Is Your iPhone 18 Pro Making Funny Sounds? It’s Not Just You

It would probably be a miracle if any new iPhone launch went off without a few problems, and this year’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are no exception. We already saw a fairly widespread Face ID rebooting glitch that was triggered on many users’ devices when authentication failed.

That thankfully turned out to be a software problem, which Apple patched this week in iOS 27.0.1, while also revealing a fix for “a small number of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max devices” where a color artifact could appear on photos taken under certain conditions.

Now, we’re seeing reports of another problem that’s common enough to be filling up a thread on Reddit and the MacRumors forums. It’s not clear how widespread the issue is, but those who are experiencing it report hearing an unusual popping or crackling sound coming from the earpiece speaker on their iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Like the Face ID problem, this appears to be a software issue, as some have reported exchanging their iPhone for a replacement, only to find that the new iPhone has the same problem. At least a few users who have the issue report that updating to iOS 27.0.1 doesn’t resolve it.

That’s probably not surprising, as Apple would have likely listed the fix in the release notes if it was supposed to, but it’s still not clear what’s causing this issue. It’s also quite inconsistent. Some folks report hearing it constantly, while others only notice it during specific tasks — such as scrolling websites, receiving notifications, opening the keyboard, making cellular calls, toggling Airplane Mode, or rapidly adjusting screen brightness.

Of course, a list like that probably makes you want to try to see if you can reproduce it. That was certainly my first instinct, and I can happily confirm that my iPhone 18 Pro Max doesn’t have this problem. From everything that’s been reported, it’s also not exactly subtle — one Redditor said it hurt their ear the first time it happened — so you’ll know if you’re hearing it

However, there are also so many variables involved here that it’s hard to find a specific pattern that triggers it. Some users have reported hearing it a few times when switching apps or adjusting the volume, only to never hear it again.

There have also been some sporadic suggestions this could be a broader iOS 27 issue. At least one user reported having the problem on an iPhone 17 base model after updating to iOS 27, while another said their iPhone 17 Pro was fine, but their iPhone 18 Pro was having the issue.

For some, the problem is fixed simply by doing a full power off and restart, but that doesn’t universally resolve it either. Others have found that turning off Voice Isolation at least reduces the crackling, even if it doesn’t eliminate it entirely.

Regardless of the cause, your best move right now is to try these settings and wait for Apple to issue a fix. Because all signs point to a software glitch, exchanging your device at Apple Support will likely just be a waste of time. We’ll keep you posted on anything else we find out.