Your iPhone 17 Pro case may fit the iPhone 18 Pro after all, but there’s a catch

Apple drew the line at a camera bump barely thicker than a sheet of paper, but plenty of case makers are ignoring it entirely.

By Shikhar Mehrotra Published September 18, 2026

Casetify iPhone 18 Series Cases Featured — Casetify

Everyone has tried to fit an old iPhone case onto a new one, with varying degrees of success. I couldn’t snap my iPhone 16 case onto my iPhone 17, mainly because of the changed dimensions.

That’s exactly what iPhone 18 Pro buyers are wondering right now, especially those upgrading from the iPhone 17 Pro. Retailers do offer a decent buyback value for an iPhone, but the cases, especially if someone has four or five of them, usually end up sitting unused.

Can you use your iPhone 17 Pro case with the iPhone 18 Pro?

It’s interesting that the iPhone 18 Pro shares its dimensions, down to the decimal, with the iPhone 17 Pro. So, in theory, you should be able to use one case on the other. However, it’s not so simple, or at least Apple doesn’t want you to believe it is.

Recommended Videos

Apple’s take, per Daring Fireball (via MacRumors), seems almost too obvious. The iPhone 18 Pro isn’t case-compatible with the previous generation because the camera module is slightly thicker this year, even though the measurable difference is only 0.1mm.

The more interesting, and logical, explanation comes from Macworld: The camera island on the iPhone 18 Pro is about 0.5mm taller than the one on the iPhone 17 Pro. That makes more sense, and that’s where the real answer lies.

What do case makers say?

If you have an iPhone 17 Pro case with a bigger gap between its camera cutout and the edges of the camera module, the iPhone 18 Pro would most likely fit. However, if you have a snugger case with a cutout that’s accurate to the millimeter, the larger camera module simply won’t fit.

Ultimately, it comes down to how loosely or tightly a brand designed its iPhone 17 Pro case around the camera module. Two popular smartphone case brands, OtterBox and Decoded, say their iPhone 18 Pro cases are compatible with the older generation, as it’s easier to fit the smaller camera module into a relatively larger cutout.

Mous said its older iPhone 17 Pro cases still fit the iPhone 18 Pro despite the taller camera bump. So, it all boils down to which case you already own. I’d still suggest taking your iPhone 17 Pro case to the store and checking the fit for yourself, and you might end up saving a few dollars.

Shikhar Mehrotra

News Writer

For more than five years, Shikhar has consistently simplified developments in the field of consumer tech and presented them…

Topics

Phones

A US state just approved an AI doctor. For now, it’ll only prescribe acne cures.

Aside from acne, Nolla's AI can also handle redness, fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and dark spots, and under-eye bags.

Nolla Derm AI doctor app.

The first AI doctor is here. Despite all the skepticism and risks associated with AI models going haywire, the state of Utah just approved Nolla Health, a company that is providing an AI healthcare expert capable of writing prescriptions without any human in the chain. For now, it will only write acne prescriptions for Utah residents over 18 years of age, willing to pay a token monthly subscription fee that's lighter than your Spotify bill.

The big push here is that the Nolla Derm app will reduce the costs of medical consultation, save users the hassle of clinic visits, and take out the problem of waitlisting from the entire healthcare equation. “Unlike telehealth platforms that use AI only to collect information before handing patients off to clinicians, Nolla's AI system is designed to independently issue initial prescriptions within tightly defined, physician-approved treatment protocols,” writes the company.

Computing

Google may be teaching Pixel Search to think one step ahead

Pixel Search could soon help finish the job after finding what you need

Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Google ships its phones with Pixel Search that is built to save you from digging through your phone to find an app, email, photo, and more. Now, it appears to be taking this process even further by trying to figure out what you want to do with the results.

An APK teardown of Pixel Search version 1.0.983036833 by Android Authority has uncovered an unreleased feature called Gemini-powered suggestions. Strings inside the app describe it as a way to surface relevant information alongside Gemini-suggested actions that can help you “finish a task faster.”

Computing

Not sure if a Prime Day deal is legit? Malwarebytes has a free link checker to verify it

Scam Link Check analyzes URLs for phishing pages, redirects, and newly registered domains.

Online Scam Fraud MacBook

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is about to kick off, which means shoppers are going to see plenty of emails, texts, ads, and social posts promising limited-time discounts. Scammers know the drill too. Fake shopping sites can now copy familiar brands, recreate convincing storefronts, and use AI-generated images or polished copy to make a bad link look legitimate at first glance.

Malwarebytes has launched Scam Link Check, a free tool for checking a questionable URL before opening it. Paste in an address and the service analyzes where it leads and looks for signs that something is wrong.