Apple offers temporary fix for iOS 11 'i' bug until future software update arrives

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS
Apple has acknowledged the existence of a bug in iOS 11 concerning the autocorrection of the letter 'i,' by offering affected users a work around via its support pages until a software update is released that solves the issue.




A new support page published on November 4 advises users of how to temporarily solve the error using iOS' own Text Replacement feature. It is also noted on the page that the instructions are only a work around "until it's fixed in a future software update," though no timeframe for the fix is offered.

The page advises users to go to Settings on the affected device, then to go to General and then the Keyboard section, followed by Text Replacement. After tapping the plus symbol, it is advised to enter an uppercase "I" in the Phrase field, with a lowercase "i" in the Shortcut section, before saving.

Aside from Apple's own workaround, users can also avoid the issue by turning off predictive text. Though some users have suggested a phone restore could clean up whatever is causing the issue to occur, the Apple Community Support Forums advise this isn't likely to permanently fix it.

The autocorrect bug, which affects a number of iPhone users who updated their devices to iOS 11, changes instances of the letter "i" to a two-character combination: the letter "A" and the unicode symbol FE0F, known as "variation selector-16." Variation selectors are typically used to specify variants of a Unicode character, such as to display a certain glyph within a language like Chinese or Japanese, as well as mathematical symbols and some emoji.

It is unknown why the autocorrect mishap is taking place, and it is also unclear why the problem is occurring to some users, and not others. AppleInsider's testing of the bug, which involved sending a message from a device with the problem to other Apple hardware using iMessage, discovered it was visible in the message through certain combinations of hardware and software, but not in others.

The symbol was visible when the message was sent from one iPhone SE to another running iOS 11.1, as well as an iPhone 7 Plus in the iOS 11.2 beta. When sent to a 2012 Mac mini running macOS 10.13.1, the symbol was visible, but it was absent when sent to a 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro running macOS 10.13.2 beta 1 and to a 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro running macOS 10.13.1.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    That is one weird error and I’ve seen it all over Twitter.
    llamacornchip
  • Reply 2 of 14
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,198member
    This isn't affecting my iPhone, it's affecting my Mac. A family member doesn't like to use caps so the initial "i" gets sent (sometimes) as the A (bunch of horizontal lines). I see this in Messages but it's fine on my iPhone. This article only talks about the iOS devices and my family member hasn't said anyone else is complaining.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,836member
    Has anyone else noticed that iOS 11 seems to be one of the buggiest releases in years? I just got an iPad Pro, and I love the multitasking features, but I’m probalby going to ‘downgrade’ my 6s to iOS 10 because the clock and notifications keep disappearing from the lock screen. 
    deepinsidercornchipanantksundaram
  • Reply 4 of 14
    deepinsiderdeepinsider Posts: 67member
    iOS 11 is indeed the buggiest software Apple have released in a long time. It’s incomprehensible how some of these bugs have crept into their software.
    cornchipanantksundaram[Deleted User]
  • Reply 5 of 14
    maciekskontaktmaciekskontakt Posts: 1,169member
    How about fixing that Night Shift that cannot be turned off permanantly because Settings crash when you try on iOS11? Do we have to turn it off every night on Apple schedule rather than users?
  • Reply 6 of 14
    linkmanlinkman Posts: 1,034member
    MplsP said:
    Has anyone else noticed that iOS 11 seems to be one of the buggiest releases in years? I just got an iPad Pro, and I love the multitasking features, but I’m probalby going to ‘downgrade’ my 6s to iOS 10 because the clock and notifications keep disappearing from the lock screen. 
    Yeah, that isn't happening: http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/10/04/apple-ceases-ios-1033-and-ios-11-code-signing-following-ios-1102-update
    cornchip
  • Reply 7 of 14
    maciekskontaktmaciekskontakt Posts: 1,169member
    In general over last few years I have seen Apple testing quality drop since 2005. It was significant drop after Jobs' departure. It turns slowly into weak testing of Microsoft style. Pretty soon there will be the same attitudes of arrogance and tryoing to teach people that they should adapt and those are "features"... unless they pull credit card and pay for "resolution" (probably reboot that does not fix, but works around problem).
  • Reply 8 of 14
    ureffn_sys_engureffn_sys_eng Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    there is no "I", in iOS.
    cornchip
  • Reply 9 of 14
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,042member
    linkman said:
    MplsP said:
    Has anyone else noticed that iOS 11 seems to be one of the buggiest releases in years? I just got an iPad Pro, and I love the multitasking features, but I’m probalby going to ‘downgrade’ my 6s to iOS 10 because the clock and notifications keep disappearing from the lock screen. 
    Yeah, that isn't happening: http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/10/04/apple-ceases-ios-1033-and-ios-11-code-signing-following-ios-1102-update


