iOS 18 Messages App Crash: A Bug That Could Cost You Your Conversations

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iOS 18 Messages App Crash: A Bug That Could Cost You Your ConversationsA new bug in Apple's iOS 18 operating system is causing the Messages app to crash, and unfortunately, the current workaround involves deleting your entire conversation history, potentially losing precious photos, videos, and other attachments. The bug, discovered by reader Alex and confirmed by technology media outlet 9to5Mac, occurs when a user receives a watch face shared from an Apple Watch and responds to the message within the conversation thread

iOS 18 Messages App Crash: A Bug That Could Cost You Your Conversations

A new bug in Apple's iOS 18 operating system is causing the Messages app to crash, and unfortunately, the current workaround involves deleting your entire conversation history, potentially losing precious photos, videos, and other attachments.

The bug, discovered by reader Alex and confirmed by technology media outlet 9to5Mac, occurs when a user receives a watch face shared from an Apple Watch and responds to the message within the conversation thread. This simple action triggers a continuous crash loop in the Messages app.

The problem stems from a feature in watchOS that allows users to share personalized watch face configurations directly within the Messages or Mail apps. While intended for easy customization sharing, this feature inadvertently triggers a bug within the Messages app when a user interacts with the shared watch face within the conversation thread.

The bug affects both the sender and receiver. Sharing a watch face from an iOS 18 device can cause the crash, while iOS 18.1 users are seemingly unaffected. On the receiving end, users on devices running iOS 18.1 beta, iPadOS 18.1 beta, and macOS 15.1 beta also experience the Messages app crashing when they reply to the shared watch face within the conversation thread.

The only solution currently available is to delete the entire conversation thread. However, the constant crashing of the Messages app makes this process difficult and the ultimate consequence is the loss of all conversation history, including any photos, videos, or other attachments that weren't saved outside the Messages app. Restoring deleted conversations from "Recently Deleted" in the Messages app reintroduces the crash error, meaning there is currently no way to recover lost data.

This bug is a significant inconvenience, potentially leading to the loss of important conversations and valuable memories. Users experiencing this issue are advised to avoid responding to shared watch faces within conversation threads until a fix is released.

Apple is expected to address this bug in future beta updates for iOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and upcoming pre-release software, but a timeline for a permanent solution remains unclear. It is crucial for Apple to prioritize a fix for this widespread issue, as it currently poses a significant risk to users' data and communication.