Apple iOS 26 will freeze iPhone FaceTime video if it detects nudity

[midian182]

WTF?! If you're the kind of person who likes to get (consensually) freaky on your FaceTime calls, iOS 26 has a feature you may want to disable. The developer beta of Apple's upcoming mobile iOS will freeze FaceTime video and audio if it detects nudity.

Apple said in June that it would be expanding family tools in iOS 26, including limiting potentially dangerous interactions for children.

One of these new features, spotted by iDeviceHelp, will freeze the video and audio of a FaceTime call if it detects nudity. A message will appear on the screen explaining that this is because "you may be showing something sensitive."

The message adds, "If you feel uncomfortable, you should end the call." It offers two options: a button to resume audio and video and one to end the call.

In iOS 26 FaceTime will pause the Video if you're undressing while on a FaceTime call here's the on screen prompt warning that you get asking if you would like to resume audio and video or End the call. pic.twitter.com/fBs0aKUPCy

– iDeviceHelp (@iDeviceHelpus) July 2, 2025

There is an option to toggle the feature in the iOS 26 beta, but it seems to still be active even when disabled, suggesting there could be a bug. One person claims it is turned off by default – it may be turned on by default for account holders who are under 18.

There are a lot of questions over how someone managed to stumble upon this feature. It's also unclear what level of nudity will cut off the call: would removing a coat count? What if you were eating a particularly suggestive sausage at the time?

There's also been some potential privacy issues raised over the feature, with some worried that Apple could have access to FaceTime calls to detect any nudity.

However, Apple explains on its community support pages that its current Communication Safety features work using on-device machine learning to analyze attachments and determine if a photo or video appears to contain nudity.

The company emphasizes that on-device analysis means Apple doesn't receive an indication that nudity was detected, nor does it have access to photos or videos (or encrypted FaceTime calls) as a result.

The public beta of iOS 26 is scheduled to release in the middle of July. The final release is expected sometime in mid-September, coinciding with the iPhone 17 launch.

 

 

 

 

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iOS 26 also introduces the new Liquid Glass user interface design, which features rounded edges and transparent backgrounds for inputs and other UI functions. Microsoft recently trolled Apple by comparing it to the two-decades-old Windows Vista.

Image credit: Karl Moore

Permalink to story:

Apple iOS 26 will freeze iPhone FaceTime video if it detects nudity

 

[Anton Longshot]

Get tf out of my private life, Tim.
What I do or don't is none of your business and btw, nudity isn't DIRTY or SINFUL.

 

[Peter Farkas]

Just why? why does it matter to Apple what we show each other on FaceTime? This is lunacy.

 

[VitalyT]

I've been with iPhones for 10 years now, never used the FaceTime, and neither did anybody I know. I don't know who is using it or why, it's never been as good as other products from competitors. I think market in general cares little about FaceTime.

 

[GhostLegion]

I’m a privacy but and even I don’t care about this. So long as all analysis is done on device and not sent anywhere, this is fine. Turn the setting off if you want, no big deal.

 

[pencea]

I've been with iPhones for 10 years now, never used the FaceTime, and neither did anybody I know. I don't know who is using it or why, it's never been as good as other products from competitors. I think market in general cares little about FaceTime.

The video call quality is actually decent compared to the likes of Messenger calls or Whatsapp. It also has the share feature, which you can watch contents together, and screen share is a lot clearer as well. It also has live caption for calls. I formerly used it with my partner back when we used to be LDR.

The majority of my other family members use Facetime as well.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I’m a privacy but and even I don’t care about this. So long as all analysis is done on device and not sent anywhere, this is fine. Turn the setting off if you want, no big deal.

Until it becomes mandatory to leave it enabled to use facetime.

As a fellow privacy, get Tim's greedy fingers out of my video calls.

Also, LMFAO at believing this will remain on device and not be harvested. First time on the internet there bud?

 

[Icysoul]

So... when nudity is detected, the image is frozen... as in the last image keeps being shown? If so, not much of a protection.

