If you’re having issues with your iPhone 14 Pro you aren’t alone
Multiple users are reporting charging and 5G signal problems
If you’re having problems connecting your iPhone 14 Pro to your local network or getting it to charge without restarting then you aren’t alone.
Despite being an upgraded version of the base iPhone 14, users are reporting that their iPhone 14 Pro comes with a few extra issues alongside its impressive dynamic island and satellite phone capabilities.
The more widespread problem users are reporting is that their iPhone 14 Pro will restart all on its own while charging via MagSafe or a lightning cable – and that’s in addition to the battery life problems plaguing iOS 16 devices.
Thankfully the iPhone 14 Pro doesn’t appear to reboot unprompted during regular use so the issue isn’t the end of the world, but it will nonetheless be concerning to see your new smartphone restart every 10 minutes or so as some users report to be experiencing. But best of all some people seem to have found a solution: disable background app refresh.
It’s unclear why this setting change fixes the iPhone 14 Pro’s charging but nevertheless, users have found that heading to Settings, opening up the General tab, scrolling to and tapping Background App Refresh, and then toggling it off using the option at the top of the page makes the problem go away.
However, if you ask us, you might be better off returning your iPhone 14 Pro and getting a new non-defective one if you can. Turning off background app refresh will mean that your suspended apps won’t update which will make using your iPhone less convenient, plus there’s no telling if this charging issue isn’t just the first sign of a larger hardware problem. Better to play it safe now and get a working iPhone than have to shell out for a big repair when it’s out of warranty.
Stay disconnected
The other iPhone 14 Pro issue currently seems restricted to Verizon customers, with several people reporting that the 5G signal is very weak on their new smartphone – and sometimes calls will drop out mid-conversation.
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While some people had theorized that the issues are with Verizon’s network as a whole – suggesting that its coverage of a person’s local area may be worse than the provider they were previously with – users have disputed this (via MacRumors Forums). Some point out that their relatives on an identical plan but on a device like an iPhone 13 have no issue in the same location, while others have said that they’ve been with Verizon across multiple contracts but are only now experiencing problems. And worst of all there doesn’t appear to be a quick solution right now, with factory resetting and updating to the latest iOS 16 beta not solving the issue.
It’s unclear why the iPhone 14 Pro is having connectivity issues but it's especially disappointing given that its satellite phone features were meant to make it easier to contact people from anywhere.
We’ve reached out to Verizon for advice on what customers can do, and when we hear back we’ll be sure to update this page.
Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.