After over 17 years of continuous refinement, iOS has become one of the most stable operating systems available. However, even the most polished systems can harbor unexpected quirks, as demonstrated by a newly discovered bug that can cause iPhones and iPads to crash with the input of just four specific letters.
A security researcher known as Konstantin on Mastodon, as reported by TechCrunch, recently uncovered this peculiar flaw. The issue arises when you swipe past all your home screens to reach the App Library and enter the following characters into the search bar: “::“. Testing on an iPhone running iOS 17.5.1 confirmed that this simple action results in the phone momentarily displaying a spinning wheel before returning to the lock screen.
Interestingly, this bug is not limited to the App Library search. Typing the sequence “”:”, followed by any letter, into the Settings app’s search bar also triggers a crash, albeit only within that specific app. Fortunately, there is no evidence to suggest that this bug poses any security threat or significant concern. The bug doesn’t cause a complete system failure; rather, it only affects SpringBoard—the app that manages your iPhone’s home screen—and the Settings app.
While this bug might not be a major cause for alarm, it does offer a fascinating insight into the subtle vulnerabilities that can exist even in well-established operating systems like iOS. It’s expected that Apple will address this issue in the upcoming iOS 18 release, likely patching this minor flaw and ensuring a smoother user experience.
This isn’t the first time a strange bug has surfaced on iOS devices. A more severe issue occurred in 2015 with the infamous ‘effective power’ bug. This glitch was triggered by receiving a particular text message, which caused iPhones to crash and shut down completely. The text, known as ‘effective power’ because of its content (“effective. Power لُلُصّبُلُلصّبُررً ॣ ॣh ॣ ॣ 冗”), prompted Apple to release an official statement and a temporary fix, as it posed a significant risk by allowing external parties to crash an iPhone remotely.
Compared to the ‘effective power’ bug, this new iOS glitch is relatively harmless, as it requires deliberate user input and is not something one would typically enter by accident. Nonetheless, it serves as a reminder of the intricate nature of modern software and the occasional quirks that can slip through even the most rigorous testing processes.
Recently, Apple also acknowledged a separate issue in iOS 17.5, where a “database corruption” bug caused some deleted photos to reappear for iCloud users. This problem has since been resolved, allowing users to once again enjoy a seamless experience with their devices. As for the current four-letter glitch, it remains a small but intriguing example of the hidden eccentricities that can be found in the technology we use every day.
With iOS 18 on the horizon, it’s likely that Apple will address this issue, ensuring that such minor bugs are a thing of the past. In the meantime, users can experiment with this quirk, knowing that their devices are safe from any serious harm.