Solution for the SIM PIN problem in Windows 10 for phones

[Steven P. Administrators]

As many (and myself) discovered, anyone who has set a SIM PIN security number can't enter it without the phone freezing. There are different steps to resolve this that I will list below, some work on different Lumias, some do not.

 

1. If you haven't upgraded to Windows 10 for phones yet, and have a PIN security number for your SIM

• Disable the SIM PIN by going to Settings > Cellular&SIM.
• Upgrade to Windows 10 for phones through the Insider app.
• OPTIONAL: Add a Phone password All Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Advanced Settings > Password (ON).

2. If you have already upgraded to Windows 10 for phones and have the freezing issue (SIM PIN security)

• Do hard reset (vol down and power button) if your phone is froze.
• Cancel the enter PIN prompt.
• Go to All Settings > System > Phone > (SIM section) and disable SIM security (this works some of the time).
• Reboot phone, and you should get cellular again.
• OPTIONAL: Add a Phone password All Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Advanced Settings > Password (ON).

Optional method to try before the last step

• If frozen at the PIN prompt.
• Remove the SIM (while the phone is still on).
• Reinsert the SIM.
• This unfreezes the phone, but you will still not have cellular.

Another optional workaround for cellular with SIM security (thanks Jarrichvdv)

• Go to All Settings > System > Phone > (SIM section) and disable SIM security (this works some of the time).
• Enter PIN
• Re-enable SIM Security immediately
• Enter PIN again
• You will have cellular (you will have to do this on each restart of the phone)

3. If you can't disable the SIM security with the above steps (as I discovered on my Lumia 925 this weekend)

• Make a pot of coffee, or tea and get comfy.
• Download and install the Windows Phone Recovery Tool.
• Ensure your phone is backed up (this is usually a default setting).
• Start the app and connect your Lumia with a USB cable and 'downgrade' to the available software shown in the app.
• Have fun setting up your Lumia again from scratch.
• Disable SIM PIN (first step up above).
• Run the Windows Insider app again if you still want to upgrade to Windows 10 for phones (also see this optional Windows Phone 8.1 GDR 2 step).

 

If I missed a step or there is an easier/different way, let me know so I can adjust these steps.

[Jarrichvdv]

As many (and myself) discovered, anyone who has set a SIM PIN security number can't enter it without the phone freezing. There are different steps to resolve this that I will list below, some work on different Lumias, some do not.

 

1. If you haven't upgraded to Windows 10 for phones yet, and have a PIN security number for your SIM

• Disable the SIM PIN by going to Settings > Cellular&SIM.
• Upgrade to Windows 10 for phones through the Insider app.
• OPTIONAL: Add a Phone password All Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Advanced Settings > Password (ON).

2. If you have already upgraded to Windows 10 for phones and have the freezing issue (SIM PIN security)

• Do hard reset (vol down and power button) if your phone is froze.
• Cancel the enter PIN prompt.
• Go to All Settings > System > Phone > (SIM section) and disable SIM security (this works some of the time).
• Reboot phone, and you should get cellular again.
• OPTIONAL: Add a Phone password All Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Advanced Settings > Password (ON).

Optional method to try before the last step

• After hard reset and when at the enter PIN prompt
• Remove the SIM (while the phone is still on)
• Reinsert the SIM
• Enter SIM PIN (this works for some, confirmed at least on the 920)

3. If you can't disable the SIM security with the above steps (as I discovered on my Lumia 925 this weekend)

• Make a pot of coffee, or tea and get comfy.
• Download and install the Windows Phone Recovery Tool.
• Ensure your phone is backed up (this is usually a default setting).
• Start the app and connect your Lumia with a USB cable and 'downgrade' to the available software shown in the app.
• Have fun setting up your Lumia again from scratch.
• Disable SIM PIN (first step up above).
• Run the Windows Insider app again if you still want to upgrade to Windows 10 for phones (also see this optional Windows Phone 8.1 GDR 2 step).

 

If I missed a step or there is an easier/different way, let me know so I can adjust these steps.

I don't need to reboot my Phone with step 2. Just disable SIM security + enter pin + re-enable sim security immediately afterwards + enter pin again... this works for me.

