Another iPhone 18 Pro issue emerges: Users report crackling and popping sounds for speaker

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are facing new complaints from some early users, this time about unexpected speaker sounds. According to reports highlighted by MacRumors, owners have described faint crackling, ticking, popping and clicking noises from their devices. Reports come from MacRumors forum users and Reddit, with the issue appearing differently across affected devices, while a separate post on Apple’s Support Community describes a similar problem.

Must Read: Apple releases iOS 27.0.1 update for iPhone 18 Pro, fixes Face ID, camera and other bugs

While some users hear the sound repeatedly, others say it appears only during particular actions, such as opening an app, receiving a notification or bringing up the keyboard. The timing is also notable, as Apple's latest iOS 27.0.1 update has not resolved the problem for users who have reported experiencing it.

What iPhone 18 Pro owners are reporting

MacRumors reports that the unusual noise appears to be coming mainly from the earpiece speaker, and complaints involve both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Users on the MacRumors forum have described the sound as a very faint tick or pop, while others have reported intermittent crackling.

Must Read: Apple layoffs: Over 5,000 AppleCare jobs could have been replaced by AI, report says

The trigger is not consistent. Some forum users say they notice it during calls, while others hear it when the keyboard appears, when closing pop-up alerts, while scrolling websites or during app use. MacRumors also notes reports of the sound appearing after quickly changing screen brightness or toggling Aeroplane Mode. One forum user said turning off keyboard clicks stopped the noise on their device.

iOS 27.0.1 does not address the speaker issue

Apple released iOS 27.0.1 on September 28, but its release notes focus on other problems, including unexpected restarts on iPhone 18 Pro models when Face ID fails to authenticate. The update also fixes a camera colour artefact and an issue that could make the touchscreen unresponsive when Notification Centre and Control Centre are opened together. There is no speaker-related fix listed.

MacRumors says early feedback indicates the update has not resolved the crackling. Some forum users have even reported exchanging their phones only to experience the same behaviour on replacement units. The exact cause remains unknown, although some users suspect an iOS-related audio or routing issue. For now, Apple has not confirmed whether the behaviour is a hardware defect or a software bug.