DEF-018 — Registering with an already-used phone number leaves UI stuck after alert

High severity
New
Defect DEF-018 — Severity: High · Status: New
Published

2026-06-14

DEF-018 — Registering with an already-used phone number leaves UI stuck after alert

Summary

When attempting to create an account using a phone number that is already registered, tapping Register correctly shows an alert informing the user that the phone number is already taken. However, the alert cannot be dismissed — tapping “OK” has no effect, and the UI behind it is grayed out and unresponsive (no navigation, back, cancel, or retry is possible).

Re-tested on-device: pressing the hardware Home button does background the app, but relaunching the app returns the user directly to the same stuck alert — the alert is not transient UI state, it persists across app backgrounding/foregrounding (and possibly across full relaunches while the app process is still alive). The only confirmed recovery is fully force-quitting the app from the app switcher (swipe-up to kill) before reopening it.

Environment

  • Platform: DriveLink iOS App
  • Area: Registration / Authentication
  • Requirement(s): FR-01 (User Registration)
  • Date Reported: 2026-06-14
  • Testing Phase: Backend API / Regression Testing

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Go to Create Account / Register
  2. Fill in the registration form using a phone number that is already associated with an existing account
  3. Tap Register
  4. Observe alert correctly appears stating the phone number is already taken (“The phone number has already been taken.”)
  5. Attempt to tap “OK” on the alert
  6. Observe the alert remains on screen and the form behind it is grayed out — no tap on “OK”, the form, or “Register” has any effect
  7. Press the hardware Home button — the app backgrounds successfully and the device returns to the home screen
  8. Relaunch the DriveLink app from the home screen
  9. Observe the app reopens directly to the same stuck “phone number already taken” alert (registration form still populated with the same values)
  10. Recovery requires fully force-quitting the app via the app switcher (swipe up to kill the app) before reopening it

Expected Behaviour

Tapping “OK” on the “phone number already taken” alert should dismiss it and return the user to an editable Registration form, able to correct the phone number (or other fields) and retry, or navigate back/cancel to leave the registration flow. Backgrounding and relaunching the app should not be required to recover, and should never return the user to the same stuck alert.

Actual Behaviour

The “phone number already taken” alert displays correctly, but tapping “OK” does nothing — the alert and the grayed-out form behind it are completely unresponsive. The hardware Home button still works to background the app, but simply relaunching the app reopens it directly into the same stuck alert state. The user must fully force-quit the app (remove it from the app switcher) and reopen it to reach an editable screen again.

Workaround

Force-quit the app from the app switcher (swipe up to kill), then reopen it.

Impact

  • User is completely blocked from correcting the phone number and retrying registration
  • User cannot abandon registration and return to the home screen without force-quitting the app
  • The stuck state survives backgrounding/relaunching, suggesting the alert/error state is persisted in app state rather than being transient view state — likely to confuse users into repeatedly relaunching without success
  • Poor first-time-user experience during account creation

Severity

High

Status

New

Reported By

QA / Testing Team