Apple will fix the issue of iPhones being locked due to a Czech special character

Apple fixes Czech character bug in screen lock password

Recently Apple discovered and began fixing an issue that prevented several iPhone owners from unlocking their devices after updating to iOS 26. The bug involves the removal of a special character – “ˇ”, used in the Czech language.

How the problem arose
21‑year‑old student Connor Byrne (Connor Byrne) explained that he chose an alphanumeric password instead of the usual four‑digit PIN code to protect his iPhone 13. He included the “ˇ” symbol in the password. After updating to iOS 26, the keyboard no longer had this character, and when entering the password the device stopped recognizing it.

What happened to the user
Connor was locked out of his smartphone, which stored important photos and memories. If he tried to restore the phone, he would have lost that data. He reported the incident on Reddit, after which Apple immediately began working on a fix.

How the situation is being resolved
Apple promises to re‑enable support for the “ˇ” character in one of the upcoming iOS 26 updates. The manufacturer has already started work on a patch, and users can expect it in forthcoming releases.

User’s plans
Connor now feels mixed emotions: on one hand he appreciates Apple’s quick response; on the other, he is planning to switch to an Android device. He chose the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, noting that it has better camera quality compared to the iPhone.

Thus, the issue with the Czech character in the screen lock password is now under control and will be resolved in upcoming updates.