• General

  • GOS Phone Unusable After Forgetting eSIM PIN due to Google eSIM management.

treequell The problem is the PUK is stored on the phone in the carrier app. I could access the PUK easily if the button "deaktivate eSIM" in the "enter PUK" screen works. Pressing the button results in an error. Typing the PUK 10 times wrong it will result in an error loop.
https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/2162

At the moment I am locked out of my phone because i can't access the PUK because of the missing implementation or wrong architecture of the "disable eSIM" button. The button can't be used because "Google eSIM management" is disabled after every reboot. The system can't disable the eSIM and can't lock the eSIM after 10 times failed attempts with the PUK.

      domnru Is it possible for you to sign into the carrier app on another device?

          treequell Not at the moment. Is there a way to bypass the screen? Maybe setting parameters via Pixel Rescue Mode or Fastboot to disable eSIM completly?

            a year later

            Hello, I was wondering if you found a solution for this. I'm encountering the same issue but I'm not using graphene OS, just stock pixel OS. I did install the beta version of android 16 which may be the underlying issue. Thank you already :)

              Pieter If the device is running Google's stock OS I don't think the problem can be the same one, through it might be tangentially related. And if the problem is with a beta version of Google's stock OS I think it would be more productive to consult Google's support forum.

                  de0u I contacted Google support as well around the time I posted the previous question, to be honest I just want my phone to work again as soon as possible. I've read through this thread and every problem the original poster encountered, I've been encountering as well. It's the only thread I've found thats remotely close to what I experienced.

                  • de0u replied to this.

                      Pieter This thread was related to the state of the GrapheneOS code base a year ago. I believe code changes were made in GrapheneOS that should make this situation unreachable in GrapheneOS today. Despite potentially having some similar symptoms, it is vastly unlikely that the problem is the same...
                      I would be surprised if Google has a toggle for disabling their trusted eSIM management code.

                      If the eSIM requires the PUK and the PUK is not known, that is a big issue. Perhaps somebody on the Google forum can talk you through wiping the device (I don't know if Google's Recovery factory-reset code can wipe eSIMs).

                        I'm assuming that the SIM PIN entry screen is implemented identically for physical SIMs and for eSIMs. I tried the SIM PIN feature with my physical SIM, and it seems that the SIM PIN entry screen was implemented such that it blocks usage of the lockscreen and Quick Tiles area completely, and the only things usable are the emergency dialer linked to from the SIM PIN entry screen and the power menu. Entering Safe Mode automatically enables Airplane Mode but it seems that even Airplane Mode doesn't prevent the OS from asking for the SIM PIN. Assuming I'm right that the SIM PIN entry screen works the same for SIMs and eSIMs, why was it implemented this way?? The way it currently works is as if the SIM PIN is meant to lock usage of the entire phone, but it can be easily physically ejected, then the phone could be unlocked. Perhaps the SIM PIN feature was implemented long time ago where the Android developers thought the user could easily eject the SIM, but didn't consider the case of eSIMs? Why not just make the SIM PIN entry screen less obnoxious, if it's (hopefully) possible? Then users that are already locked out with an eSIM on GrapheneOS could easily sideload the OTA update from recovery and dismiss the SIM PIN entry screen and use their device.

                        • de0u replied to this.

                          • Dde0u

                            • Post #23
                            • Edited

                            Watermelon Perhaps the SIM PIN feature was implemented long time ago where the Android developers thought the user could easily eject the SIM, but didn't consider the case of eSIMs?

                            I expect so.

                            Watermelon Why not just make the SIM PIN entry screen less obnoxious, if it's (hopefully) possible?

                            I suspect it's a mixture of:

                            • It is messy code that is delicate to change because of security implications
                            • Most users don't set SIM PINs
                            • Many users with a SIM PIN know the PUK
                            • ...plus maybe other factors.

                                A factory reset solves the issue? I think by default isn't deleting eSIMs
                                Maybe the duress password will solve, due to it removes the eSIMs

                                  Pieter Update: that doesnt bypass it... I'm fucked. Should I go to a tech support store or do I just buy a new phone at this point? It's in perfect state except for this major bug.

                                      Pieter Is obtaining the PUK from the carrier not an option?

                                          Pieter if you have enabled bootloader unlock from developer options you may install stock or any custom ROM then delete the eSIM then flash grapheneos again

                                              de0u I reread the thread and indeed the situation is not the same, my apologies. Here's a brief description: My phone rebooted this morning and it asked me to enter my pin code for my esim, which I did, but it said it was wrong. I double-checked to see if the pin code was right or not and at it supposedly was. I entered it one too many times and so it asked me to enter my PUK-code. I did that too and it says its right and asks me to enter a new pincode for my esim and confirm it after but it keeps popping back to the 'enter PUK-code' screen with the number of attempts getting lower and lower.

                                              • de0u replied to this.

                                                  cdflasdkesalkjfkdfkjsdajfd I'm not sure if I have bootloader unlock enabled on my phone, I can't navigate to anything besides the simcard screen. Is there anyway I could enable it through the safe boot screen?

                                                      • Dde0u

                                                        • Post #31

                                                        Pieter I think your best option is probably waiting to hear back from Google before trying things and running your unlock count down closer to zero. It may be that flashing a new beta release would fix the problem, or that flashing a non-beta release would. But I suspect this forum is not likely to provide a solution to this eSIM issue.

                                                          6 days later

                                                          Pieter Normally you would be able to disable the eSIM on the stock os. So there is a defect in the android 16 beta?

                                                            Pieter Hopefully you have a backup of your data. It seems like you have to wipe the device because the phone won't get any updates while locked. Maybe there is an option to wipe eSIM data from recovery or fastboot but I don't know anything about that. If nothing helps and you still don't have access to your phone after 7 days, you should just wipe it via fastboot.