How do I restore iPhone stuck on loading apps after the update?

To force restart the iPhone:

• Press and quickly release Volume Up
• Press and quickly release Volume Down
• Press and HOLD side button until Apple logo appears. Ignore anything else while holding the side button and it may take up to 15 seconds before the Apple Logo appears. It may take a couple of attempts to get the speed and sequence on the key presses correct.

Please state what you’ve tried so far.

If you haven’t already, try force restarting:

Hold either volume button and the power button at the same time until the Apple boot logo appears. No data will be lost.

Are you experiencing the same loading issues on both WiFi and Cellular data?

For network issues, you can reset that by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This will erase your WiFi password, so you will need to add it again the first time you join your WiFi network.

In any case, the Apple Store will be able to help. Millions of people are using iOS 18.5 without a single problem, so I would not get caught up on the reports of issues. No one posts when everything is working great. With any update, there are always a few posts here that say they had a problem with the new version and they were still able to get it resolved. It will be that way with the next update and even the one after that.