iPhone 11 display issues after iOS update

Alright, so I did get swapped out to an iPhone 16 Pro that still had 18 on it and there were no issues with the white intensity and brightness that was causing headaches and eye strain.

But before I sent back my original iPhone 16 Pro that got all messed up after the iOS 26 update, I did a test and I restored it to factory settings and then installed from the backup I made in the replacement phone, and low and behold now the original phone doesn’t have the brightness issues with headaches and eye strain.

So, 100% there is an inconsistent bug between updates that is causing iOS 26 to completely change the intensity of the display which is selectively causing health issues such as headaches, severe eye strain, and nausea among reported users.

I hope for the sake of everyone’s health, Apple can fix this in 26.2. But for me at least, thank God, this worked. I was days away from getting rid of all of my Apple devices and switching back to a Samsung galaxy android.

I hope people at Apple review these forums and all of the submissions that I made on their feedback site. There is most certainly an issue as I’ve seen it posted all across this forum and others online.

Same exact issue on my 16 Pro. The intensity of the white and legibility is a major issue. After several calls and support requests and even going to the Apple Store, with no help or acknowledgment of the issue, I got Verizon to swap me out to a unit that still had iOS 18. My eyes and head no longer hurt. There is very much an issue going on with 26. Now I’m just afraid of how long I can go without having to update.

brentgrab wrote:

Alright, so I did get swapped out to an iPhone 16 Pro that still had 18 on it and there were no issues with the white intensity and brightness that was causing headaches and eye strain.

But before I sent back my original iPhone 16 Pro that got all messed up after the iOS 26 update, I did a test and I restored it to factory settings and then installed from the backup I made in the replacement phone, and low and behold now the original phone doesn’t have the brightness issues with headaches and eye strain.

So, 100% there is an inconsistent bug between updates that is causing iOS 26 to completely change the intensity of the display which is selectively causing health issues such as headaches, severe eye strain, and nausea among reported users.

I hope for the sake of everyone’s health, Apple can fix this in 26.2. But for me at least, thank God, this worked. I was days away from getting rid of all of my Apple devices and switching back to a Samsung galaxy android.

I hope people at Apple review these forums and all of the submissions that I made on their feedback site. There is most certainly an issue as I’ve seen it posted all across this forum and others online.

Apple doesn't participate here, nor read these forum posts for user feedback. If you want Apple to see your feedback, this is how you can share it with them, where it will be read --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Did you previously have 26.0 or some variant of 18? I see the exact same difference between the XR on 18.7.2 and 11 on 26.0 side by side. I even made sure the brightness and reduce white point settings were identical. It might be temporal dithering but that doesn’t explained the brighter white text in dark mode. The 11 gives me a headache within seconds while the XR calms me down. I mean, they’re both 6.1” Liquid Retina LCDs. Maybe I should find an 11 on 18.7 to compare.

Exactly!!! Not sure why some people aren’t understanding this. It is REALLY BAD. All I can think of is maybe not all models have been affected? Or people aren’t as detailed / pay attention to the details and haven’t noticed it? It bothered me IMMEDIATELY. My only fix was going back to a phone that had 18 on it. Very weird issue. I hope for the sake of people’s vision they fix it swiftly.

"iPhone 11 display issues after iOS update: [...]Has anyone else reported this issue on the iPhone 11 after the latest update?[...]"

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Yes. What you are reporting is a well known glitch of iOS26.1. In fact, when iOS26 was releases with LiquidGlass, users were not too fond of it. So, Apple added a tint option in iOS26.0.1. Now, some are recording eye straining issues, and dark screens.

1. Go Here: About iOS 26 Updates - iOS 26.0.1 - Apple Support
2. As it Reads: "App icons may appear blank after adding a custom tint"

So, make Apple aware of your opinions...

Report this to Apple...

So, do your Part: Provide Apple with feedback on this, letting them know about this issue.  Apple may not get back to you directly, but the more feedback they receive on this, the more they will know what is occurring, and what bug fixes to include in updates to come. Apple will know nothing of you occurrences, if you don't report it to them.

1. Go Here: Feedback - iPhone - Apple
2. Select: "Feature Request" for the "Feedback Type"
3. Comment: that this all began after installing an update, and how you want this to be changed. Include the URL of this thread.
4. Proceed from there as necessary

“Now I’m just afraid of how long I can go without having to update.”

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OK, so did you upgrade to iOS 26.1?

Go Here: About iOS 26 Updates - Apple Support

Back Up First:

IMPORTANT: If you have an option to update, however, then be certain you backup your iPhone first. That way, you will have something to restore your iPhone from should anything go wrong with the update.

See this Screenshot of the Update:

I take that back. I thought it was working but actually it’s not. I had to stay with the iOS 18 phone they sent me. 26 started giving me headaches and eye strain again. Ugh. So frustrating. Thankfully at least on 18 I’m not getting it but I’m not thrilled about being a few updates behind with security patches.

I don’t why Apple denies using temporal dithering for P3 color emulation on sRGB displays. I mean, they added the toggle on the 17 to disable PWM so I don’t know why temporal dithering is such a secret/taboo.

Hello~ Do you have a technical question for us?

~Katana-San~

Hello~ Do you have a technical question for us?

~Katana-San~

Hello~ Do you have a technical question of some kind for us??

~Katana-San~

"iPhone 11 display issues after iOS update:"

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Troubleshooting Eye Straining on iOS26.1:

Q1. "Hi, after the latest iOS update (26.1) my iPhone 11 display has changed noticeably in a way that causes strong eye strain."

Try Brightening the Screen...

A1. Disable Dark Mode: Use Dark Mode on your iPhone and iPad - Apple Support

B. Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast

1. Go to: Settings
2. Tap: Accessibility
3. Tap: Display & Text Size
4. Toggle On: Reduce Transparency
5. Increase: the contrast

C. Increase Brightness: Adjust the Screen Brightness and Volor on iPhone - Apple Support

D. Temperature: Adjust the Brightness and Color Temperature on your iPhone or iPad – Apple Support

Display Changes from iOS26.1

Q2. "And can you confirm if the update included any changes to the display firmware, rendering pipeline, or color/contrast processing?"

A2. What's Been Done:

1. Go Here: About iOS 26 Updates - iOS26.1 - Apple Support
2. As it Reads: "This update adds new languages for Live Translation with AirPods, a new tinted option for Liquid Glass, along with other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone. This update includes the following features and enhancements: Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen"