Ah, iPhone 13 Pro Max owner. You took them seriously when they said, “Oh. So. Pro”
Never one to mess about, you went right for the hefty 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR display and 12 megapixel Ultra Wide and telephoto cameras of the 13 Pro Max. It’s a handset that feels substantial – when the 13 Pro Max sits in your hand, it feels like you’re really holding on to something special.
But just because you like big things doesn’t mean you like king-sized complications. Like any other device, the 13 Pro Max can run into some issues at times – but iPhone 13 Pro Max problems don’t have to amount to anything more than a molehill if you have the right troubleshooting resources to help you along.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of iPhone 13 Pro Max problems and solutions, so the only thing max-sized about your phone is the screen dimensions. So check out these potential iPhone 13 Pro Max problems, and see how you can shrink them down to size.
Problem #1: Random shutdowns or reboots
One of the most common problems iPhone 13 Pro Max owners face is the phone randomly shutting down or rebooting.
Potential solutions
Some users say that a factory reset helps fix the problem, at least for a while. Make sure you back up any critical files and data because this step will erase everything. Go to Settings–>General–>Transfer or reset iPhone and tap Erase all content & Settings.
This problem seems to be more prevalent since the update to iOS 15.4.1, but a few users have also had this issue with iOS 15.4. Since there’s no proper workaround, the only option is to wait for another software update to fix the problem.
Problem #2: Phone not ringing when receiving calls
Some users have reported that their iPhone 13 Pro Max doesn’t ring when receiving a call.
Potential solutions
Make sure that you haven’t accidentally silenced the phone. Check the silent mode switch on the phone’s left side above the volume rocker. It’s a small toggle that you could have flipped without realizing.
Check that the focus mode isn’t enabled. All calls, messages, and notifications are automatically silenced when the mode is activated. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center and tap the focus icon to turn it off if it’s enabled.
If you connected your phone to a Bluetooth device, it could be a software glitch where the phone still thinks the devices are connected. Open the Control Center, disable Bluetooth, and check if the issue goes away. You can enable Bluetooth again after.
Go to Settings–>Phone and check if Silence unknown callers is on. If it is, toggle it off to disable this feature.
Go to Settings–>Sounds and haptics. Make sure that the ringer volume is set to maximum. You can also change the ringtone to something louder.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is IP68 rated, so it is resistant to water and dust. However, if your phone took a dunk, there might be some clogging. Wait for the phone to dry completely and see if the problem goes away.
In extreme cases, iPhone not ringing might be a hardware problem. Set up an appointment at your Apple store. They will run diagnostics and see if it’s a hardware or software issue.
Problem #3: Apps not working/phone freezing
Some iPhone 13 Pro Max users find that the apps on their phones aren’t loading or get stuck.
Potential solutions
If an app isn’t loading, check whether it’s an issue on just your phone or for everyone. Look at Apple’s System Status to see if it’s a broader issue. For non-Apple apps, check Down Detector.
If it’s just your phone, there might have been an issue setting up your new phone from a backup. It’s best to delete the problematic app and re-install it from the App Store.
If you can’t download an app or it’s taking a long time, long-press on the app icon on the Home screen and tap Prioritize download.
Some users say that restarting the phone does the trick. In extreme cases, you might need to factory reset the phone and set up the device manually (don’t load apps from a backup).
If an app causes the phone to freeze, you will have to do a soft reset. Press the volume up button, press the volume down button, and then press and hold the side button until the phone restarts and you see the Apple logo.
Problem #4: The phone automatically switched to Dark Mode
A few users randomly see Dark Mode activated on their phones even though the theme hasn’t been changed in the settings menu.
Potential solutions
Go to Settings–>Accessibility–>Display and text size and disable all the options (except for auto-brightness if you want to keep it activated). If Appearance says Light, even though the phone is in dark mode, toggle the appearance to Dark anyway. Then restart the phone, go back into the settings and set it to Light again.
Problem #5: “Update required to use cellular data” error
Some iPhone 13 Pro Max owners have problems connecting to mobile data and see this error on the settings page.
Potential solutions
If the phone’s mobile data settings aren’t automatically updated, you will have to do so manually. Go to Settings–>General–>About–>Carrier and follow the instructions to update the carrier settings.
You can also try resetting the network settings (this will reset Wi-Fi settings). Go to Settings–>General–>Transfer or reset iPhone–>Reset and tap on Reset network settings.
Problems #6: Apple CarPlay issues
Users face a problem getting their iPhone 13 Pro Max to connect with Apple CarPlay properly. It’s either not connecting, or the screen is blank, even though Siri is responding.
Potential solutions
There’s no workaround for this problem, so you might have to wait for a software update. You can try some standard troubleshooting to see if that helps.
If you’re having problems with a wired connection, try a different USB cable. For wireless connections, ensure that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled by going to Settings–>Wi-Fi and settings–>Bluetooth.
Ensure that Siri is on.
Go to Settings–>Screen time–>Content and privacy restrictions–>Allowed apps and make sure that CarPlay is activated.
Go to Settings–>General–>CarPlay and tap Forget this car (if it’s a previously established connection). Then go through the CarPlay setup process from scratch.
Most iPhone 13 Pro Max problems require a software update
iPhone problems don’t have a lot of workarounds and usually rely on standard troubleshooting or software updates. Apple’s software updates tend to bring a lot of bug fixes, so make sure that you update to the latest software version when available. You can check the iOS Updates page to see the bugs that the new updates fix. Don’t forget to inform Apple about any bugs and glitches you encounter using the feedback form.
What iPhone 13 Pro Max problems have you encountered? Be sure to let us know in the comments below. We’ll do our best to help.
Robyn Matthews says
My iPhone 13 pro max won’t allow me to slide up to open. It won’t let me slide across when I try to turn it off. I cannot get to settings to do anything obviously. It is fully charged. This is the first complication I have had with iPhone but have not owned one prior to this one.
Cheryl Robinson says
When setting my wallpaper photo on Home Screen, no matter which photo I choose, it always shows a date stamp of Jan 9. I don’t want a time stamp showing because it interferes with todays actual date. Please help!
Scott Henry says
My iPhone 13 pro max calendar has this problem. Example: I entered an appointment on Monday. I tap repeat>custom> to repeat it for let’s say 7 days. I put the End date. After setting a repeat with an end date, I scroll over to Tuesday. It’s now thin columns without data. the next days are also now in a narrow columns format. Hard to read . I’ve never seen this before. It looks like a glitch/bug. You can reverse it by removing the custom setting and now Tuesday is normal. I tried it a couple times with the same result
Connie Charles says
On safari-trying to search. Freezes screen. Goes back to previous screen and freezes.
Trying to compose new message. Message screen goes all white, then changes back to previous screen and won’t work. SOMETIMES goes back to Home Screen.
Backup worked last night , but won’t work now.
Go into phone log to view recent calls. Freezes temporarily for a few minutes.
Trying any links or anything on Safari-won’t load.
These all happened Thursday am. Powered off and back on at 2:04 pm. Then everything worked for awhile.
Friday-locking up when trying to use safari. Phone calls not coming thru. White screen for messages. Restarted at 5/18 pm. Works again for awhile.
Elvio Piazza says
2 ys ago we had 6 months of super bugs that Apple didnt own up too..13 pro max has decided 8 months into from buying early 2022 and were there again…..phone or app calls not coming through wifi connections showing full doesn’t exist, turning the thing on and off daily, updated to lates IOS16 didnt do a thing, Steve Jobs would be rolling in grave to see where Apple is now…and plz dont say do a factory rest you got no idea how painful that would be with some apps that we now cant live without which means going into your bank etc…