Users updating to Apple’s latest software on their iPhone devices should be alerted: A lingering Messages bug can cause crashes and potentially lead to missing conversations.
A reader of 9to5Mac, who was considered efficient, noticed a bug on Wednesday and reported it after having successfully replicated the issue. The feature in question allows users to share their Apple Watch face with others via Messages or Email.
A bug in Apple’s Messages app triggers repeated crashes when users attempt to view or respond to a shared Watch face in a conversation thread on iOS 18, according to 9to5Mac. The ability to send or respond to conversations from various chats instantly within Messages can be unfeasible due to the app’s propensity to repeatedly crash.
It’s a two-way situation, too. The bug impacts customers.
According to 9to5Mac, tackling this bug is an extremely arduous task. It’s crucial to eliminate the conversation threads within each module. Unfortunately, erasing the thread is unfeasible due to the crippling error that renders it inaccessible to both consumers. Deleting the entire conversation could prove problematic, as Messages frequently crashes; attempting to complete this fix results in the risk of potentially losing years’ worth of dialogue history and attachments. Departing the bug’s impact for now and hoping that future software updates will enable us to resolve the issue without sacrificing the entire Messages dialogue might be the best course of action.
It’s generally more effective to prevent bugs from occurring in the initial stages. Develop a strategy to rollout updates to iOS 18 in harmony with a timely schedule. The latest iOS 18.1 beta still experiences the issue, albeit in fewer specific circumstances compared to iOS 18.0. But we anticipate that future updates will materialize ahead of schedule, allowing us to swiftly deploy the necessary repairs.
