iOS 18 Bug Alert: Your Entire Messages History Might Disappear!

iOS 18 has officially launched, delivering a slew of new features but also introducing a significant issue to be wary of. Luckily, with some foreknowledge, you can avoid this glitch.

According to 9to5Mac, the problem emerges when a shared Apple Watch face is sent via the Messages app while running iOS 18. If you reply within the same thread, both you and the sender could experience a crash that renders the Messages app almost unusable.

This isn't an isolated issue; the app continues to crash whenever you attempt to open the affected conversation and may even disrupt other chats. Unfortunately, the only current workaround involves deleting the bug-triggering thread from both devices, which could be difficult given the persistent crashes and means losing all unsaved conversations.

Elimination is Key

The only feasible remedy discovered thus far mandates the removal of the problematic conversation, yet this could be cumbersome due to the recurrent crashes. The process annihilates your entire conversation thread, so save all important images and videos externally before proceeding.

Restoring the conversation from the Recently Deleted folder seems to just reinvoke the bug. Currently, it appears the glitch won't manifest if messages are replied from a device using the iOS 18.1 beta, but caution is still advised. There is a risk that the bug could trigger for the Apple Watch face sender if someone replies from a device with iOS 18, irrespective of the sender’s software version.

For now, it's advisable to avoid sharing Apple Watch faces through Messages until Apple presents a fix, anticipated in an upcoming iOS 18.0.1 or subsequent update. While we eagerly await a resolution, hold off on restoring any affected conversations that could bring back the bug.