Swollen Battery on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max After iOS 26 Update - safety issue

Hello larissanastasia

What you’re describing is understandably alarming, and it’s important to clearly separate software effects from hardware safety issues.

According to Apple, it is normal after a major iOS update for the battery to drain faster for a limited time. This happens because the system performs background tasks such as indexing, optimization and app updates. Apple explicitly documents this behavior and states that it usually stabilizes after a few days.

What Apple does not confirm or document is any link between an iOS update and physical battery swelling. A swollen battery is considered a hardware defect and a potential safety risk, regardless of timing. Lithium-ion batteries can swell due to aging, internal failure or manufacturing issues, but software alone does not cause a battery to physically expand.

The lifted display you describe is a classic sign of battery swelling. In that situation, Apple’s guidance is clear:

the device should not be used or charged further and should be inspected by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider as soon as possible.

The fact that two devices show similar symptoms after an update can feel like more than coincidence, but from Apple’s documented position this would still be treated as separate hardware failures, not an iOS-induced issue. Community reports online can be useful signals, but they are not confirmation of a systemic software fault unless Apple acknowledges it.

Given that you are in Austria, the correct next step is to:

• stop charging the affected devices
• contact Apple Support directly and report battery swelling
• arrange an inspection or service appointment

Apple takes swollen batteries seriously because of fire and injury risk, and these cases are handled outside of normal “battery health” discussions.

Your concern is valid, and you’re doing the right thing by treating this as a safety issue rather than a cosmetic or performance problem. Even if the timing feels suspicious, the correct and safest path is immediate hardware evaluation by Apple.

If you want, you can also submit feedback separately, but don’t wait on that before getting the devices checked.

Thank you for posting in the Apple Support Community.

We have a community for English here: discussions.apple.com. Since you’ve posted in English, we’d be happy to see you join us there.

Hello larissanastasia

Just a gentle reminder: We have a dedicated community for English discussions over at discussions.apple.com. Since your post is in English, we warmly invite you to join us there for further discussions.

Thanks for your understanding!