Missing keyboard for SIM card entry on iPhone 12 with iOS 26

Question

Missing keyboard for SIM card entry on iPhone 12 with iOS 26

Hi Folks,

I am running iPhone 12 with iOS 26.0. I usually turn off my iPhone before bed each night, and after a few moments, I plug it in to charge, and leave it charging overnight. As soon as it powers up, I am prompted to enter my password and my SIM card number.

More and more often lately, when the screen comes up for me to enter my SIM card number, there’s no keyboard present at the lower part of the screen. There’s no way for me to enter my SIM card number. So I usually turn the phone off again, wait for a moment, and turn it back on again. Lately, I have had to turn off the phone and restart it again several times before the keyboard appears. Last night, it simply wouldn’t appear at all. I turned the phone off four times and every time I restarted it, the keyboard was not there. So I ended up just leaving the phone and I went to bed. When I got up this morning, I turned the phone off and restarted it again, and the keyboard was present. I was able to enter my SIM card number. Why is this happening? How can I avoid it, and is there any solution?

Thanks.

.....Mike.....

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: iPhone

iPhone 12, iOS 26

Posted on Oct 4, 2025 3:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 15, 2025 12:04 AM in response to mikefromcaledon

I have same missing sim keyboard (14pro on 26.1), close prompt go to settings - mobile network - sim pin

This for me opened the full prompt and keyboard

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

100,161 points

Oct 4, 2025 4:52 PM in response to mikefromcaledon

main advice is NEVER turn off an iphone unless you have a misbehaving app.

Recommendation is

Leave it running

On charge

On Wifi

All night

Every night

Then you won't have that problem

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Answer 3

cr3485

Level 1

12 points

Dec 8, 2025 7:58 PM in response to zanzibar07

I just upgraded to iOS 26.01 and when I was prompted to put in my SIM PIN, there was no keyboard. I clicked below the "ok" and eventually the keyboard came up. I put in the code successfully. I removed the requirement to key in my SIM PIN. At least for now, the risk of not getting the keyboard again and risking bricking my iPhone was greater than having someone steal my SIM card.

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Answer 4

LD150

Level 10

100,161 points

Dec 9, 2025 2:22 AM in response to cr3485

cr3485 wrote:

I just upgraded to iOS 26.01 and when I was prompted to put in my SIM PIN, there was no keyboard. I clicked below the "ok" and eventually the keyboard came up. I put in the code successfully. I removed the requirement to key in my SIM PIN. At least for now, the risk of not getting the keyboard again and risking bricking my iPhone was greater than having someone steal my SIM card.

Yes until the bug is fixed, either unlock SIMs or move to eSIM which is secure without locking.

iPhone Air does not have the SIM PIN option.

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Answer 5

Nov 14, 2025 9:48 AM in response to zanzibar07

zanzibar07 wrote:

Hi Mike, did you ever get this resolved? I'm having the same problem...

Force restart the iPhone and test again: Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

If that does not work, update from iOS 26 or 26.0.1 to the current iOS 26.1, and test the SIM again.

If that fails, use a Mac or PC to back up, and then reload iOS: Back up iPhone - Apple Support

If that fails… contact Apple Support.

Reply

Answer 6

LD150

Level 10

100,161 points

Oct 5, 2025 1:51 AM in response to mikefromcaledon

I have not had that problem in all the years I can remember but if you are asked for a PIN in those cases with no keyboard I would force restart

Similarly if you get a misbehaviour of apps, force restart does not require PIN as power is not withdrawn from the SIM.

Apart from going to church or the grandkid's school concert I don't find the need to power down.

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Answer 7

Oct 5, 2025 1:23 AM in response to LD150

Hi,

Thanks for the response. I thought regularly turning off an iPhone was recommended so that you had a fresh version of ALL apps, and clean memory, and any apps that were still running in the background after being. closed, we’re all properly closed thereby freeing up resources.

Even if I were to keep the phone on ALL the time, there will occasionally be times when I’d need to turn off. How can I get that keyboard to appear every time, and end the problem?

Thanks.

…Mike…..

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Answer 8

Oct 5, 2025 3:05 AM in response to LD150

Ha ha, well if I end up going to church, I use silent mode! I didn't know that Force Start doesn't kill power to the SIM. Interesting. I guess I will stop my habit of powering off each night, then.

Thanks for the comments.

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Answer 9

Oct 6, 2025 12:52 AM in response to LD150

Well the problem has developed to a new scenario; I was prompted to update to 26.0.1 this morning. I started the update and walked away from the phone. When I returned a few minutes later the update had completed and I was prompted to log in. Then I was presented with the screen where I was asked to enter my SIM number, and guess what…no keyboard!! So I shut down, and restarted, and once again no keyboard. Now this is a MAJOR problem. How on earth do I get back into my phone? PLEASE help. THIS IS AS CLOSE TO AN EMERGENCY AS I WANT TO GET. HELP!!

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Answer 10

Nov 15, 2025 12:33 AM in response to Sigmacubed

Thanks for that! I ended up contacting tech services, but in the time I was chatting with them, the keypad miraculously popped up of its own accord. They said that a lot of people have been having this problem. I have l a 15 pro so clearly the phone itself doesn’t matter. Thank you for this fix, I’m really glad to know what to do in case it happens again!

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Answer 11

TT123B

Level 1

87 points

Oct 4, 2025 5:00 PM in response to LD150

Thanks, I never knew that.

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Answer 12

Nov 14, 2025 8:41 AM in response to mikefromcaledon

Hi Mike, did you ever get this resolved? I'm having the same problem...

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Answer 13

Nov 15, 2025 1:48 AM in response to zanzibar07

Hi Sigmacubed and Zanzibar07,

I think I have solved this problem myself. And I hold my hands up and admit that it’s partly my own fault! When I turn off the phone and turn it back on again, I will get to the part where I need to enter my SIM card number. Since the upgrade to 26.1, I have realized that just above where the keyboard normally appears is a tiny, barely visible, little box (below where it says “3 attempts remaining”) where the number of the SIM card will appear when you type it in. But of course, I can’t type it in because the keyboard doesn’t appear. However, since the upgrade, I have realized that if I tap in that box, the keyboard will appear. This was not the case before the upgrade, which is why I was having the difficulty. The keyboard would always automatically appear in the past, but now it will not appear until I activate that tiny little box, and then the keyboard appears. So that seems to be the solution to the problem, at least for me anyway. Perhaps I could suggest that you try it as well and see if it solves the problem for you both, rather than going into the settings as described by Sigmacubed.

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Answer 14

grejoh

Level 1

26 points

Dec 12, 2025 8:40 PM in response to mikefromcaledon

I think i've solved this problem having the same issue when the iPhone is turned off and back on again with iOS 26.1, try toggling on & off the (Airplane Mode button) it did resolve the issue without having to power off the phone and back on again.

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Answer 15

irhgsy

Level 1

18 points

Dec 18, 2025 12:36 AM in response to mikefromcaledon

Thank you so much. Same problem and now fixed, thanks to you. I never spotted the box either. Masterly piece of disguise by Apple.

Cheers.

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