iPhone 17 Pro and 18 Pro case compatibility varies, mainly due to thicker camera bump

Can you use iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max cases with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and vice versa? Apple's official answer is no, according to Daring Fireball's John Gruber. Apple said the camera plateau on the iPhone 18 Pro models is ever so slightly thicker this year. Gruber said the difference is one-tenth of a millimeter: 11.5mm vs. 11.4mm. It is a minor difference, but Apple would obviously prefer to sell you a new case. In practice, most cases should be interchangeable. In his personal testing, Gruber said his iPhone 17 Pro cases fit the iPhone 18 Pro models perfectly, as did iPhone 18 Pro cases on iPhone 17 Pro models. So, both generations of Apple-branded cases should work with both generations of iPhones, and many third-party cases should be fine too. Of course, there will probably be the odd third-party case that does not fit, but this is likely to be a rare exception rather than the norm.Related Roundups: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 18 ProTag: iPhone CasesBuyer's Guide: iPhone 18 Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "Are iPhone 17 Pro Cases Compatible With iPhone 18 Pro? Here's What Apple Says" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Macworld Apple’s latest iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max look identical to the previous iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max generation, with a few minor visual differences such as a smaller Dynamic Island at the front and, of course, the new colors (RIP Cosmic Orange). The brushed aluminum unibody chassis and camera plateau are practically identical, and according to Apple’s tech specs, they have the exact same measurements: iPhone 17 Pro dimensions Height: 5.91 inches (150mm) Width: 2.83 inches (71.9mm) Depth: 0.34 inches (8.75mm) iPhone 18 Pro dimensions Height: 5.91 inches (150mm) Width: 2.83 inches (71.9mm) Depth: 0.34 inches (8.75mm) iPhone 17 Pro Max dimensions Height: 6.43 inches (163.4mm) Width: 3.07 inches (78mm) Depth: 0.34 inches (8.75mm) iPhone 18 Pro Max dimensions Height: 6.43 inches (163.4mm) Width: 3.07 inches (78mm) Depth: 0.34 inches (8.75mm) The iPhone 18 Pro is slightly heavier, weighing 211g versus the iPhone 17 Pro’s 204g; Pro Max 249g vs 233g, but that’s the result of what’s inside: the new A20 Pro chip, Apple cellular modems, and a new vapour chamber. So it would seem that any iPhone 17 Pro case would be compatible with the newest phones. That might not be the case (no pun intended). TORRAS Will an iPhone 18 Pro fit in a case for an iPhone 17 Pro? Even though the 18 Pro and 17 Pro phones have the same dimensions, there’s a barely perceptible physical difference: The camera bump on the iPhone 18 Pro/Max is about 0.5mm taller than on the iPhone 17 Pro/Max. That’s not an iPhone 18 Pro measurement that Apple tracks in its tech specs. So while you’d expect that the iPhone 18 Pro can fit in a case made for the iPhone 17 Pro, some might fit a little too snugly or look a little off, much like if you put an iPhone 16 Pro in an iPhone 17 Pro case (which also kind of works). It varies by brand and case type. In the course of our testing of new cases for the iPhone 18 Pro series, we found numerous case makers that list 17 Pro/18 Pro compatibility. When we reached out for clarification, leading case manufacturer OtterBox told Macworld that its iPhone 18 Pro/Max cases are “also compatible with iPhone 17 Pro, so the cases can be used interchangeably between those two models.” Similarly, Decoded told us that all its iPhone 18 cases “are also compatible with the iPhone 17 models.” Mous acknowledged that while “the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max lineup has a taller camera bump, our iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max cases will also fit” the 18, but noted that its new cases “are custom-built for each device to guarantee a perfect fit and protection”. However, several case makers disagreed on the case compatibility between 17 and 18 iPhones. In particular, cases designed with tight tolerances might therefore have a problem with the 18’s taller camera bump. For example, Rokform, which specializes in rugged cases, told Macworld that any iPhone 18 Pro case will be compatible with both iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro models. However, its older iPhone 17 Pro case lineup is not compatible with iPhone 18 models due to camera plateau design differences. So, the bottom line is this: You should be able to fit a 17 Pro/Max in a new case designed for the 18 Pro/Max, but the opposite might not be true. So if you’re shopping for a new case for your new iPhone 18 Pro, make sure you get one that specifcally says it’s compatible with the iPhone 18 Pro. New cases are custom-built for each device to guarantee a perfect fit and protection, so buying a case built specifically for your iPhone model is always the safest option: see our roundup of the best cases for iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max and best cases for iPhone 17.