'Rattling' confuses iPhone 18 Pro users.. Cause remains unclear

Complaints from users of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are mounting over a strange audio issue characterized by sudden “crackling” sounds from the speakers. The root cause of the problem remains undetermined, with uncertainty whether it stems from a software bug or a hardware defect.

According to specialized tech reports, users have described the sounds as light crackling that occurs under various conditions, including during phone calls, when receiving notifications, when the keyboard appears, and while browsing websites. Others noted that the issue may also arise when toggling Airplane Mode on or off or when rapidly adjusting screen brightness. MacRumors reports confirm that complaints have been filed for both the Pro and Pro Max models.

The mystery deepened as complaints persisted even after installing Apple’s update 27.0.1, released on September 28. The official release notes did not mention any fix for the speaker issue, focusing instead on other repairs, including a bug that could cause iPhone 18 Pro devices to restart when Face ID verification failed.

Some users reported that the problem appeared even on replacement devices obtained after returning their original phones, while others confirmed they did not experience the issue, making the extent of its prevalence unclear.

To date, Apple has not announced an official cause for the problem or confirmed a hardware defect in the phones, leaving the software bug hypothesis open pending further updates or clarifications from the company.