iPhone XR Problems: 5 Things to Know

Some iPhone XR users are running into bugs and performance issues after downloading Apple’s latest iOS 16 update.

The colorful 6.1-inch iPhone XR has been out for awhile now, but we’re still getting a lot of feedback from those who’ve adopted the device. A lot of the feedback is good. That said, we’ve also seen negative feedback emerge.

Some iPhone XR users are dealing with hardware problems while others are experiencing issues with the device’s operating system.

In this guide we’ll take you through the most common iPhone XR problems. We’ll also provide you with some tips and resources that will come in handy if you start noticing issues on your new phone.

iPhone XR Problems

Some iPhone XR users have had problems activating the phone at home. This is a common issue with new phones and it’s sometimes easy to fix.

If you’re unable to activate your iPhone XR, take a look at Apple’s System Status page. If the circle is anything other than green, you’ll have to wait until it’s green before trying to activate again.

If the circle is green and you still can’t activate your phone, make sure your SIM card is in properly. If you’re getting a “No Sim” or “Invalid SIM” error, head here for help.

iPhone XR users are also complaining about restore issues, issues setting up Face ID, Bluetooth problems, Wi-Fi problems, weird battery drain, Exchange problems, issues with first and third-party apps, crashes, abnormal amounts of lag, crashes, and iCloud problems.

We expect this list to grow as current iPhone XR users put milage on their device and as more people buy the device throughout the year.

Where to Find Feedback

If you own an iPhone XR or if you’re thinking about buying one for yourself or a loved one, you’ll want to dig into feedback from iPhone XR users.

We recommend keeping an eye on YouTube, Apple’s discussion forums, social media sites like Twitter/Facebook, and the MacRumors forums for information about the iPhone XR’s performance.

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

Apple has stopped releasing new versions of iOS 15 for the iPhone XR.

How to Fix iPhone XR Problems

If you’re dealing with issues, and your iPhone XR is running an older version of iOS, try updating it to the company’s latest version of iOS 16.

If your phone is already on the latest version of iOS, or you don’t want to upgrade just yet, take a look at our list of fixes for the most common iOS problems.

We’ve also released some tips to help improve your iPhone XR’s performance and tips that could help you improve your battery life.

If you can’t find a fix for your iPhone XR’s problem in those walkthroughs, check Apple’s discussion forums for other potential fixes.

If you’d prefer to get in touch with Apple, get in contact with the company’s support account on Twitter. You can also get in contact with Apple Support via the company’s website.

If Apple’s frontline customer service can’t find a solution for your issue, you might want to take your phone into your local Apple Store or your local carrier location. They might be able to diagnose the issue in minutes.

If you’ve got an Apple Store in your area, schedule a Genius Bar appointment. Your iPhone XR is under warranty so if the problem is serious, you might be able to get a replacement.

How to Downgrade the iPhone XR

Sometimes you’ll have the option to downgrade your iPhone XR to another version of iOS. Downgrading can have a positive impact on your device’s performance.

Our guide to the iOS downgrade will walk you through everything you need to know about the process.

What’s Next

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

iOS 16.6 was the last known update in the iOS 16 pipeline so it’s unclear when, or even if, a new version will roll out to the iPhone XR.

Apple’s working on its new iOS 17 operating system so iOS 16 development has slowed down. We could see Apple release another bug fix upgrade, but don’t expect anything significant this summer.

The company will push iOS 17 to the iPhone XR later this year, probably sometime in mid-September. 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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