I’ve always used a 4-digit passcode on my device. After turning the device off, then back on, I was asked to type in an alphanumeric passcode, in which I never set before. I don’t want to erase the device’s data. What should I do?

Again, I do not have a clear picture of what it is that you are saying is appearing? What does it look like? Is it a typewriter keyboard? What are you seeing? If you can't post a screenshot, then you are going to have to provide a blow-by-blow description of what you are actually seeing on the screen. This is what my Lock Screen looks like:

GB

That only works if you have this kind of keyboard showing:

This kind of keyboard knows nothing about the numbers that go with the letters on a phone keyboard:

The first keypad that I have posted the screenshot for is a combined keyboard that has certain letters assigned to certain numbers. The second keyboard knows nothing about that configuration. It's just a keyboard. Alpha characters are alpha characters, and numeric characters are numeric characters. And never the twain shall meet.

536682267 does not equate to any letter on the second keyboard. And even if you had the 1st keyboard, which of the three possible letters does each number equate to? Is 5 = j, k, or l? Is 3 = d, e, or f? It's not a one for one. So, you can figure out what number the word DEALT would be (33258), but you can't figure out which letter you should type on the alpha-numeric keyboard if you are trying to represent a 5.

GB

Sorry, but what exactly are you seeing and where that makes you think you need to put in an alpha-numeric passcode? What kind of device do you have, and what iOS are you running? We need a clear description of what you are seeing.

Cheers,

GB

Again, not sure what you are describing. Can you post a screenshot? Press the Home and Power buttons quickly to take a screenshot, and save it where you can find it. Then on this thread, when you are replying, you will see a little camera on the top bar of the reply box. Tap on that, then navigate to wherever you saved the photo and click on it to select it.

Cheers,

GB

I set up an Alpha-numeric passcode using the steps you indicated. What is now showing up is a regular keyboard like you see when you are typing. There is a 123 box on the keyboard. You would tap that to get the numeric display for that keyboard.

However, that type of keyboard only came up when I created a passcode that also had letters.

You can try to type in your regular 4-digit code, but I'm thinking that it wants something else at this point.

I was not familiar with that set of options in the passcode setup until you pointed them out to me, so I'm guessing that you explored the Passcode Options at some point? It sounds like maybe you did set up an Alpha-numeric passcode. It's not going to set one up for you - there is no logic on an iPhone that would be able to do that. Can you think back to when you were exploring the options and see if you can remember trying anything else? Can you try some combinations of letters and numbers that you may have used?

If you can't figure out what it is, then you won't have any other option except to erase the device and set it up again. Do you not have a backup of the device in iTunes or iCloud?

Cheers,

GB

mégin wrote:

Do your numbers spell out a name if so try that. Cauae thats how mine was

An Alpha-numeric keyboard does not equate numbers to letters like a phone keyboard would. So, not sure what you are referring to?

Cheers,

GB

Can you explain what, exactly, you did? And did you try going to the numeric part of the keyboard that was displaying and typing in the 4-digit code there?

If you selected a letter to correspond to one of your digits, how did you determine what letter to use?

Your info could be helpful to others that may experience this issue.

Cheers,

GB

OK, you had responded to mégin, so I wasn't sure what you had done to rectify the issue. You didn't spell out a name on the Alpha portion of keyboard, you used the Numeric keyboard as I recommended.

Glad you are all set 🙂 And thanks for posting back!

Cheers,

GB

What happens when you type in your 4-digit passcode?

GB

Do your numbers spell out a name if so try that. Cauae thats how mine was