iPhones Running iOS 26 Are Freezing FaceTime Calls When They Detect Nudity
Recorded: May 27, 2026, 10:03 p.m.
| Original | Summarized |
iPhones Running iOS 26 Are Freezing FaceTime Calls When They Detect Nudity | PCMag
Skip to Main Content Menu Maggie: AI Product Finder #AppleGuessingGame Best Products The Best Laptops for 2025 The Best PCs (Desktop Computers) for 2025 The Best Tablets for 2025 The Best Phones for 2025 The Best Wi-Fi Routers for 2025 The Best External Hard Drives for 2025 The Best All-in-One Printers for 2025 The Best TVs for 2025 The Best Headphones for 2025 The Best Robot Vacuums for 2025 The Best VPN Services for 2025 The Best Antivirus Software for 2025 The Best Password Managers for 2025 The Best Web Hosting Services for 2025 The Best Video Editing Software for 2025 The Best Graphics Cards for 2025 The Best Gaming Laptops for 2025 The Best Printers for 2025 The Best Monitors for 2025 See All Best Products Comparisons Reviews How-To News Opinions Deals PCs & Hardware Laptops Desktop Computers Tablets Monitors Hard Drives SSDs Network Attached Storage Wi-Fi Routers Wi-Fi Range Extenders Wi-Fi Mesh Networking Systems Printers 3D Printers Scanners Webcams Computer Mice Keyboards Graphics Cards Processors Motherboards PC Cases Mobile Mobile Phones Wireless Carriers Modems & Hotspots Bluetooth Headsets Mobile Phone Accessories Mobile Apps Android Apps iPhone Apps iPad Apps Electronics TVs Projectors Media Streaming Devices Headphones Speakers Ebook Readers Cameras Lenses Drones VR Electric & Hybrid Cars Car Accessories Smart Home Smart Home Home Security Home Security Cameras Robot Vacuums Smart Displays Smart Lighting Smart Locks Smart Plugs Smart Thermostats Smart Lawn Mowers Appliances Connected Kitchen Health & Fitness Health & Fitness Wearables Fitness Trackers Heart Rate Monitors Smart Scales Medical Alert Systems Gaming Gaming Hardware Gaming Systems Gaming Controllers & Accessories Games PC Games Microsoft Xbox Games Nintendo Games Sony Playstation Games Mobile Games Game Streaming Services Software & Services Artificial Intelligence (AI) Operating Systems Productivity System Utilities Photo & Design Education Website & App Building Tools Communications Personal Finance Accounting E-Commerce & Payments Human Resources IT Management Sales & Marketing Streaming Video Streaming Music Dating Apps DNA Testing Kits Meal Kits Security Security Security Suites Antivirus VPN Password Managers Parental Control Malware Removal Ransomware Protection Events Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Apple WWDC Black Friday Black Hat CES Comic Con Computex Cyber Monday E3 Google I/O IFA Microsoft Build Mobile World Congress (MWC) RSAC SXSW Samsung Unpacked Summer of Gaming Series 5G Accessibility Technology Advertising Content All About AI Amplify Android Apple Back to School Tech Best Internet Service Providers (ISPs) Business Choice Connected Traveler Fast Forward Fastest Mobile Networks Forward Thinking Get Organized Holiday Gift Guide How to Work From Home IT Watch In Depth Moms, Dads & Grads Gift Guide NextCar PCMag Picks PCMag Turns 40! Readers' Choice Refresh Your Tech Retro Computing Rigged Up Robotics Safety Net Science & Space SecurityWatch TechX Awards The Best of the Year The Pop-Off The Why Axis Try AI Weekend Project Windows 11 Newsletters #AppleGuessingGame Maggie: AI Product Finder
PCMag editors select and review products Home
News
Operating Systems
iOS iPhones Running iOS 26 Are Freezing FaceTime Calls When They Detect Nudity The feature is currently active within the iOS 26 developer preview, but it may be a bug left over from testing for Apple's child accounts. James Peckham Reporter OUR EXPERT
With over a decade of experience reporting on consumer technology, James covers mobile phones, apps, operating systems, wearables, AI, and more. Updated Social Share
Add as a preferred source on Google FaceTime is testing a new feature in iOS 26 to pause video calls when it detects nudity. The feature was spotted in the iOS 26 developer preview, confusing some iPhone users.If a naked body appears on a video call, a pop-up message reads, "Audio and video are paused because you may be showing something sensitive. If you feel uncomfortable, you should end the call." You’re then given the option to hang up or resume the call as normal.This feature, spotted by iDeviceHelp, was originally revealed as part of an expansion of the company's family tools designed for children's Apple accounts. In testing, the feature is now also active on adult accounts running the iOS 26 developer beta. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. A toggle to turn the feature on or off is appearing in iOS 26 test accounts, but it seems to also be working even when the feature is toggled off. This suggests Apple has a bug on its hands. Apple's iOS 26 is still in its developer beta, which means it's far from the final release stage. A p public beta is expected this month ahead of a final launch in September.Some have been concerned about privacy, as the feature suggests Apple has access to your video calls to detect nudity. Its policies for similar features say it's all done on the iPhone itself. Recommended by Our Editors iOS 26: 3 Features Apple Nailed—and 3 That Feel Half-Baked iOS 26 Brings Video Streaming to CarPlay, But There's a Catch Dear Apple: Thanks for Fixing the Photos App. Sincerely, Every iOS User One of the company’s support pages says, "Communication Safety uses on-device machine learning to analyze photo and video attachments and determine if a photo or video appears to contain nudity. Because the photos and videos are analyzed on your child's device, Apple doesn't receive an indication that nudity was detected and doesn't get access to the photos or videos as a result."It’s unclear what sort of nudity will make the phone freeze your video. Some online have joked about whether removing a coat during a video call will cause the lock to activate. This is likely something Apple is testing through its developer preview.
