How to change the PIN on an iPhone

When we turn on an iPhone or iPad with mobile connectivity, we need to enter two “passwords”. The first is the unlocking of the terminal and the second the SIM PIN which is what I want to talk about in this little guide.

The SIM PIN is a four number code that prevents unauthorized use of the card. Since the cards are still physical (despite attempts by Apple and other manufacturers to replace them with eSIM ), it makes perfect sense to keep them with their own PIN and not just the smartphone unlocking code for security reasons.

With this in mind, it is very important to remember your SIM PIN well to avoid the card being blocked and you not being able to use your mobile phone number and data connection; at least until Apple decides to take the leap and exclusively integrate eSIM into their devices (something that is already present in the latest iPhone, although combined with the nanoSIM card that has been with us for years).

Steps to change the SIM PIN on iOS devices

All SIM cards have a PIN set as standard, but you can easily change it from iOS. Recent versions of the Apple operating system have changed the location of this setting to make it a little more accessible.

Here are the steps to follow to change the PIN on your iPhone or iPad with mobile connectivity:

1. Access the Settings app and then touch Mobile Data.
2. Tap on SIM PIN and then tap on Change PIN.
3. Enter your current PIN and tap on the OK button in the top right corner of the screen.
4. Enter the new PIN, tap OK again and repeat the process (to avoid errors, the iOS device will ask you to enter the password twice.

And this is it. Once these steps have been completed, the SIM PIN will have changed and each time the device asks you to do so, you will have to enter the number to unlock it.

Removing the SIM PIN on iPhone and iPad

If you prefer not to be asked for your PIN every time you turn it on, you can choose to remove it. This is not the best option if we are talking about security, but if for any reason you want to do it the steps you should take are these:

1. Access the Settings app and then touch Mobile Data.
2. Tap on SIM PIN and then turn off the SIM PIN switch.
3. Finally, enter the current PIN and confirm that you want to deactivate it with the OK button in the upper right corner of the screen.

This will disable the security code completely and will not ask you to do so when you turn the device on. That is, it will automatically “connect” to the operator’s network and allow you to make calls, send SMS or connect to mobile data without any prior authorization and from any device in which it is inserted.