Got Family Mobile and Got a New Phone but Sim Card Doesn't Fit

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A SIM card is a pocket-sized card inside a cell telephone that allows it to connect to a cellular service. When you insert your SIM card into a different compatible or unlocked phone, you lot'll be able to use the same telephone number and cellular service on your new telephone. Similarly, if you lot get a new SIM card and desire to employ information technology in your electric current telephone while traveling, you can do so equally long as the SIM and carrier are compatible with your phone—this is actually useful when traveling! This wikiHow teaches yous how to switch your SIM bill of fare to a new smartphone.

1. 1

   Cheque the size of the SIM card each phone uses. SIM cards come up in three major sizes, and your phones may use different sizes. This is especially true if the phones were fabricated several years apart. Virtually carriers volition provide you with the correct size SIM carte du jour for free.

   • A Standard SIM is 15mm by 25 mm.^[1]
   • A Micro SIM is 12mm by 15mm.
   • A Nano SIM is 8.8mm by 12.3mm.
   • Yous tin cut larger SIMs down with a special SIM cutter tool, or just ask your carrier for the correct size.
   • If the SIM y'all accept is too pocket-sized to fit into the new phone, yous tin can become an adapter carte du jour—these cars let you place a smaller SIM (such as a Nano SIM) within a menu that'southward larger (Micro or Standard).

2. 2

   Get a new SIM if you are switching carriers. If the phone you lot're switching to is from the same carrier or it's unlocked, you lot shouldn't need a new SIM. But if you're switching from ane carrier to some other, you'll demand a SIM card for your new carrier. The SIM card is costless when signing up for a new plan, and some carriers may even provide all 3 sizes of your SIM bill of fare merely in example.^[ii]

   • Phone carriers used to operate only two types of networks: GSM and CDMA. Information technology used to be true that most CDMA phones didn't crave SIM cards, merely that's no longer the example—unless you lot're using an older CDMA model, yous'll definitely demand a SIM.
   • If the new phone is from a unlike carrier than the SIM you lot have, the SIM may still piece of work if the phone is carrier-unlocked. But if the phone is locked to a specific carrier or business relationship, you'll demand to have the carrier unlock the phone.

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3. 3

   Back up your contacts (optional). The most convenient way to back up your contacts on an Android or iPhone is to sync them to your Google account or to your iCloud business relationship. This way, the same contacts will be available on whatever phone you lot use upon logging in with the same Google or Apple account. But if you're using an Android, have contacts save to your phone's memory, and would rather save them to your SIM card and then they will already be on your new phone, you lot can export them to your SIM carte on many Androids.

   • Information technology's no longer possible to transfer contacts straight to a SIM on an iPhone.

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1. i

   Remove the phone's case if there is i. If y'all're using a protective telephone case or encompass, you'll demand to remove it to go the SIM bill of fare out. There's no need to remove your glass screen protector (if you have one)—just the case.

   • Although it may non be required depending on the models, turning off both phones earlier y'all begin can help ensure that removing and inserting a SIM card goes smoothly.
   • If your phone has an eSIM (and electronic SIM carte du jour), you can't physically remove it from a telephone. If you need to transfer your eSIM to a new phone, your carrier will need to do the swap. Give your carrier a call for assistance.

2. ii

   Locate the SIM card. Depending on the blazon of phone yous have, the SIM card can exist located in dissimilar spots:

   • iPhone: iPhones have SIM trays, which are located in unlike places depending on the model.^[3] Await for the modest pigsty on a rectangular panel:
     • Left side: iPhone 12 (all models).
     • Right side: iPhone 11 (all models), iPhone XS & Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone SE (all models), and all models of iPhone 8, 7, 6, five, and four.
   • Android: If your Android has a removable battery, y'all'll unremarkably discover the SIM carte behind the battery or otherwise inside the battery encompass. If non, you lot'll have a SIM tray on one of the telephone's edges. The location is different depending on your Android, simply you can identify the SIM tray by locating the small round hole on a rectangular panel.

3. three

   Remove the SIM carte from the quondam phone. Removing the SIM is pretty easy one time you figure out where information technology is. When removing the SIM, endeavour to avoid touching the gilded contacts on the bottom side.

   • If at that place is a SIM tray, yous should have a SIM tool that came with your phone. It'due south usually a minor oval-shaped tool with ane pointed protruding end that's has the diameter of a paperclip. If you don't take the original tool, you can use a paperclip—just extend one terminate of the paperclip and then it'due south pointed outright, and and so insert it into the hole on the SIM tray. Push in gently until the tray pops out. Then, lift the SIM card from its identify inside the tray, or just flip the phone over so it falls onto a soft surface.
   • If the SIM is behind your battery, you can either slide information technology out or press it in a piddling to pop it out, depending on your phone.
   • If y'all wind upwards damaging your SIM card during the swap, yous can usually get a replacement SIM at no toll from your provider.

4. 4

   Insert the SIM card into the new phone. If the new phone also has a SIM tray, open it at present. If there's a bombardment cover, remove the cover and locate the SIM slot. The SIM has a small notch at one corner that acts as a guide—this means information technology will only fit into the tray or slot one fashion, making it simple to insert properly. Slide the tray back in or supplant the battery and cover when finished.