Apple iOS 26 Overhauls the Everyday About Our Expert James Peckham
Experience I’ve been a journalist for over a decade after getting my start in tech reporting back in 2013. I joined PCMag in 2025, where I cover the latest developments across the tech sphere, writing about the gadgets and services you use every day. Be sure to send me any tips you think PCMag would be interested in. Areas of Expertise Mobile Phones Operating Systems Mobile Apps Games Security Wearables AI Latest By James Peckham Tesla Recalls Over 14,500 Model Y Cars to Check for a Missing Weight Label Don’t Expect the Next GTA 6 Trailer or Price News for At Least Another Month Sick of Copilot In Office Apps? Microsoft Finally Lets You Move Its Floating Button Adobe, Canva, CapCut Are Coming to Gemini to Help You Edit AI Creations 'Revenge Porn' Law Goes Into Effect. Here's How to Request Image Removals More from James Peckham Read Full Bio Advertisement Google I/O
5 New Android 17 Features That Would Make My Phone Feel Better Instantly By Google's Gemini Omni Tries to Fill the Void Left by OpenAI's Sora By The Android 17 Beta Is Here. What It Includes and Which Phones Can Test It By What Is Universal Cart? Here's How Google's AI Agents Plan to Help You Shop By Is Spark Another Rebrand of Google Gemini or Something Else? By In Android 17, 'Gemini Intelligence' Can Automate Tasks Across Apps By I Tried Google's Screen-Free Smart Glasses, and They're Exactly What I Want By All Google I/O Further Reading
Apple May Soon Add a Feature That Automatically Locks Snatched iPhones By iOS 27 May Finally Add Native Support for Google Cast, But There's a Catch By In iOS 27, Siri App Will Reportedly Allow Automatic Chat Deletion for Privacy By Your Laptop Isn't Made In China Anymore By Valve's Steam Deck Is Back in Stock, But It Comes With a Shocking Price Hike By What to Watch on HBO Max in June 2026 By Watch While You Can: Everything Leaving Netflix in June 2026 By What to Watch on Netflix in June 2026 By PCMag Follow PCMag
Honest, Objective, Lab-Tested Reviews PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the Editorial Principles
How We Test
44 65 43K+ 3D Printers Car Phone Mounts Graphics Cards Robot Vacuums VPN Services Apple MacBook Neo Review Incogni Review NordVPN Review Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Review Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Pro 2 FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks Nest vs. Ring Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Apple iPhone 17 SSD vs. Hard Drive How Do AirTags Work? How to Unblock Netflix With a VPN What Is Agentic AI? What Is Microsoft Copilot? What Is Wi-Fi 7? Acer Dell Lenovo NordVPN SpaceX All About AI Holiday Gift Guide Amazon Prime Day Cyber Monday Reviews About PCMag Careers Contact Us Press Center Ziff Davis Logo
CNET Logo
ZDNET Logo
Mashable Logo Lifehacker Logo
ExtremeTech Logo IGN Logo Speedtest Logo © 1996-2026 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. About Ziff Davis Advertise AdChoices TRUSTe Logo Hello!
Here are some examples of the types of questions you can ask: What's the best graphics card for 4K gaming? I'm in Beta. Help me get Keep |
A new feature within the iOS 26 developer preview introduces functionality to pause video calls when the system detects nudity. When this condition is met during a call, a pop-up message is displayed, informing the user that audio and video are paused because sensitive material may be being shown, and the user is given the option to either end the call or resume it normally. This feature originated as an expansion of family safety tools designed for Apple's child accounts, but it has since been active in testing on adult accounts running the iOS 26 developer beta. The functionality is managed by a toggle switch visible in the test accounts, and observations suggest a potential bug, as the feature appears to operate even when the control is explicitly disabled. This state is further complicated by privacy concerns, as the functionality implies that Apple has the capability to monitor video calls for nudity. In response to these concerns, Apple provided context regarding its privacy policies, stating that the Communication Safety feature utilizes on-device machine learning to analyze photo and video attachments. Crucially, Apple clarified that because this analysis is performed solely on the user's device, Apple does not receive any indication that nudity was detected, nor does Apple gain access to the content of the photos or videos. Despite Apple's assurances regarding on-device processing, the existence of such a feature raises questions about data handling and user awareness. While some speculate on the specific triggers for pausing a call, such as removing clothing, the immediate implication is that the system is actively monitoring communication content. The ongoing nature of this testing within the developer preview suggests that the feature is still in a developmental stage, as iOS 26 is not yet in its final public release. The article points to expectations for a public beta this month leading up to a September launch. |