[Steven P. Administrators]

I don't need to reboot my Phone with step 2. Just disable SIM security + enter pin + re-enable sim security immediately afterwards + enter pin again... this works for me.

Have you bee able to setup SIM PIN on WP10 and be able to enter it on a reboot without it freezing? And which Lumia is that pls?

[Jarrichvdv]

Have you bee able to setup SIM PIN on WP10 and be able to enter it on a reboot without it freezing? And which Lumia is that pls?

I have never been able to enter my SIM PIN upon reboot without freezing. I always pressed Cancel first time, then performed the following steps

 

- Disable SIM Security

- Enter PIN

- Re-enable SIM Security immediately

- Enter PIN again

Then everything works fine, without a reboot required.

This is confirmed to be working consistently on my Lumia 920.

 

[Steven P. Administrators]

Cheers, will add it. But having to do that everytime (on phone restart) isn't really a permanent fix lol. 

[Jarrichvdv]

Cheers, will add it. But having to do that everytime (on phone restart) isn't really a permanent fix lol. 

lol, that's true :-)

[guru98]

Hi,

I have an other workaround if you can disable the pin code and you have installed Windows 10: simply reset the phone.... using the reset button  under system->info. After the reset the phone start ith a first time installation and allow you to enter the sim pin. I didn't try the restore of the phone.... anyway this procedure work for me on 2 different Lumia 925

Regards,

[amir_bamaram]

As many (and myself) discovered, anyone who has set a SIM PIN security number can't enter it without the phone freezing. There are different steps to resolve this that I will list below, some work on different Lumias, some do not.

 

1. If you haven't upgraded to Windows 10 for phones yet, and have a PIN security number for your SIM

• Disable the SIM PIN by going to Settings > Cellular&SIM.
• Upgrade to Windows 10 for phones through the Insider app.
• OPTIONAL: Add a Phone password All Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Advanced Settings > Password (ON).

2. If you have already upgraded to Windows 10 for phones and have the freezing issue (SIM PIN security)

• Do hard reset (vol down and power button) if your phone is froze.
• Cancel the enter PIN prompt.
• Go to All Settings > System > Phone > (SIM section) and disable SIM security (this works some of the time).
• Reboot phone, and you should get cellular again.
• OPTIONAL: Add a Phone password All Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Advanced Settings > Password (ON).

Optional method to try before the last step

• If frozen at the PIN prompt.
• Remove the SIM (while the phone is still on).
• Reinsert the SIM.
• This unfreezes the phone, but you will still not have cellular.

Another optional workaround for cellular with SIM security (thanks Jarrichvdv)

• Go to All Settings > System > Phone > (SIM section) and disable SIM security (this works some of the time).
• Enter PIN
• Re-enable SIM Security immediately
• Enter PIN again
• You will have cellular (you will have to do this on each restart of the phone)

3. If you can't disable the SIM security with the above steps (as I discovered on my Lumia 925 this weekend)

• Make a pot of coffee, or tea and get comfy.
• Download and install the Windows Phone Recovery Tool.
• Ensure your phone is backed up (this is usually a default setting).
• Start the app and connect your Lumia with a USB cable and 'downgrade' to the available software shown in the app.
• Have fun setting up your Lumia again from scratch.
• Disable SIM PIN (first step up above).
• Run the Windows Insider app again if you still want to upgrade to Windows 10 for phones (also see this optional Windows Phone 8.1 GDR 2 step).

 

If I missed a step or there is an easier/different way, let me know so I can adjust these steps.

hello

the best and easy way is that: remove your sim card and put another mobile phone and in taht divice disable your sim card pin code or disable your sim lock

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[Waltsu]

Hello all!

 

I am new here, so apologies if this has been "fixed" already. I updated to Win10 today (fast updates) and had this issue.

For me, easy fix for this was start phone without SIM, then go to SIM settings, and "reset" the PIN code to SAME that it already was.

For example, if the PIN was before 1234, I enter 1234 to old password, and also to new. After this I can log in cellular without problems with password 1234 (that didn't work before).

 

Hope this helps anyone! No need for resettings

 

Waltsu

Lumia 930