A small but unsettling bug is catching the attention of iPhone users, causing certain photos to turn red when viewed in the iOS Photos app. While the effect looks dramatic, and occasionally alarming, it appears to be a software issue rather than a sign of corrupted files or failing hardware. More importantly, there is a straightforward workaround that restores affected images to their original appearance.
Reports suggest the issue is limited to photos taken on Android devices and later viewed on an iPhone. Images captured on iPhones themselves do not seem to be affected. In most cases, the photo initially displays normally, but once the user zooms in, the image gradually shifts toward a deep red tint. The effect resembles an aggressive color filter being applied in real time, even though no edits were intentionally made.
Examples shared online point to a range of Android devices, including recent Samsung and Motorola phones. In one widely circulated screen recording, a user demonstrates how images taken on a Samsung Galaxy S24 appear fine at first, then turn red as soon as the Photos app zoom function is engaged. Similar behavior has been reported with photos from other Android models, suggesting the problem is not limited to a single manufacturer.
At this stage, the underlying cause remains unclear. Normally, once an image file is saved and transferred, the device used to capture it should not affect how it is displayed on another platform. The fact that the issue only appears when zooming in suggests a rendering or processing error within the iOS Photos app, possibly triggered by how certain Android image files are encoded or interpreted. Some observers have speculated that a recent version of iOS may be mishandling specific metadata or color profiles embedded in those images, though there is no official confirmation.
The bug also appears to be inconsistent. Not every Android photo turns red, and some users have been unable to reproduce the issue at all, even with images sent from newer Android phones. This inconsistency points to a narrow combination of factors, such as device model, camera software, file format, or operating system version on either side.
Fortunately, affected users do not need to wait for a system update to correct the problem. The fix is simple and reversible. Opening the image in the Photos app, tapping Edit, and selecting Revert restores the photo to its original colors. This action removes the unintended red overlay without permanently altering the file.
While the issue is more strange than serious, it highlights the occasional friction that still exists between Android and iOS ecosystems. Until a broader software fix arrives, the manual revert option offers a reliable way to deal with the problem.
