Final 12 months, a Reddit thread emerged suggesting that the iPhone 17 Professional’s vibrant cosmic orange shade may one way or the other flip vibrant pink and it seems it is completely true. In a earlier model of this text I examined the Redditor’s claims by attacking my cellphone with varied chemical compounds and on the time I did not discover a lot distinction, however a few months on, issues have modified. And once I put my cellphone towards a recent iPhone 17 Professional Max at MWC 2026, the distinction was clear: mine was now vibrant pink. Here is what occurred and what you are able to do to guard yours.
As PCMag’s Eric Zeman noted, discoloration might be attributable to cleansing substances that have an effect on a cellphone’s end, with oxidation being responsible for the colour shift from cosmic orange to sizzling pink. Certain, this would possibly technically be a fault, however in all honesty I really like pink telephones (keep in mind the pink Moto Razr V3?) and the concept of a sizzling pink iPhone 17 Pro stuffed me with pleasure. So I examined the idea with varied cleansing fluids.
It is necessary to notice right here that the iPhone 17 Professional I used was purchased by CNET for the needs of testing. Had I paid over $1,000 of my very own cash, I’d by no means be so reckless in smearing it with chemical compounds that might probably do it irreparable hurt. And also you should not both. If you’ll want to clear your cellphone, do it safely. Disclaimer apart, let’s dive in.
Don’t do what I do. Hold this away out of your cellphone.
The chemical compounds
I first purchased two chemical compounds to check this out. Zeman explains that oxidation could have prompted the colour to vary and that hydrogen peroxide may do that. I could not discover this over-the-counter within the UK on the time (however extra on this later), so I as an alternative purchased an “oxy-active” stain remover spray that, amongst different issues, comprises “oxygen-based bleaching brokers” which sounded ideally suited. Apple clearly states, “do not use merchandise containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide” on its support page — so, naturally, I purchased some thick bleach too.
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Oxy utility
I began by spraying the oxy cleaner on a microfiber material till it was noticeably moist from the liquid. I then liberally utilized it everywhere in the rear of the iPhone. The Reddit person with the affected cellphone confirmed that it solely affected the steel elements, not the glass again panel, so I made certain to focus my consideration on the perimeters and digicam bar.
Smearing on the chemical compounds with a material.
With the cellphone nicely and really doused in chemical compounds that don’t have any enterprise being wherever close to a cellphone, I left it to sit down and take into consideration what it had accomplished for half-hour — after which period I wiped it dry and took a detailed inspection. Disappointingly, my cellphone was nonetheless manufacturing unit orange, slightly than “what the hell have you ever accomplished to your cellphone” pink. Time to maneuver on.
Bleach blast
I opened the bleach and, making an attempt laborious not to consider my days as a middle-school cleaner, utilized a liberal blob of the stuff to a material. Once more I smeared it over the defenceless cellphone, concentrating once more on the steel areas. I undoubtedly ought to have worn protecting gloves for all of this, so please ensure you take higher care of your self than I do when you do something with bleach.
Once more, I gave it a 30-minute settling-in interval earlier than cleansing it off and inspecting the outcomes. The cellphone remained as orange as ever, wanting as field recent because it was the day earlier than when it was, certainly, field recent.
The orange iPhone 17 Professional survives, unscathed, and possibly a bit cleaner.
Hydrogen Peroxide FTW
Whereas I could not discover hydrogen peroxide in retailers within the UK, it was available on Amazon. I purchased a bottle and, utilizing a bit of kitchen towel, rubbed some liberally across the cellphone’s steel elements. I did this just a few occasions, leaving it to air dry between purposes. I used to be dissatisfied at first that I did not actually see the orange remodel into sizzling pink, however over time I did discover that, in the proper gentle, there was a extra pinkish hue occurring.
However it felt refined and in some lighting it simply seemed as orange as ever. However just a few weeks later, throughout Mobile World Congress 2026, I in contrast the cellphone with Patrick Holland’s cosmic orange iPhone 17 Professional Max and that is when the distinction turned wildly obvious. Mine wasn’t only a slight shift to pink, it seemed like I might purchased a very totally different shade variant. All of the steel surfaces seemed vibrantly pink towards the orange of Patrick’s mannequin, with solely the glass elements — and the non-metallic slits of the antennas — remaining orange.
Aspect-by-side, it is clear that my cellphone has modified shade fully.
Is the pink iPhone 17 actual?
My first model of this text needed to conclude that perhaps that vibrant pink iPhone seen on Reddit wasn’t the true deal. Or that one thing had gone fallacious inside Apple’s manufacturing and that buyer had merely purchased a fault mannequin. However lastly seeing my chemically-treated cellphone towards a recent Cosmic Orange mannequin actually confirmed me what can occur to a cellphone if not taken care of correctly.
So sure, it is completely doable for an iPhone 17 Professional to show from orange to pink. However the actuality is that this is not going to be a difficulty for the overwhelming majority of householders, and I do not consider this may be thought-about any sort of fault on Apple’s aspect. Apple’s steerage may be very clear that sturdy chemical compounds shouldn’t be used on its telephones and admittedly, I do not suppose that is even steerage that must be given. What I did — solely on objective — was to assault the cellphone with chemical compounds so potent that I could not even purchase them in retailers.
You probably have an orange iPhone and need to hold it that approach, my recommendation is straightforward: Do not cowl your cellphone in hydrogen peroxide. You are welcome. Certain, I am being flippant and it is after all price preserving in thoughts that hydrogen peroxide might be present in different merchandise, together with hair dyes, so it is doable you could have some in your palms after which choose up your cellphone to reply a name with out pondering. A case would definitely assist defend your cellphone additional.
However in any other case I do not suppose you’ll want to fear about preserving your cellphone in its unique orange state. After all, when you merely need a pink iPhone 17 Professional then that is one other matter solely, however my steerage stays that smearing your cellphone in harmful chemical compounds is unnecessary. It may do severe hurt to you and your cellphone and also you’re a lot better off simply hoping that Apple launches a brand new pink iPhone Professional in September. And it would — it has simply launched a pink iPhone 17E, in any case.
