Apple iPhone XS Max troubleshooting

Published specification

What is true of this model and changes how you fix it

• The big phone of 2018
  In 2018 this was Apple's biggest and most expensive iPhone, with a 6.5 inch OLED screen and Face ID. It stopped getting new iOS versions after iOS 18, and its age now shapes the faults owners report more than anything about its design.
• What owners run into
  After seven years the original battery is spent on most phones. Typical reports are a phone that drops from 30 percent to off, shuts down in the cold or slows suddenly, which are battery symptoms and not software faults. Lint in the Lightning port and a back glass that has cracked and lets in moisture are the other usual stories.
• How to approach a fault
  Check Settings, Battery, Battery Health. If maximum capacity is well down, a battery replacement from Apple or a repair shop restores life. Back up before any service, because the phone cannot always be restored once a battery has swollen.
• Finding your exact model
  Settings, General, About shows the model name; the iPhone XS Max model numbers begin with A1921, A2101, A2102 or A2104 depending on region. The number matters for a replacement screen or battery, because the XS Max uses parts different from the XS.
• Is a battery replacement worthwhile
  If the phone is otherwise sound, a new battery costs far less than a new phone and restores a day of use. Apple and repair shops both replace it, though iOS may show an Unknown Part message for a non-genuine battery. A phone that has swelled or bulged should not be used until it is replaced.
• Selling or recycling an old phone
  Sign out of your Apple Account, turn off Find My and erase all content before handing the phone on. Activation Lock stays on a phone that is not signed out, and a locked phone is worth almost nothing. Apple and many carriers accept old phones for recycling.
• Backing up before service
  Take a full iCloud or computer backup before a battery or screen repair. Make sure the repair shop will not wipe the phone, and write down your passcode. After the repair, check Face ID, the cameras and the speakers, because a poor repair can disable them. Apple's own repair keeps Face ID working.

Manufacturer support for this product line. Apple Support — Apple product support. Official Apple model, operating-system, repair, connection and settings guidance.

Also read for this model. Apple Support — Apple Support.