An app that closes by itself on an iPhone XS Max is most often hitting an old-phone limit: memory and storage. The XS Max has 4 GB of RAM and an A12 chip, and newer versions of big apps are written for faster phones, so they sometimes crash on launch or while scrolling. The first fix is the simplest: update the app in the App Store, because the developer may already have released a fix, and then update iOS 18 patches. Next, check storage: a phone with under a gigabyte or two free forces apps to fail.
If one app crashes and the others do not, offload and reinstall that app, which keeps its data. A restart clears memory. If every app crashes, restart, update iOS and, as a last resort, back up and restore. Banking, streaming and social apps are the ones that most often crash on older phones after an update, because they are the most demanding, so check the app's App Store page for the minimum iOS and for recent reviews. If reviews of the latest version mention crashes on older iPhones, waiting for the next version is the fix.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple iPhone XS Max app keeps crashing, freezing or will not open”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An out-of-date app
What separates it The app crashes on launch after an iOS update
How to confirm Update it in the App Store
- 2
Too little storage or memory
What separates it Several apps crash and the phone is nearly full
How to confirm Free space in Settings, General, iPhone Storage
- 3
A damaged app
What separates it One app crashes
How to confirm Offload and reinstall it
- 4
An app too heavy for the A12 chip
What separates it Crashes while scrolling or loading video
How to confirm Update, close other apps, restart
- 5
A software fault
What separates it Everything crashes
How to confirm Update iOS and, if needed, restore from a backup
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which apps crash and when
- The free storage
- The app and iOS versions
- Whether it began after an update
Try in this order
0 of 8 completedUpdate the app
ReversibleApp Store, your profile, pull down to refresh and update the app.
Restart the phone
ReversibleSwitch off and on to clear memory.
Free some storage
ReversibleSettings, General, iPhone Storage.
Offload and reinstall the app
ReversibleTap the app in iPhone Storage, Offload App, then Reinstall.
Update iOS
ReversibleInstall the latest iOS 18 update.
Back up and restore only as a last resort
ReversibleUse iCloud or a Mac for the backup first.
Read recent reviews
ReversibleThe App Store page shows whether other XS Max owners report the same crash after the latest version.
Check Screen Time restrictions
ReversibleSettings, Screen Time, Content and Privacy Restrictions can block features an app needs.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Age of the chip
- The A12 is a 2018 chip and newer app versions are written for faster ones.
- Offload keeps data
- Offloading removes the app but keeps its data for reinstalling.
- Memory limits
- With 4 GB of RAM, switching between several heavy apps makes iOS close the background ones, which looks like a crash.
- Developer fixes
- A crash that began with an app update is almost always fixed by the next update.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If every app crashes after a restore, book Apple service
- !If one app crashes on current iOS, contact its developer
- !A repeating crash with no cause may be storage hardware
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does an app crash on my XS Max?+
An old app version or a full phone.
Will offloading delete my data?+
No, it keeps documents and data.
How much RAM does the XS Max have?+
4 GB.
Should I restore the phone?+
Only as a last resort.
Why does the app work for others but crash for me?+
Your storage, iOS version or the app version differs; check each.
Can I download an older app version?+
Not directly; the App Store offers compatible versions where the developer allows.
app crashing: model differences
Also covered: Apple iPhone 14 family; Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max; Apple iPhone 13 family; Apple iPhone 12 family; Apple iPhone 11 family; Apple iPhone XS family.