Elevator Pitch

• An iOS update removed lock-screen support for the Czech háček character, leaving at least one iPhone user unable to type his alphanumeric passcode and access irreplaceable photos.

Key Takeaways

• A student updated from iOS 18 to iOS 26.4 and was locked out because the lock-screen keyboard no longer inputs the háček (ˇ) used in his passcode.
• With no iCloud backup, Apple’s suggested restore would erase the sentimental photos he wants to keep; a follow-up update (26.4.1) didn’t fix it.
• Testing suggests the háček still exists in the Czech keyboard generally, but iOS now blocks it specifically in custom alphanumeric passcodes on the lock screen.

Most Memorable Quotes

• “A university student in the US is in data limbo after Apple removed a character from its Czech keyboard, preventing him from entering his iPhone passcode.”
• “The phone's very cracked, so, at this point, the photos contained in it are more valuable than the ability to use the phone itself.”
• “I don't consider Face ID secure enough because it provides no protection in cases where someone has control of both you and the phone – police or customs, for example.”