Some Users Report iOS 26.3.1 Update Causing New Issues

Apple last week released iOS 26.3.1, build number 23D8133. Now, some iPhone users report that the new update is causing new issues on their iPhone after installation.

Apple’s brief official update notes for the minor update say it adds support for Studio Display (2026) and Studio Display XDR on supported iPhones, as well as bug fixes.

However, as reported by The Mac Observer, the iOS 26.3.1 update is causing several new issues after installation. These include:

1. Internet stops working on both Wi-Fi and cellular.
   In the Reddit thread “iOS 26.3.1 Network Connectivity Issues” on r/ios, the original poster says the iPhone auto-updated overnight and then would not connect to the internet through working Wi-Fi or cellular data.
2. Repeated location permission prompts in Apple apps.
   In “iOS 26.3.1 is BAD” on r/ios, the poster says first-party apps including Weather, Calendar, and Reminders kept asking again for location authorization after the update.
3. Apple Watch apps or complications disappearing after the iPhone update.
   That same r/ios thread says some first-party apps appeared to uninstall from Apple Watch, which also removed complications. Another reply in the thread says the Weather app and disappearing complications issue happened there too.
4. AirDrop discovery problems.
   Also in “iOS 26.3.1 is BAD” on r/ios, the poster says the updated iPhone could no longer find another person’s iPhone or iPad through AirDrop.
5. Apps loading slowly, black-screen crashes, and noticeable heat.
   In “iOS 26.3.1 is released tell me your experience” on r/iPhone13, one user says apps became very slow to load, some crashed to a black screen, and the phone got noticeably hot after moving from 26.3 to 26.3.1.
6. Safari stuck in compact layout.
   In Apple Support Communities, the thread “iOS 26.3.1 Safari does not respond to layout changes & is stuck on compact view” says Safari would not switch layout modes even after clearing data and restarting.
7. Front camera failure.
   In Apple Support Communities, the thread “Front camera stopped working after update ( iOS 26.3.1)” says an iPhone 13 front camera stopped working after the update. That report is a single case, but it is one of the more serious hardware-related complaints tied directly to 26.3.1.
8. Microphone problems during calls.
   Apple Support Communities also has the thread “iPhone 13 Pro microphone not working after update”, where the poster says the other person cannot hear them properly after updating to iOS 26.3.1.
9. Screen Time App Limits still failing to reset.
   In Apple Support Communities, “App Limit Bug IOS 26.3.1” says limits do not reset properly after midnight and some apps stay blocked even when they were not opened that day. The thread notes the bug started earlier, but users say it is still present on 26.3.1.

At the moment, it doesn’t appear that the iOS 26.3.1 update is broken for everyone, but there have been enough complaints that the issues bear watching. So, if you’ve already installed the iOS 26.3.1 update and you aren’t experiencing any of the above issues, chill out, everything is likely copacetic. However, if you haven’t yet performed the update, and you rely on any of the reportedly broken features, you might want to find out more about the exact iPhone models that are affected before pulling the trigger.