iPhone 13 Problems: 5 Things You Need to Know

iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max users are complaining about an assortment of bugs, connectivity problems, and performance issues.

The iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max face many of the same problems because they share many parts, were released at the same time, and utilize 5G networks in the United States and abroad.

The list of iPhone 13 problems will grow. Some problems will get resolved by Apple and its partners via software updates, but we’ll continue to see issues pop up as people put more mileage on their device.

Below are the most common iPhone 13 issues, some potential fixes for the problems, places to find feedback about iPhone 13 performance, and a look at what’s in the iOS pipeline for these phones.

iPhone 13 Problems

We’re hearing about iPhone 13 activation issues. Activation issues always plague iPhone models so this isn’t surprising to see.

If you’re having issues activating your new iPhone 13 model, check Apple’s System Status page. If you don’t see a green symbol next to iOS Device Activation, you’ll want to wait until it’s green and then try activating your phone again.

If the symbol is green and the activation process still isn’t working, make sure you have a SIM card inserted in your iPhone. If you’re receiving a “No Sim” or “Invalid SIM” error, you’ll want to head over to this guide for assistance.

On top of those problems, we’re also hearing about issues with first and third-party apps, excessive battery drain, ongoing noise cancellation issues, Exchange problems, Wi-Fi problems, a variety of CarPlay problems including crashes, iCloud issues, Bluetooth issues, sound problems, and login issues.

A number of iPhone 13 users are complaining about touch issues where the device’s display doesn’t respond to swipes and gestures.

We’re also hearing about 5G cellular data issues. Some users are saying cellular service is dropping unexpectedly. Others are complaining about the speed of 5G.

It’s important to note that 5G is still fairly new technology and coverage is still very inconsistent. Some of the frustrations with slow 5G performance should resolve over time as carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile build out their 5G networks.

iPhone 13 Performance

If you’re thinking about buying an iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Pro, or if you already own one, you’ll want to monitor feedback from other people using the same device. This feedback will alert you to potential issues with Apple’s hardware and software.

We recommend keeping an eye on YouTube, Apple’s discussion forums, social media sites like Twitter, and sites like the MacRumors forums for ongoing feedback about these phones.

If you’re thinking about moving your device to iOS 16, or if you’ve already made the move, take a look at our guide that goes over the latest version of that software.

How to Fix iPhone 13 Problems

If you run into a problem on your iPhone there’s a good chance you’ll be able to fix the problem yourself. In some cases, you may need to contact Apple support, contact your carrier, or take your phone into an Apple Store.

If you’ve run into trouble, take a look at our list of fixes for the most common iPhone 13 problems. Our guide runs down fixes for the most common iPhone issues like broken Bluetooth and busted Wi-Fi.

We’ve also released some tips to help improve your iPhone 13’s performance and a guide that could help you improve battery life if you think it’s draining faster than it should be.

If you can’t find a fix in our guides, you’ll want to check Apple’s discussion forums and see if someone has a solution for whatever is ailing your phone.

If you can’t find anything on Apple’s forums, you should contact Apple. You can do so via the company’s support account on Twitter. You can also get in contact with Apple Support via the company’s website.

If you’d rather get answers in person, you might want to take your phone into your local Apple Store and see if they can diagnose your problem. If you’ve got an Apple Store in your area, make sure you schedule a Genius Bar appointment.

Your iPhone is currently under warranty so they might offer you a replacement if the problem is serious enough.

iOS Downgrade Status

If you’re dealing with software problems on your iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Pro Max, you can try downgrading your devices to the previous version of iOS if the option is available.

If you’re unfamiliar with the iOS downgrade process our iOS downgrade guide will walk you through everything you need to know before you make the move.

Next iPhone 13 Update

If your device is struggling on iOS 16.6 or another version of iOS, you might be on your own for a bit.

Apple’s reportedly working on a new iOS 16.7 update. We expect it to roll out in September alongside the company’s new iOS 17 operating system.

The company will push iOS 17 to the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max in mid-September, probably during the week of September 18th.

For more about iOS 17 and its release, take a look at our guide.

Install iOS 16.6.1 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 16.6.1 update on your iPhone right away. iOS 16.6.1 isn't a huge upgrade, but it does have two important security patches for your device on board. If you're interested in what they patch up, here's Apple's guide.  As for older software, the iOS 16.6 update delivered 16 security patches. For more information about the changes, check out Apple's rundown.   iOS 16.5.1 brought two security patches to iPhone users  If you want to learn more, head on over to Apple's website. The company's iOS Security Response 16.5.1 (c) update also included a security update and you can learn more about it right here. iOS 16.5 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. You can find out more about them over on Apple's security site. iOS 16.4.1 included two security upgrades . You can learn more about the pair right here. Apple's iOS 16.4 update had a substantial number of patches on board. You can read about them in detail over on Apple's security site. The iOS 16.3.1 update had three security patches on board including one for an actively exploited vulnerability. For more on the security contents of iOS 16.3.1, check out Apple's security page.  iOS 16.3 brought 10+ new security patches with it and you can learn more about all of those right here.  In addition, the software came with support for physical security keys for Apple ID. These will beef up your account security by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process. Learn more about the change right here. If you skipped iOS 16.2, you'll get its changes with iOS 16.6.1. iOS 16.2 brought a ton of important security patches with it and you can dig into the details on Apple's security site.  The update also brought end-to-end encryption to iCloud, iMessage, iPhone backups, Notes, Photos, and more. If you want to learn more about it, head over to Apple's guide.  If you decided to missed iOS 16.1.2, you'll get its solitary security patch with your upgrade. Learn more about it right here. If you skipped iOS 16.1.1, you'll get its security patches when you upgrade. You can learn more about them right here. If you missed the iOS 16.1 update, it brought 19 security patches to the iPhone and you can learn about the particulars of those over on Apple's website. If you failed to download iOS 16.0.3, it had one security patch on board, a fix for a potential exploit within the Mail app. For more about the fix, check out Apple's security site. If you're still running iOS 15 your iPhone, you'll get a bunch of other patches when you upgrade. iOS 16.0 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. In addition to those patches, iOS 16 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including Safety Check which, according to Apple, will help "people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations review and reset the access they’ve granted others."  The feature also resets system privacy permissions for apps and restricts Messages and FaceTime to the device on hand. Apple's also made some improvements to Passkeys in Safari. iOS 16 brings a brand new sign-in method that's end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks.

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