    Yep, I was going to say that, This is way I wait to update. Every year everyone said the new version is worse than the last one. The problem is most people on iOS 10 have a year's worth of refinements so it always is more stable than the new release. People have poor memories so they do not remember what iOS 10 was like when it first came out. Also, depending on the bugs some people never see them since they do not fall into their use case.

    However, I seen this intermitting auto correct of the "i" to "I" I see it on my iPhone 6s on the latest version of iOS 10. Does not happen all time but it does show up in various apps. I am willing to beat is not a new issue.

  • Reply 10 of 14
    maciekskontaktmaciekskontakt Posts: 1,169member
    How do we remove that mark to turn on iCloud? I am not going to do it as I turned it off two years ago. Apple needs to fix device identification first for MMS/SMS. I do not appreciate messages being delivered via iCloud to device that is thousands miles away and not to my iPhone. Let's mot mix telecommunication protocols with cloud solutions. Phone is identified by phone number - not by iCloud ID. having said that I may run out of options and go Android. I am still hoping for corrective actions from Apple. More and more problems with iOS and methods.
    edited November 2017
  • Reply 11 of 14
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,727member
    MplsP said:
    Has anyone else noticed that iOS 11 seems to be one of the buggiest releases in years? I just got an iPad Pro, and I love the multitasking features, but I’m probalby going to ‘downgrade’ my 6s to iOS 10 because the clock and notifications keep disappearing from the lock screen. 
    I haven't got that particular issue but I find this v of IOS as well as High Sierra very buggy. I have had more complete lock-ups in the last couple of weeks on my Mac than in the last few years prior. I also find that apps in both IOS and OSX tend to freeze up and become unresponsive. Often all that is needed is a click away and then return, but it is annoying. Happens many times per day. In IOS the freezes tend to be shorter lived and often just last a few seconds, but again, annoying. In OSX I find apps crash more frequently, too. My iMac has a Fusion Drive so maybe that is part of the issue. I may change it out for an SSD and see if that improves things.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,668member
    deepinsider said:
    iOS 11 is indeed the buggiest software Apple have released in a long time. It’s incomprehensible how some of these bugs have crept into their software.
    Can you clarify what metrics you're using to make this declarative statement? iOS has more users than ever before, and more websites and youtube channels and forums of people hyper analyzing every aspect of iOS, so how are you compensating for this? Are you keeping metrics on the bugs reported to Apple somewhere, or are you just operating under the mistaken assumption that the techie echo chamber equals real life?
    cornchip
  • Reply 13 of 14
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,392member
    MplsP said:
    Has anyone else noticed that iOS 11 seems to be one of the buggiest releases in years? I just got an iPad Pro, and I love the multitasking features, but I’m probalby going to ‘downgrade’ my 6s to iOS 10 because the clock and notifications keep disappearing from the lock screen. 
    From all that I've anecdotally heard from those who've upgraded, as well as what I've read, I am dreading my new X for one reason, and one reason only: iOS 11. 

    Seems likea pos upgrade that doesn't do all that much more than the incumbent version, yet seems to be creating some major annoyances. Even when it works like it should. 
  • Reply 14 of 14
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,668member
    anantksundaram said:
    MplsP said:
    Has anyone else noticed that iOS 11 seems to be one of the buggiest releases in years? I just got an iPad Pro, and I love the multitasking features, but I’m probalby going to ‘downgrade’ my 6s to iOS 10 because the clock and notifications keep disappearing from the lock screen. 
    From all that I've anecdotally heard from those who've upgraded, as well as what I've read, I am dreading my new X for one reason, and one reason only: iOS 11. 

    Seems likea pos upgrade that doesn't do all that much more than the incumbent version, yet seems to be creating some major annoyances. Even when it works like it should. 
    Nah that’s just all the whining in the techie echo chamber of doom. All of our devices are fine and the X super slick. 
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