You’re in the middle of a five-star raid. The clock is ticking, your teammates are waiting, and you just powered up your best counters. Then—boom. The app crashes. Your screen freezes or fades to black. You try to rejoin the raid, but your time is gone and your Raid Pass is wasted.
If you’ve experienced this on your iPhone 13 Pro, you’re not alone. Crashes during raids are one of the most common complaints among Pokémon GO players, particularly on newer iPhones. While the iPhone 13 Pro is more than capable of handling the game, certain iOS behaviors, device settings, and game updates can trigger instability—especially during intensive raid battles.
In this post, we’ll dive into the causes and fixes for Pokémon GO crashes on iPhone 13 Pro, with a focus on raid-specific crashes. Whether you’re battling Shadow Mewtwo or teaming up for a Mega Evolution, these tips will help you raid smoothly and confidently.
Why Pokémon GO Crashes During Raids on iPhone 13 Pro
Before we go into solutions, it’s important to understand the likely causes. Most of the crash issues on iPhone 13 Pro stem from a combination of hardware optimizations, software restrictions, and how Pokémon GO manages memory and network requests during high-performance gameplay.
Here are the most common triggers:
iOS Memory Management: Raids use more memory than casual gameplay. If your iPhone is managing background apps aggressively, it may terminate Pokémon GO during a spike.
Device Heat or CPU Spikes: The iPhone 13 Pro runs hot during extended gameplay. Thermal throttling or GPU overuse can trigger crashes.
Background App Conflicts: Apps running in the background (like camera, social media, or battery-saving tools) can interfere.
AR Mode and Motion Settings: AR or motion sensor functions may crash when permissions aren’t properly configured.
Network Instability: Raids require constant, real-time server communication. A weak signal or network switching can cause disconnects that lead to crashes.
Game Bugs: After updates, Niantic sometimes introduces bugs that disproportionately affect certain devices, like the iPhone 13 Pro.
Understanding the cause is the first step toward preventing it. Let’s go into the actual fixes now.
Fix 1: Update to the Latest iOS and Pokémon GO Version
This might sound obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Game stability improves dramatically when both your operating system and game version are current.
Open Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone
Install the latest iOS if available
Visit the App Store Pokémon GO page and make sure you have the latest update installed
Niantic regularly pushes silent hotfixes to address crash issues. Even a minor patch can make a big difference for raid stability.
Fix 2: Restart Before Raiding
Before entering a raid, restart your phone. This clears out background memory and closes unused apps that might interfere.
Hold the Side + Volume Up buttons and slide to power off
Wait 15 seconds, then turn it back on
Once rebooted, open only Pokémon GO and avoid opening other apps before or during your raid.
It’s a simple step that many hardcore raiders swear by, especially before Elite or Shadow Raids.
Fix 3: Turn Off Background App Refresh and Close Unused Apps
To ensure all processing power is dedicated to your raid:
Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh
Set it to Off
Also, manually close unused apps running in the background:
Swipe up from the bottom and pause
Swipe away any apps like Safari, TikTok, or Photos
This minimizes memory allocation issues during a raid.
Fix 4: Disable AR Mode Entirely
AR features may seem fun, but they cause instability on many iPhones—especially if camera permissions or motion access are inconsistent.
To disable:
Open Pokémon GO
Go to Settings
Turn off AR+
If you see “Camera permissions needed,” it’s best to turn AR off altogether.
Fix 5: Use Low Power Mode to Prevent Heat Crashes
iPhone 13 Pro can heat up quickly during long gameplay. When that happens, the system may throttle resources or close apps automatically.
Try enabling Low Power Mode before you play:
Open Settings > Battery
Turn on Low Power Mode
Alternatively, add it to Control Center for quick access.
This won’t reduce game performance significantly, but it can reduce background processes and lower the risk of heat-related crashes.
Fix 6: Disable Motion & Fitness Tracking
Some crash reports link iPhone sensor inputs to raid crashes, especially if you’re playing in AR or using motion features.
Disable it by going to:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness
Toggle off Fitness Tracking
Also, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and check that Pokémon GO has While Using the App access, not Always, to reduce system calls.
Fix 7: Turn Off Bluetooth Before the Raid
Bluetooth connections (especially to earbuds, fitness trackers, or cars) can cause intermittent issues with GPS, AR, or game input response. If you’re not using Bluetooth for Pokémon GO Plus or Go-Tcha, turn it off:
Swipe down Control Center
Tap the Bluetooth icon to disable it
Some players reported that crashes stopped immediately after this simple change.
Fix 8: Avoid Using Screen Recording or Multitasking During Raids
If you’re streaming your screen to Twitch, recording for YouTube, or even switching between apps during a raid—stop.
Recording consumes CPU and GPU resources and can increase memory pressure. Raids are resource-intensive enough without multitasking.
Stick to full-screen gameplay until the battle is over. You can always record summary screens afterward.
Fix 9: Play on Wi-Fi or Switch to LTE/5G Early
If you’re using spotty public Wi-Fi or switching between 4G and 5G mid-raid, Pokémon GO can drop your session.
Always ensure you’re connected to a stable network. If Wi-Fi is unreliable:
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi
Turn it off and force LTE/5G connection instead
Likewise, if cellular signal is weak, find a better spot or join raids only when you’re sure of stable connectivity.
Fix 10: Delete and Reinstall Pokémon GO
If all else fails, a clean reinstall might be necessary. Make sure your progress is saved by logging in through your Trainer Club, Google, or Apple ID.
Then:
Delete the app
Restart your phone
Reinstall Pokémon GO from the App Store
Log back in
This wipes corrupted cache files that may be causing raid-specific crashes.
Optional: Report the Issue to Niantic
If the crash persists even after trying every method, report it to Niantic directly. Provide details such as:
Your device (iPhone 13 Pro)
iOS version
Pokémon GO version
Whether it happens in raids only or during general gameplay
Screenshots if available
You can report bugs via the Niantic support site or in-game through Settings > Help > Contact Us.
Your report helps the dev team isolate bugs for future fixes—and gives other players a better experience too.
How to Prepare for a Crash-Free Raid Experience
Once you’ve applied the fixes above, here’s how to prep for a smooth raid battle every time:
Restart your phone and close background apps
Make sure your battery is at least 50% (or connect a power bank)
Turn off Bluetooth unless you’re using Pokémon GO Plus
Play in a stable location with strong signal
Avoid multitasking, messaging, or AR features during raids
Use Low Power Mode to reduce heat and memory usage
Many players who consistently follow this pre-raid checklist have reported a major drop in crash rates.
If you’re part of a remote raid group, communicate your readiness ahead of time to minimize panic if you need a quick relaunch. And always have a spare Raid Pass ready—just in case.
Stay in the Game, Not on the Loading Screen
The worst part of Pokémon GO crashes isn’t losing a raid—it’s the frustration of feeling helpless. But now you know how to take back control.
Whether it’s tweaking a few iPhone settings, switching off Bluetooth, or preparing your phone like a raid battler preps their counters—small changes make a big difference. With the right steps, you can raid like a pro without worrying about mid-battle shutdowns.
For future tips and updates on game stability, you can always check the official Niantic support page or keep an eye on known issues via the in-game announcements.
Happy raiding—and may all your throws be Excellent.