   • If the SIM is as well small for the tray or slot in the new phone, go an adapter card kit—these kits are cheap and come with adapters that accommodate all three SIM sizes.

5. 5

   Turn on the new phone and go through the setup process. If you're setting up a new smartphone, you lot'll exist taken through an initial setup procedure. During this process, your SIM volition typically exist activated for your new phone automatically.

   • When activating a new phone, you'll be asked to sign in with a Google or iCloud account/Apple ID. If you backed up your contacts from your one-time phone to your Google or iCloud business relationship, brand sure you sign in with the same account info every bit you lot used on the sometime phone. This ensures that your contacts sync to your new phone.
   • If your phone was already ready, you'll usually get service a few moments after yous insert your SIM carte du jour. But insert the SIM card, power it on if it wasn't on already, and then look to see if you connect. You'll see the bespeak bars appear in the phone'southward notification expanse, and you'll usually see the carrier proper name side by side to them.

6. 6

   Contact your carrier if you cannot connect. If your SIM is nevertheless not activating in the new telephone, you'll likely need to contact the carrier. Since the phone isn't continued, you'll demand to either call from another line or visit a carrier shop to have the phone activated.

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Add New Question

• Question

  How do yous transfer SIM cards from i phone to some other?

  

  Mobile Kangaroo is a total service repair shop and Apple tree Authorized Service Provider headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Mobile Kangaroo has been repairing electronic devices such as computers, phones, and tablets, for over 19 years, with locations in over 20 cities.

  

  Computer & Telephone Repair Specialists

  Expert Answer

  

  Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

  iPhones, iPads and many Android devices have a slide out tray on the side. To release it, insert a SIM card removal tool and press straight in until the tray pops out. If you don't take a tool, information technology's safe to improvise with a paperclip, earring, or anything else that fits in the hole, every bit long as you recall to push straight in and non to pry. On devices with removable batteries, the SIM card is unremarkably located under the phone's battery.

• Question

  How exercise I transfer a SIM carte du jour to a new phone?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Reply

• Question

  Tin can y'all but switch SIM cards in iPhones?

  

  This respond was written by one of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  

  Support wikiHow past unlocking this staff-researched answer.

  If both iPhones y'all're switching from and to are not locked and your SIM cards are not prevented from existence used in another phone, then you tin switch the SIM cards around your dissimilar iPhones. If it doesn't work, then information technology ways either the SIM card cannot be switched around (something your carrier or provider determines) or one or both of the iPhones are locked to a specific provider or the SIM card is non the correct size.

• Question

  What happens if you have out your SIM card and put information technology in another phone?

  

  This answer was written by 1 of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

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  If the new telephone is not locked and your carrier allows y'all to switch your SIM carte to another device, then what should happen is that you can receive calls and utilize the data on the new telephone likewise. However, nothing volition happen at all if the SIM card is not able to switch devices (something the carrier determines) or the other phone is locked to a specific SIM bill of fare and/or provider. Of course, the sometime telephone without a SIM carte du jour won't piece of work until you restore the SIM card or replace it with a new one.

• Question

  Can I switch my SIM card to a unlike phone?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

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  You can oft switch your SIM card to a unlike phone, provided the phone is unlocked (meaning, it is not tied to a detail carrier or device) and the new phone will have the SIM card. All you need to do is remove the SIM from the telephone information technology is in currently, and so place it into the new unlocked phone. If the new phone is locked, however, the SIM cannot be switched to information technology, as it won't work. Ever dorsum upward your contacts before switching SIM cards and it's a good idea to check your carrier'southward website, as many carry information about the switchability of their SIM cards.

• Question

  Do I have to stop service on my old telephone if I swap SIM cards?

  

  Service is tied to the SIM card, so you will non be able to make calls on your erstwhile telephone. Other services may still work on your old telephone, provided you accept a WiFi connectedness.

• Question

  How practise I remove a SIM card from an iPhone 5 and put information technology in an iPhone six?

  

  Information technology should be the same procedure, but if the SIM tray isn't the same size and doesn't let information technology, you'll have to contact your company and transfer the information to a compatible SIM.

• Question

  When a used SIM card is put in some other used phone, will it take a day for the SIM card to actuate?

  

  Allan Cramer

  Community Reply

  If if doesn't activate inside 20 minutes, I would contact the service provider for assistance.

• Question

  Can I purchase a local SIM carte du jour while traveling to eliminate roaming charges?

  

  As long as your phone is unlocked, you lot'll exist able to insert a SIM from a different network and connect to information technology instead of your original network. You'll have a different telephone number when using different SIM cards.

• Question

  Is a SIM card the same as an SD card?

  

  No. A SIM bill of fare is used for calling and texting and stuff, but an SD bill of fare is used to store videos, photos, and anything involving downloading.

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Article Summary X

i. Back up your contacts.
2. Go a new SIM if you're switching carriers.
three. Remove the SIM from the old phone.
4. Insert the SIM into the new phone.
v. Start the setup process (if the phone is brand new).
6. Contact your carrier if you can't connect.

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