17 Pro Max eSIM not working after iOS 26.3 update

What iOS version are you using? 26.4 was released last Tuesday. Please update if you have already. If you’re still having the same issue after updating please contact your carrier. Your eSIM needs to be re-provisioned.

Contact your carrier for help with your eSim.

LobsterGhost1 is correct. While the update may have caused the issue, Apple has no way to restore your cellular service. Only your cellular service provider can restore network service after it’s lost.

oz2808 wrote:

I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and my eSIM also locked up after the 26.3 upgrade. Upon restart, it normally asks to enter the SIM lock PIN (to unlock it), but the screen presented is frozen, effectively locking me out.

I understand only the carrier can fix the issue, but it’s Apple responsibility that this should have never occurred.

For the vast majority of people, it didn't happen. It certainly didn't happen to me on our 17 Pros when we updated to 26.3. It didn't happen to anyone I know who updated to 26.3.

Why it happened to you, we can't know. But your carrier is who you need to get help from.

A brief update on this…

After trying every possible solution, I eventually gave up and decided to wait for the early March update (26.3.1), hoping it would fix the issue. Unfortunately, not only did it fail to resolve it — it actually made things worse. The “Add new eSIM” button disappeared completely.

Even though I really wanted to avoid the hassle of erasing and restoring the phone, I went ahead and did it anyway. To my frustration, it made no difference at all.

Having two SIMs active at the same time is essential for me, as I live between two countries. When this issue first started, I was temporarily in the country associated with my eSIM. As a workaround, I contacted my local carrier and requested a physical SIM replacement for that line, which worked immediately. That confirmed the line itself was fine, and that the problem was with the device.

After returning to the country where I currently live, update 26.4 was released. Once installed, the “Add new eSIM” button reappeared. However, I’m not willing to try setting it up again — if it fails, I risk losing access to one of my lines.

I’m planning to replace the device in the near future, but as I mentioned before, that shouldn’t be the solution. This was a fully functional phone, and an official update effectively broke one of its most important features for me.

Same issue here. My iPhone 12 Pro carries two SIMs, the physical one inserted on the SIM tray and a second one being an e-SIM. Both worked perfectly until I updated to iOS 26.3 - The e-SIM stopped working, after which a "NO SIM" appeared next to the now flat signal bars.

I contacted my carrier to get a new e-SIM (in fact I did that twice) and after both attempts I've got the same results. Curiously I caught some signal for a couple of minutes which allowed me to receive an SMS to log into my carrier's App, but everything seems fine there (line status is normal according to the info in the App and confirmed on the phone with a customer service representative).

I tried restarting the phone many times in both normal and airplane modes and that didn't do the trick. The most I could get from that was just a couple of minutes of coverage before losing all kinds of connection (cellular and data too).

Finally, I completely refuse to try the worst-case-scenario method of erasing everything on the phone and factory resetting it. It's a big hassle and I really don't have time for that, given that THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING on a perfectly working unit that used to catch full coverage just a week ago.

Sadly, I assume it has to do with the latest update (26.3) because the issue started right after the installation of it. I can recall the same problem happening last year, which makes me think this is the worst iOS version up to this date and that Apple is releasing "updates" (if we can call them that way) without any proper testing.

I am having the exact same issue with my iPhone 15. Everything worked great until iOS 26.3 was installed. Tried all of the textbook solutions... toggling airplane mode, resetting network settings, and eventually erasing all settings for a factory reset.

Same issue. In Settings, Cellular is grayed out and says "No SIM." When I go through support with my carrier (Visible), their app says that my phone does not support eSIM. To be clear, this is an iPhone 15 purchased in the U.S. with no physical SIM tray.

After factory reset, I still have the same issue, and have no idea what will fix it unless Apple releases some sort of patch in the next iOS update.

I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and my eSIM also locked up after the 26.3 upgrade. Upon restart, it normally asks to enter the SIM lock PIN (to unlock it), but the screen presented is frozen, effectively locking me out.

I understand only the carrier can fix the issue, but it’s Apple responsibility that this should have never occurred.

I have iPhone 14 Pro US version and bought in 2022 October. The phone only accepts esims, not physical SIM cards. I've started having this connectivity starting from early 2025. Somehow I was able to reconnect using basic methods. However, now after installing the IOS 26.3 on 21.02.2026, my phone lost cellular connection completely. I went to Apple Store, they said the device physically seems ok. They suggested me to go to factory settings. I just deleted everything and restarted it. Right now on my device, when I click to cellular, I can not even add a new esim... The display does not have the option add new esims. Before restart, I was not even able to delete my current esims. I think the issue caused from the update but I can not prove it. The person in the Apple Store told me to restart everything and if the problem is not resolved, he said I may need to change the device keeping the camera and the case the same. Even though my phone works except network issue, I am being asked to pay 600 EUR for this issue. It can not be a coincidence that this permanent connectivity issue happened right after the update. I'll share a screenshot of my cellular settings, as you can see I can not add e-sims.I don't know what to do...

"I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and my eSIM also locked up after the 26.3 upgrade. Upon restart, it normally asks to enter the SIM lock PIN (to unlock it), but the screen presented is frozen, effectively locking me out. I understand only the carrier can fix the issue, but it’s Apple responsibility that this should have never occurred."

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Upgrading is YOUR choice and YOUR responsibility. Loss of data is something you would have agreed to upon opening an Apple Account. So, when updating and upgrading --that's YOUR decision --Apple does not force you to perform either. Don't agree? Then don't proceed.

I have issues after ios26.3 update: 1) when phone call comes, it does not ring at all.

2) voicemail is gone and I cannot set up.

3) I cannot send and receive message.

But my eSim seems fine.

I am just wondering whether I should get an Android, will it fix the problem? I need keep this phone number to make and receive phone call and message.

I have exactly the same issue. Mine is also purchased from the US, which only supports esim. i am not able to install esim of any carrier and getting your EID is invalid error.

how did you solve the issue?

iPhone 13 mini, also have similar issues. Problem is not with carrier, as it doesn’t work with all eSIMs. Installed ones are not working and not possible to remove, new ones are not activating.