling circle.

Should you, for any reason, want to stop an update from downloading, just tap the square in the centre of the circle that replaces the Update button, or back on the Home screen you can tap on the app’s icon itself which will then pause the download.

Fixing a frozen update

If the update seems to have frozen, then you can either try rebooting your iPhone to see if that clears the problem or deleting it: Touch and hold the app on the Home Screen or in App Library. Tap Remove App, then tap Delete App. Tap Delete to confirm. Then return to the App Store and reinstall the app. That should clear the problem.

Set up automatic updates

We mentioned earlier that some updates aren’t essential, and you may choose to operate a policy of checking every update before installing it. But it’s a lot easier to simply tell your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max to install them all, as and when they become available.

Is this a good idea? Only you can decide. But the vast majority of app updates fall into three camps: important fixes that absolutely should be installed; free extra content that adds extra levels/options without affecting what you already had; and seemingly pointless updates that you don’t even notice. And in all three cases you would not be adversely affected by turning on auto updates.

There will be the occasional evil update that wrecks a good app, but these are genuinely rare. The author of this article turned on auto updates several years ago and hasn’t regretted it yet – but your mileage, as ever, may vary.

If you decide that this option is for you, go to Settings, tap Apps, tap App Store, then turn on App Updates.

Apple issues a big update to iOS (the operating system that runs on all iPhones) once a year, bringing new features and interface tweaks to many iPhones.

In this article, we run through how to update an iPhone 18 Pro Max to the latest version of the iOS software, including how to prepare your iPhone for a major update, and what to do if you encounter problems, like not having enough space or not being able to connect to Wi-Fi. We’ll also address how to update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS to apply the bug fixes, security patches and additional new features, that arrive throughout the year.

At a glance: How to update an iPhone

Whether it’s a full operating system update, or a smaller ‘point update’, updating iOS is easy.

1. Before you begin, we strongly recommend that you back up your iPhone.
2. Open Settings.
3. Tap General.
4. Tap Software Update. iOS will check if there’s a new version; if there isn’t, you’ll see the message with the software version and “iOS is up to date.” Sometimes there’s a bit of a wait until the software becomes available, especially on a launch day.
5. If an update is available you will see it. Tap on Update Now.
6. Enter your passcode and agree to the terms and conditions.
7. Your device will download the update in the background. You’ll see an indication of how much time it is likely to take. In our experience this is very far from the mark: the reality can be double or even triple what this estimates! You can at least carry on with other things while the download happens.
8. Your device will then move onto Preparing Update, which also can take a while.
9. Once the download has finished you will receive a notification that the update will install.
10. Now wait while your iPhone Verifies Update. Your iPhone will then shut down, start up, and begin to install the software update. Expect this step to take a while, especially if it’s on the night the software arrives!

How to get your iPhone 18 Pro Max ready for an iOS update

Before you update iOS, especially if it’s a major update, we recommend that you do the following:

1. Back up your iPhone: You can do this using iCloud, or via the Finder on a Mac or iTunes on a PC. In the past people have lost data like old SMS messages and photos during an update, so we can’t emphasize enough how important this step is!
2. Make some space on your iPhone: You will need a fair amount of space available for the update. If you don’t have a spare 20GB or so on your phone then delete some apps to make room–you can reinstall them afterwards as you already own them so they are associated with your account. If you still don’t have enough space, iOS will also offer to temporarily remove some files for you.
3. Plug your iPhone into a power supply: iOS won’t install if your battery is low.
4. Connect to Wi-Fi: Make sure you’re downloading over Wi-Fi, not via cellular, or you may end up running out of data. Also, check it’s a safe network–we don’t recommend you do this over hotel Wi-Fi, for instance.

Troubleshooting iOS update problems

Unfortunately, as easy as an iOS update should be, and even if you have done all the preparation recommended above, there can be problems. We run through fixes for the most common issues encountered while installing a new version of iOS below.

Problem: I don’t have enough space to update iOS

If you have an iPhone with limited space available, clearing sufficient space to install an iOS update can be stressful.