 

[scavengerspc]

For the first time, the paranoids have a reason to comment about privacy.
This actually is big brother gone wild and is way over the top.

But since it can be turned off, well, at least my girlfriend will be happy!

 

[airbornex]

The real mystery here isn’t the nudity detection, it’s who discovered the feature and under what very specific circumstances. Somewhere out there is a beta tester who got a little too comfortable on a FaceTime call and made iOS history.

So now your iPhone can shame you in real time while you’re trying to get spicy over FaceTime.

 

[New Day]

The author not testing the feature gets a BOOO, and a spank on the *** - HEHN.

 

[Megalomaniac]

That's going to make my videochats with my girl in the Philippines less exciting.

 

[p51d007]

Sounds like the Apple lawyers came up with this LOL.

 

[Squid Surprise]

So... when nudity is detected, the image is frozen... as in the last image keeps being shown? If so, not much of a protection.

No, you get the warning screen as shown in the article... did you actually read it?

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

My friend told me that someone had gotten a notice from their carrier to tone down their texts as it was overly too explicit. Probably picked up by some algorithm and flagged as policy violation, and the carrier probably read their texts. Not too surprised that Apple or any other company will start to do something like this and Apple's policy probably will change too.

 

[Loadedaxe]

Obviously most of you didn’t read the whole article. They don’t care about adults, more it’s made for parental control.

If a phone is setup with parental controls by a parent that sets it, it can’t be turned off, that’s a good feature imho, who wants their teenage daughter being coerced to show her privates on a phone to a pedo. Smh

 

[Coisa]

First the Nanny State, now Nanny Tech.

 

[GhostLegion]

Until it becomes mandatory to leave it enabled to use facetime.

As a fellow privacy, get Tim's greedy fingers out of my video calls.

Also, LMFAO at believing this will remain on device and not be harvested. First time on the internet there bud?

Considering Apple’s hardware choices are predicated on running AI locally…yeah. They genuinely do prefer to run things locally and the hardware is powerful enough to implement this “feature” locally. Take your slippery slope paranoia elsewhere and maybe think a little more critically next time. Also leave your condescending tone at the door bud.

 

[techstrike]

...it freezes to take pictures and use it as evidence.

being serious this is a great feature when you can combine it with parents control.

other than that I dont see any other benefit.

btw, what about a violent act, can this kind of actions be recognized by the phone ?

 

[bandit8623]

Obviously most of you didn’t read the whole article. They don’t care about adults, more it’s made for parental control.

If a phone is setup with parental controls by a parent that sets it, it can’t be turned off, that’s a good feature imho, who wants their teenage daughter being coerced to show her privates on a phone to a pedo. Smh

if that is happening its already too late. failed parenting. they will use another platform to do it. Probably Bar Tops.

 

[amghwk]

Interesting to see many are fuming over this move.... I'm a pervert, and it would be interesting to see how's your nude session...

 

[Icysoul]

No, you get the warning screen as shown in the article... did you actually read it?

I only read the article on Techspot, and due to my adblocker, the embedded instagram content is not automatically shown. The article here does say that the image is frozen (in case you actually bothered to read it) and, silly me, I took it literally. You can get off your high (sea)horse now.

 

[Squid Surprise]

I only read the article on Techspot, and due to my adblocker, the embedded instagram content is not automatically shown. The article here does say that the image is frozen (in case you actually bothered to read it) and, silly me, I took it literally. You can get off your high (sea)horse now.

lol - don’t blame me for your own shortcomings… ad-blocked a part of the article - maybe research a bit when you have a question then?

 

[Draconian]

Wasn't it Apple that said they were going to scan photos that people upload to their cloud accounts to look for illegal material involving minors? They backed off when people pointed out what a wild privacy violation that would be.

 

[GoldenGoat]

I think this is a great feature addition. I am assuming it will be a screentime feature that can be managed by the parent for their kids devices. Parents need these kind of tools to protect their kids from predators. If the feature is processed in device and can be disabled, I don’t see why people would be worried about this. They should make it an opt in feature in screentime for parents and it’s all good.