Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

iPhone freezing up after tapping on links? The latest update will fix it

The bug was found in the latest update to iOS, version 9.3, and caused iPhones to freeze after clicking on app links.

APPLE HAS PUSHED out an update that will fix a bug which freezes phones after they clicked on links within Safari and Mail.

iOS 9.3 was released last week as part of the announcement of the iPhone SE and smaller iPad Pro, but some users noticed problems with the software shortly after updating.

The new update iOS 9.3.1 can be found by either going into Settings > General > Software Updates or by connecting it to your PC or Mac and updating via iTunes. The only bug fix is the one mentioned above.

IMG_1418 iOS iOS

The issue was said to be caused by third-party apps and the way they handle URLs within Apple’s Universal Links system.

According to The Guardian, the system which allows apps to claim certain URLs and open the app instead of a browser was overloaded due to some apps incorrectly formatting the URL list. This would send it into a constant loop, and freeze the phone.

Last week, it announced the arrival of the iPhone SE, a 4-inch device with most of the hardware found in the 6s, and a smaller iPad Pro, designed to bridge the gap between tablet and laptop users.

Included in that announcement was the arrival of iOS 9.3 which included a few new features like Night Shift, which changes the screen colour temperature from blue to orange, and keeping notes secure using Touch ID.

Read: Google’s April Fools’ joke involving minions has seriously backfired >

Read: Apple is 40 today so here’s the best and worst products it released >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
8 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mcgoo
    Favourite mcgoo
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 4:19 PM

    9.3 has wrecked my head for the past week. A spectacular pain in the wotsits. Glad to see the back of it.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute richard fennessy
    Favourite richard fennessy
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 4:45 PM

    Great was wondering wtf was happening thanks

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas O'Connor
    Favourite Thomas O'Connor
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 5:02 PM

    Sorry to disappoint but the update is only a partial success.
    Still can’t log on to any website and can’t send MMS messages.

    APPLE please sort this out ASAP as IOS 9.3.1 didn’t!!!!!

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Duffy
    Favourite Stephen Duffy
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 6:50 PM

    It’s did the job for me..!!!

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Duffy
    Favourite Stephen Duffy
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 6:48 PM

    Updated to 9.3.1 this morning and its all sorted. But one has to ask why Apple released 9.1.0 without fully testing it first. The problems were so substantial that even a brief validation process would have identified the issues. A black mark against Apple on this. I’d imagine somebody lost their job.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cally
    Favourite Cally
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 5:18 PM

    My phone wants me to download 9.3..it only arrived in settings 4 days ago..does it contain the 9.3.1 fix?

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Meelick Change
    Favourite Meelick Change
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 8:04 PM

    I have to say I read about all the hullabaloo on the Newspaper. 1st world problems eh?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Buffalo
    Favourite Frank Buffalo
    Report
    Apr 1st 2016, 5:27 PM

    What??? Does it not “just work”???

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds