Victor LukassoHow to Remove Sim Card from iPhone
Whether you’re going for a phone upgrade, making international travels, or just trying to switch your sim card, you must know how to effectively remove a sim card from your iPhone.
Since the inception of Micro and Nano sim cards, inserting sim cards into our devices has changed from regularly removing your phone's battery to accessing the sim slot. There’s now a more efficient way of removing sim cards from iPhones.
Although, this doesn’t apply to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro series manufactured in the USA because they’ve dropped the sim card slot and are now using eSim instead.
You can learn more about switching to eSim on iPhones’ official website.
The sim card removal process Is relatively simple and can be done in just a few steps. First, you’ve to find your sim tray or slot on your iPhone, then use a sim card ejector tool or a needle to eject the sim card tray. You can now remove your sim card from your phone.
So, if you’re using iPhone models such as the iPhone 6, 7, 8, X, XR, XS, 11, 12, 13, and 14, then you should be able to remove or switch your sim card using the guide below.
In this article, we’ll guide you through removing your iPhone’s SIM card, including where your sim tray or slot can be found.
How to Take a Sim Card Out of an iPhone
If you're looking to remove the SIM card from your iPhone, there are a few things you'll need to know.
The first thing to remember is that the process is relatively simple if you have the right tools. Also, there are precautions to follow while switching sim cards on your iPhone.
We’ll chip them in while showing you how to successfully change sim cards on your iPhone device.
Turn off your iPhone (Optional)
While this isn’t compulsory, the first step toward removing or switching sim cards on your iPhone is to turn off the phone. This comes in handy when you make an international trip and would like your network configured more quickly.
You can also decide to remove the sim card while the phone is on but Apple warns that static electricity could destroy the sim card or phone itself but I’m guilty of this because I haven’t turned off my phone because of a sim swap.
To turn off your iPhone, simply hold the power button until the “slide to power off” slider appears. You can now slide to the right to turn off your device.
Locate the Sim Card Tray/Slot
Next, you’ll need to locate the SIM card tray on your iPhone. The location of the SIM card tray may vary depending on the iPhone model you have.
Here's where you can find the SIM card tray on some popular iPhone models:
- Original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS: The sim tray is located on top of the phone
- iPhone 4 (GSM model), iPhone 4s, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Phone SE (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation): The SIM card tray is located on the right side of the iPhone.
- IPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro: The sim card tray is located on the right side of the iPhone. In addition, some of the iPhone variants accommodate two Nano sim cards in one tray.
- IPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14,iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro: The sim card tray is located on the left side of the iPhone. In addition, some of the iPhone variants accommodate two Nano sim cards in one tray. However, iPhone 14 models in the United States don’t have a physical SIM card slot.
For further clarification, The SIM card tray on the iPhone is a small, rectangular slot that is typically located on the side of the phone. The tray may have a small pinhole next to it, which is used to eject the SIM card.
Eject the Sim Card Tray
Now that you’ve found located the sim card tray, the next thing is to eject it so that you can have access to remove the sim card. This can be done using the default sim card ejector included in your iPhone during purchase.
Alternatively, you can make use of a needle that fits into the pinhole or a small paper clip. If you’re using a paperclip, be sure to straighten it out first. Press down gently until the tray pops out before using your fingers to pull it out.
However, I won’t advise you to fragile objects such as brooms or any breakable object into the pinhole to avoid breaking or leaving part of it inside your iPhone. Also, don’t exert too much force so you don’t mutilate the sim tray.
Remove the Sim Card
After removing the sim card tray with your hands. You can either find one or two slots for the sim card depending on the iPhone model. Gently push the sim card out of the tray to avoid misplacing or damaging it.
You can now perform the sim transfer or leave the sim card tray empty if you want to.
Reinsert the SIM card tray
Once you’re done with removing the sim card from the tray, you can now reinsert the tray into your iPhone. Make sure that the tray is lined up properly with the slot on your iPhone, and gently push it back into place. You should feel a slight click when the tray is securely in place.
Turn On your iPhone
If you did turn off your iPhone initially then you can turn your iPhone back on once you e reinserted the sim card tray. Wait for your iPhone to turn back on and connect to your cellular network. You should see a signal indicator in the upper-left corner of your iPhone’s screen.
If you’re like me that don’t like turning off your device during a sim switch, you can consider performing a restart action if your network signal doesn’t come up after a sim change.
Also, If your network coverage doesn’t come up after this then you should check if you installed the sim card properly, if the sim card is still valid, or if there’s a problem with your sim port.
FAQs
What is the easiest way to remove a SIM card?
The easiest way to remove a sim card is with the aid of a sim card ejector tool. Gently insert the tool into the pinhole beside the sim tray and press down to eject the tray. You can now remove your sim card and reinsert the sim tray.
Can I remove a SIM from my iPhone without turning it off?
Yes, it’s very possible to remove a sim from iPhone without turning it off. However. Apple warns that static electricity could damage the sim card or device.
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