# iPhone 18 Pro owners report paint fading around the camera

Source: https://idevice.com/iphone-18-pro-owners-report-paint-fading-around-the-camera
Published: 2026-10-07

> Reddit owners say burgundy and some black iPhone 18 Pro phones show discoloration by the camera that wiping won't clear. Apple hasn't commented.

Owners of the [iPhone 18 Pro](https://idevice.com/phones/iphone-pro/roadmap) and Pro Max are posting photos of discoloration around the camera module, Android Headlines' Tyler Lee reported on October 6, citing multiple Reddit threads. Most of the posts come from people with the burgundy finish. Some show black phones with the same marks.

Photos shared in the posts show the discoloration sitting around the camera module, and owners say wiping doesn't remove it. Some commenters argue it's only dirt or oil from hands. Others say they've gone over the area with a microfiber cloth and nothing changed. The glacier and silver finishes aren't showing up in the posts, which leaves the darker colors as the only ones reported.

Apple hasn't said whether it will take returns or exchanges on affected phones, or said anything else about the posts.

Last year's [iPhone 17 Pro](https://idevice.com/phones/iphone-pro/roadmap/iphone-17-pro) ran into something close. In the Cosmic Orange finish, there were multiple reports of the orange fading and discoloring into a rose gold color. Apple never acknowledged the problem. It did update its cleaning guidelines to say users shouldn't use cleaners containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Behind the scenes, owners reported successful returns and exchanges.

The iPhone 18 Pro costs $100 more than last year's Pro models, per Android Headlines. The report doesn't say how many phones are affected, and everything in it traces back to owner photos on Reddit. The cause is unconfirmed, and so is whether this is a finish defect or residue on the surface. Apple hasn't weighed in on either question.