Preliminary information
Before illustrating yourself in detail how to unlock the SIM inserted in the smartphone (or tablet with support for the cellular network), it seems only right to provide you with some preliminary information in this regard.
To begin with, keep in mind that to perform the operation covered by this tutorial you must be in possession of the pin code of the card. In case you don't know, the PIN (acronym for “Personal Identification Number”) is a code consisting of four digits, which is automatically and randomly associated with each SIM produced, but which can be modified by the user if necessary.
If you have not changed it, the PIN to use is the one you find in the sales package of the SIM, on the relevant one plastic holder. If covered by a silver patina, in order to visualize it you must first remove it (perhaps with the help of a coin).
The PIN must be entered after turning on the phone for use services connected to the cellular network, such as phone calls, SMS and Internet connectivity under the 3G / 4G / 5G network. If not inserted when requested, it is still possible to use the smartphone, but not the functions related to the card in the strict sense. This therefore means that in the event of a blocked SIM you will not be able to make and receive calls, you will not be able to send and receive SMS and you will not be able to surf the net using the data connection of your telephone operator.
When the PIN code is entered for three times in a row incorrectly, the SIM yes block and to fix it you need to type the PUK code (acronym for "Personal Unblocking Key"). Unlike the PIN, it is a code consisting of eight digits and which is only used to unlock the card in situations like the one just described. It is provided directly by the telephone operator of your interest and cannot be changed at will by the user.
How to unlock SIM without PUK
At this point, I would say that we are there: we can finally move on to the real core of the matter and go and find out how to unlock SIM without PUK on the phone. To do this, follow the instructions below. The procedure to be implemented differs depending on whether you are using a device Android or a iPhone. However, fear not, it is not difficult.
How to unlock the SIM on Android
If you are interested in unlock SIM on Android, all you have to do is take your smartphone (or tablet), turn it on, wait for the PIN entry screen, type the code required and press the button OK or on the one with the symbol of check that you find in the lower right part of the display. Done!
If, on the other hand, you had already turned on your phone and previously you had bypassed the request to enter the PIN (by pressing the button to go back in the screenshot above), you can unlock the locked SIM doing this: access the home screen and / or the drawer of the device and select the icon of Settings (Quella a forma di gear), touch the item Screen lock and security, scroll down the displayed screen and tap on the wording Other security settings, then press on the item relating toentering the PIN, type il code e confirmation the whole.
If what you are using is an older Android device, after logging in to settings of the device you may have to scroll down the screen, tap on the item Safety annexed to the section Staff, touch the wording relating to theentering the PIN, type the code e confirm what has been entered.
If the idea of having to enter the PIN code every time bothers you and, therefore, you want to disable the relevant entry request for your SIM, you can do it by going to the Android section Settings> Screens lock and security> Other security settings or Settings> Personal> Securityby selecting the option Configure SIM lock, carrying on OFF the switch next to the wording Lock SIM card, typing the PIN currently active on the board and pressing the button OK. If you think about it, bring it up again ON the appropriate switch.
Please note that the information I have just given you regarding the items and buttons to select may differ slightly from what you see on the smartphone display, depending on the version of Android in use and / or the make and model of the device .
How to unlock SIM on iPhone
Now let's move on to the iOS side and let's find out how to unlock SIM on iPhone (as well as how to unlock iPad SIM). All you have to do is take your "iPhone by", turn it on, wait for it to appear unlock screen of the device and enter the relevant code, then wait for the screen to enter the PIN, type the code in question and tap the button OK.
If, on the other hand, you had already turned on the iPhone and had bypassed the request to enter the PIN code (by pressing on the item Cancel on the relevant screen to continue using the device without a code), you can enter the latter later by doing this: access the home screen and / or the iOS Library, tap on the Settings (Quella a forma di ruota d'ingranaggio), select the voice Mobile phone in the displayed screen, then that SIM PIN, type il code in the appropriate screen and tap on the item OK.
If the idea of having to enter the PIN to unlock the SIM inserted in the iPhone bothers you, you can also disable the request for entering it. To do this, go to the section Settings> Cellular> SIM PIN of iOS, bring up OFF the switch next to the wording SIM PIN, type il PIN associated with the card, tap on the item end top right and it's done. If you think about it again, you can activate the PIN request again by clicking on ON the appropriate switch.
How to unlock your phone's SIM
Did you enter the wrong PIN too many times when requesting it and now you should enter the PUK code to deal with it? You have not been able to trace the PIN associated with the SIM and therefore you have no way to unlock the card? Well, maybe I can still help you and explain how to unlock your phone SIM under these circumstances.
In the first case, that is, if you have to unlock the SIM with the PUK code, I inform you that you can first trace the PUK code by taking a further look at the plastic holder present in the sales package of the same. Some telephone operators, then, allow to obtain the data in question also by connecting to thepersonal online area of its website or by accessing the appropriate one mobile app or, again, by contactingassistance.
To give some practical examples: if you want unlock the Vodafone SIM you can retrieve the PUK by accessing the Do-it-yourself area of the operator's website, selecting the your phone number from the top menu and clicking on the icon with theeye che trovi in corrispondenza della dicitura PUK code in the section My SIM; if you want to recover the PUK of WINDTRE you just need to access the online customer area, select the phone line of your interest and click on the item Retrieve the PUK of your SIM; if you want unlock the Iliad SIM you can retrieve the PUK code by accessing the personal area of the manager's website, by going to the section My personal data in the sidebar and clicking on the item Click here present in correspondence with the wording My PUK code; while if you wish unlock the SIM TIM this is not feasible.
The methods, as you can see yourself, may differ from operator to operator. In any case, if you need more details you can refer to my guides regarding the recovery of the PUK code specific for TIM, Vodafone, WINDTRE and Iliad.
Once the PUK has been recovered, you can unlock the SIM by typing it in theappropriate screen which is shown to you automatically on the mobile phone screen, or by typing the string ** 05 * PUK * NuovoPIN * NuovoPIN # (taking care to replace at the end PUK the PUK code of the SIM just recovered and at the end NuovoPIN the new PIN code you intend to associate with your card), after which the card will be unlocked and you can start using it again as normal.
In the second case, so if you need to unlock SIM without PIN, you can request the replacement of the SIM to your carrier. By doing so, it is good to underline it, you will not be notified of the PIN code of your current card, but you will be provided with a new SIM with the same number as the previous one and with the same residual credit to which a new code will be associated.
To submit the replacement request, you must go to a shop of your mobile phone provider and communicate to the employee what your intentions are. The operation typically is paid and has an average cost of 10 euros. Before going to the store, you can still ask for more information about the customer service of your telephone operator, by contacting the latter as I explained to you in my tutorial on the subject.
How to unlock the SIM
