Connor Byrne, a 21-year-old university student, has encountered significant issues accessing his iPhone 13 following a software update. After upgrading to iOS 26.4 on April 5, he discovered that a crucial character, the caron/háček (ˇ), was removed from the keyboard, preventing him from entering his alphanumeric passcode.
Byrne has been locked out of his device, which, despite its damaged state, holds valuable sentimental photos. Unfortunately, he did not back up these files to iCloud, leaving him with no alternative means of retrieval. Apple support has indicated that restoring the phone is the only solution, but this would erase all his files. Although Byrne was hopeful that the upcoming iOS update 26.4.1 would resolve the issue, its recent release did not provide any relief.
To manage without his iPhone, he has purchased an inexpensive Android device and is considering upgrading further if the problem persists. Byrne noted that many users are experiencing similar difficulties, raising doubts about whether Apple will address the issue in future updates.