If you’re low on space you may be worried that you will lose some of your data if you install the new iPhone update. It’s understandable that some people are concerned about this because it’s happened to them in the past. However, it should be the case that once the iOS update has been installed, all your data will be intact, and if it isn’t, well you have a backup don’t you?

If you don’t want to delete lots of your data there is another option available.

Solution: Use your Mac to install iOS

Downloading and installing iOS via the Finder (or iTunes on a PC or an older Mac) is a great way to update iOS if you don’t have enough space on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

1. Open the Finder.
2. Plug your iPhone into your Mac.
3. Find your iPhone in the sidebar on the left of the Finder and click on it. (You may have to confirm that you Trust the device first).
4. Click on General.
5. Click Check for Update.
6. To install an available update, click Update.

By downloading and installing the software this way the iPhone will not require as much space.

Problem: I can’t update iOS because I don’t have Wi-Fi

Are you really excited about updating iOS but don’t have access to Wi-Fi right now? Or maybe you do, but it’s hotel/restaurant Wi-Fi, and you aren’t sure you can trust it? You might be wondering whether you can update iOS using cellular data or mobile data.

Solution: Download using cellular

You need an internet connection to update your device.

Before you start, make sure you don’t use up all your data for the month! Even “unlimited data” isn’t always completely unlimited and you might be penalized later on.

Alternatively, if your Mac happens to be connected to the internet via Ethernet, or another way, you could download iOS using the Finder in exactly the same way as we describe above.

Problem: I can’t see the iOS update!

You may be wondering why your iPhone 18 Pro Max isn’t showing the iOS update as available.

Solution: Check Wi-Fi, battery… or use the Finder to download it

There are a few other reasons why you might not see an update.

• You might just be too eager. There can be a delay before the big yearly iOS update appears. Inevitably someone you know will see it sooner.
• You might not be connected to Wi-Fi.
• Your battery may be low. Apple required your iPhone to be plugged in or your battery to be above a certain level in order to update.

If those points don’t apply to you, try installing via the Finder as we detailed above. Your Mac may be able to see the update.

Problem: The iPhone 18 Pro Max update has frozen

So, you followed all our advice and yet the update is taking AGES! Perhaps your iPhone appears to have frozen, or the update is stuck near the end. What should you do?

Solution: Be patient, check Wi-Fi, restart

First off, it might just be slow, especially if you are updating just after a major update has been issued. Sometimes an update can take all night! Whenever a new iteration of iOS comes out, we recommend giving it a few days just to let the clamor die down and any bugs get ironed out before you put it on your device.

Another reason why an iPhone update might stop is if your Wi-Fi connection has dropped. If you are installing the update a few months after the launch there should be no problems with busy servers or long delays. In that case, if you are having issues with the download time, it may be that your Wi-Fi network isn’t performing.

If you think your update has frozen wait a little longer just in case it’s just taking a long time. If you are sure that the update has frozen, rather than just slowed to a snail’s pace, you should restart your iPhone. To force restart your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Quickly press and release the volume up button.
2. Press and release the volume down button.
3. Press and hold the side button, keep holding it until the Apple logo appears, then release.

   

Hopefully, you will be able to start the installation again without any problems.

Problem: The iPhone update is stuck Verifying Update

Once the iOS update is downloaded on your device it will be verified by Apple.

Solution: Check Wi-Fi, restart

If your device gets stuck on this screen it may be because your Wi-Fi connection has dropped, so check your internet connection.

If that’s not the culprit then try restarting your device as per the steps above.

VPN or proxy connections might prevent your device from contacting the update servers.

How to upgrade iOS from a beta version

If you previously tried out a beta version of iOS ahead of its full release, you should be able to update to the full version once it launches.

1. Go to Settings
2. General
3. Software Update
4. Tap on Beta Updates
5. Tap on Off

Now the next time a non-beta update arrives you should be able to install that version of iOS, without being offered any beta updates.