Learn what to do if you do not get the option to enter the SIM PIN after restarting your iPhone or turning on a SIM line in the Settings app.
I have password-protected both my physical SIM card as well as eSIM for extra security. A SIM PIN ensures that even if a thief or intruder gets hold of my physical SIM card or somehow knows my device passcode, they cannot use my cellular service for pretty much anything, like making calls, receiving bank OTPs, or mobile data.
Once the PIN is added, it secures that SIM in all phones and asks for the PIN even when inserted in another iPhone, Android phone, or a basic feature phone.
When you’re asked to enter your SIM PIN
1) You need to authenticate with your correct SIM PIN when you restart your iPhone. Once you do that, your iPhone will search for cellular signal and let you use that cellular line for calls, texts, mobile data, and importing saved contacts.
2) If you had turned off eSIM or physical SIM in iOS Settings, you are prompted to enter the SIM PIN when you turn it back on.
3) On some rare occasions, your iPhone may ask you for your SIM PIN out of the blue. This usually happens after your iPhone hangs or gets stuck on a task and troubleshoots itself by performing a flash restart.
The SIM PIN problem
Your iPhone may not show the full-screen prompt to enter the SIM PIN after you switch on your device or when you turn on this line in Settings.
This troubleshooting guide lists ten effective solutions to fix this problem, but most people won’t have to follow them all.
1. Lock your iPhone and unlock it
If you do not get the automatic option to enter the SIM PIN after restarting your iPhone, just press the Side button to lock the device. Now, wait for 10 seconds, unlock it, and you may get the option to type in the SIM PIN.
2. Go to iPhone Settings and wait
If locking and unlocking didn’t help, open the Settings app, tap Cellular, and wait for a brief moment on this screen. You should soon see the option to enter the SIM PIN.
From my experience, I can assure you that even if you do not go into Settings and continue using your iPhone as normal, it will show you the screen to fill in the SIM PIN after a few minutes. You can try this approach if you do not mind waiting and do not need to use cellular services during this waiting period.
3. Toggle Airplane mode on and off
I have found great success with this method on my iPhones. Simply go to Control Center or the Settings app, and turn on Airplane mode. Wait for 5 seconds before turning it off, and then you should get the usual option to enter your SIM PIN.
4. Turn on the SIM line in iOS Settings
If you still cannot unlock your SIM, head to iPhone Settings > Cellular and select a SIM line. If it’s disabled, flip on the switch next to Turn On This SIM Line, and your iPhone will show the option to enter your SIM PIN.
5. Restart your iPhone
In case the above solutions have not helped, turn off your iPhone and turn it back on to perform a simple restart. If you’ve already tried that, consider force restarting.
6. Reseat your physical SIM card
If your iPhone has a SIM slot (iPhone 13 and older sold in the United States, and all other iPhones sold outside the United States), it may have moved around on a microscopic level because of a hard fall or other physical factors.
Remove the SIM card using a SIM ejector tool, gently wipe it with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, and put it back on correctly. Now, wake up your iPhone, unlock it with its passcode, and you should be able to enter the SIM PIN.
7. Connect to Wi-Fi and update your iPhone
If you frequently encounter this problem, go to Settings > General > Software Update and make sure your iPhone is on the latest version of iOS. Since cellular data isn’t working, you will need Wi-Fi to download and install the newest update.
8. Reset network settings
This is one of the surest ways to fix Wi-Fi and cellular woes on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and hit Reset Network Settings. After this completes, you should have no problem unlocking your password-protected SIM card.
9. Reset all settings
In case resetting just the network settings didn’t help, you can consider resetting all settings. But remember to read the consequences of doing that before proceeding.
10. If nothing helps!
Lastly, if you have tried everything but have had no luck, remove the SIM card from your iPhone, put it in another iPhone, Android phone, or feature phone, and turn off the SIM PIN. Now, insert it back into your primary iPhone.
This is obviously a compromise, so I recommend waiting for an iOS update. After that, you should set the SIM PIN again to stay protected. In the meantime, you can chat with Apple Support or share your feedback with them.
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