How to add a sim card to iphone

In this tutorial you, will learn how to:

• Locate the SIM tray
• Insert or remove SIM card

If a SIM is not in the device, "No SIM" will display in the Control Center.

Locate the SIM tray

The SIM tray is located on the left side of the device. To insert a SIM card, insert a SIM tool into the small hole to eject the SIM tray.

Note: The SIM tool can be found in the documentation folder inside the iPhone packaging.

Insert or remove SIM card

Insert or remove the Nano-SIM card into the SIM tray with the gold contacts facing up and the notched edge on the upper left. Push the SIM tray back in until it clicks into place and is flush with the side of the device.

This wikiHow teaches you how to insert a SIM card into your iPhone. In order for a new SIM card to work with your phone, you'll need either a SIM card that corresponds to your current carrier or a SIM-unlocked iPhone.

1. 

   1

   Power down your iPhone. To do so, hold down the Power button until :slide to power off" appears at the top of the screen and then slide the switch at the top of the screen to the right.

   • The Power button is on the top of the right side of most iPhones, though you'll find it on the very top if you're using an iPhone 5 or older.

2. 

   2

   Make sure the SIM card is the right size for you phone. SIM cards have gotten smaller over the years, and older iPhones may not support newer SIM cards (and vice versa). Make sure that your SIM card will fit in the iPhone you are using.

   • iPhone 5 and up use a Nano SIM (12.3mm x 8.8mm).
   • iPhone 4 and 4S use a Micro SIM (15mm x 12mm).
   • iPhone 3G, 3GS, and original use a Standard SIM (25mm x 15mm).

3. 

   3

   Locate the SIM card slot on the side of your iPhone. For most iPhones, the SIM card tray is located along the right side of the iPhone, about halfway down.[1]

   • iPhone 3G, 3GS, and original have SIM card slots along the top of the iPhone.
   • Every iPhone model except the iPhone 4 CDMA (A1349 Verizon/Sprint) has a SIM card slot.

4. 

   4

   Find your SIM eject tool or straighten a small paperclip. Many phones come with a SIM eject tool, which is a tool with a small pointy end that allows you to release the SIM tray. If you don't have this tool anymore, you can straighten a paperclip instead.

5. 

   5

   Push the tool or paperclip into the small hole next to the SIM slot. With a little force, the SIM tray should pop out a little bit.

6. 

   6

   Pull the SIM tray out of the iPhone. Do so gently, since both the SIM card and its tray are fragile.

7. 

   7

   Remove the old SIM card and place your new SIM card in the tray. Because of the indentation on the card, you should only be able to place the new card in the tray in one way. If you aren't sure, just insert it the same way the original card was, with the gold contacts facing down.

8. 

   8

   Slide the tray back into the iPhone. The tray will only insert one way.

   • Make sure the tray is all the way back in the iPhone before continuing.

9. 

   9

   Hold down the Power button. Doing so will turn your iPhone back on. Your iPhone should connect to its new network automatically, though you may first be prompted to activate it.

1. 

   1

   Connect to a wireless network. Depending on your carrier's data plan, you may not see the activation prompt until you connect to Wi-Fi.[2]

2. 

   2

   Connect your iPhone to iTunes on a computer. If your iPhone isn't activating over Wi-Fi, using a computer with internet access may invoke the activation process. To do so:

   • Plug your iPhone into your computer using the USB charging cable. If it doesn't automatically launch, open iTunes.
   • Wait for iTunes to activate your SIM for you.

3. 

   3

   Restore your iPhone. In the event that your iPhone simply won't recognize the SIM card, restoring your iPhone may prompt the SIM to activate upon restarting.

4. 

   4

   Call your carrier from another phone. Provided your phone still won't activate the new SIM card, calling your carrier (e.g., AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint) may be your only option. Once they verify your account ownership, you'll be able to ask your carrier about the new SIM; if the problem isn't simple enough to diagnose over the phone, you'll probably have to take your phone into a carrier store to have it examined or set up for you.

Add New Question

• Question

  Will my phone lose anything saved, like pictures, when I insert a new SIM card?

  

  No. A new SIM card will just change your phone number. Your phone keeps everything if your iCloud account is still on it.

• Question

  How do I put the SIM card in tray?

  

  Use something like a paperclip or sewing needle and stick it in the small hole to open the tray, and then sit the SIM card into it until it sits flush with the metal.

• Question

  What if the SIM falls inside the phone?

  

  It won't. If you don't know how to put it in correctly, ask your carrier how to do it, but it won't fall inside.

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About this article

Article SummaryX

1. Turn off the iPhone.
2. Locate the SIM slot on the side or top edge.
3. Find the SIM tool or straighten a paperclip.
4. Insert the SIM tool or paperclip into the hole next to the slot.
5. Pull out the SIM tray.
6. Replace the old SIM with the new SIM.
7. Slide the SIM tray back in.
8. Turn the phone back on.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 659,333 times.

Reader Success Stories

• 

  Melanke Dunseph

  Jun 17, 2017

  "I was able to know how to open a tray, as well as what SIM cards name and how they fit so I wouldn't break my SIM..." more

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