Why Does My iPhone Say No SIM Card? Here’s The Real Fix!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and all’s well with the world, until you notice that “No SIM” has replaced your mobile carrier’s name in the upper left-hand corner of your iPhone’s display. You didn’t take the SIM card out of your iPhone, and now you can’t make phone calls, send or receive text messages, or use mobile data.

If you’re wondering, “Why does my iPhone say no SIM card?”, or if you have no idea what a SIM card is, you’ve come to the right place. This issue is generally pretty easy to diagnose, and I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step so you can fix the “No SIM” error for good.

What Is A SIM Card And What Does It Do?

If you’ve never heard of a SIM card, you’re not alone: Ideally, you should never have to worry about it. When you experience issues with your SIM card, having a little knowledge about what your iPhone’s SIM card does will help you to understand the process of diagnosing and fixing the “No SIM” error.

If you ever want to stump your techie friends with mobile phone trivia, SIM stands for “Subscriber Identity Module”. Your iPhone’s SIM card stores the tiny bits of data that distinguish you from all the other iPhone users over the cellular network, and contains the authorization keys that allow your iPhone to access the voice, text, and data services that you pay for on your cell phone bill. The SIM card is the part of your iPhone that stores your phone number and allows you to access the cellular network.

It’s important to note that the role of SIM cards has changed over the years, and many older phones used to use SIM cards to store the list of contacts. The iPhone is different because it stores your contacts on iCloud, your email server, or in your iPhone’s internal memory, but never on your SIM card.

The other notable evolution in SIM cards came with the introduction of 4G LTE. Before the iPhone 5, carriers like Verizon and Sprint who use CDMA technology used the iPhone itself to link a person’s phone number to the cellular data network, not a separate SIM card that would be placed inside. Nowadays, all networks use SIM cards to store their subscribers’ phone numbers.

Why Do We Need SIM Cards Anyway? What’s The Advantage?

SIM cards make it easy for you to transfer your phone number from one phone to another, and they tend to be very resilient. I’ve taken SIM cards out of many iPhones that had been fried by water damage, put the SIM card in the replacement iPhone, and activated the new iPhone without a problem.

SIM cards also make it easy for you to change carriers when you travel, provided your iPhone is “unlocked”. If you travel to Europe, for example, you can avoid exorbitant international roaming charges by briefly signing up with a local carrier (commonplace in Europe) and putting their SIM card in your iPhone. Put your original SIM card back in your iPhone when you get back to the states, and you’re good to go.

Where Is The SIM Card On My iPhone And How Can I Remove It?

iPhone Eject SIM CardAll iPhones use a tiny tray called a SIM tray to hold your SIM card securely in place. To access your SIM card, the first step is to eject the SIM tray by inserting a paper clip into the tiny hole in the SIM tray on the outside of your iPhone. Apple has a great page that shows the exact location of the SIM tray on every iPhone model, and it will be easiest for you to take a quick look on their website to find its location and then come right back here. We’re about to diagnose and fix the “No SIM” error for good.

If You Don’t Want To Use A Paperclip…

If you don’t feel comfortable sticking a paperclip inside of your iPhone, you can pick up a handy SIM card adapter kit from Amazon.com that includes a professional sim card ejector tool and an adapter that allows you to use the nano SIM card from an iPhone 5 or 6 in older model iPhones or other cell phones. If your iPhone is ever damaged, you can use this kit to pop out the SIM card and stick it in your old iPhone (or other cell phone that takes a SIM card), and be making phone calls with your phone number right away.

How Do I Fix The iPhone “No SIM” Error?

Apple has created a support page that addresses this issue, but I don’t necessarily agree with the order of their troubleshooting steps and there isn’t any explanation of the rationale behind their suggestions. If you’ve already read their article or others and you’re still experiencing the “No SIM” issue with your iPhone, I hope this article provides you with a solid explanation of the problem and the knowledge you need to fix it.

This may seem obvious, but it’s helpful to restate the problem here: Your iPhone says “No SIM” because it’s no longer detecting the SIM card that’s inserted in the SIM tray, even though it actually is there.

Like many issues on the iPhone, the “No SIM” error can be either a hardware or a software problem. On the next page, we’ll start by addressing the possible hardware issues because they’re usually easy to see with a visual inspection. If that doesn’t fix it, I’ll walk you through the software troubleshooting steps that will help you diagnose and solve your problem.

How To Fix The No SIM Card Error On iPhone and iPad

1. Eject The SIM Tray

Insert a paperclip into the tiny hole in the SIM tray and press until the tray ejects. You may need to apply a fair amount of pressure to get the tray out, and that’s normal – but use your common sense. If you’re not sure of the exact location of the SIM tray on your iPhone, this Apple article will help you find it: Remove the SIM card from your iPhone or iPad.

2. Inspect The SIM Card, SIM Tray, And Inside Your iPhone

Take a close look at the SIM Card and SIM Tray for any damage. If they’re dusty, wipe them off with a soft damp cloth, but be sure they’re completely dry before reinserting them into your iPhone.

Next, check if the SIM tray is bent, as even a tiny misalignment can cause the SIM card to not fully connect with the internal contacts in your iPhone.

Finally, use a flashlight to take a look for any debris inside the SIM tray opening. If there’s gunk in there, try to blow it out with some compressed air.

A Note About Liquid Damage

If you have an iPhone 5 or newer, you’ll see a white circle sticker if you look closely inside the SIM tray opening. That sticker is one liquid contact indicator that Apple techs use to determine whether your iPhone has come into contact with water. If that white sticker has a red dot in the middle, it means that sticker has gotten wet at some point, and water damage can sometimes cause the “No SIM” issue — but not always. Remember that while the SIM card is resilient to water, the internals of the iPhone are not.

3. Reinsert The SIM Tray

Put your SIM card back into the tray, reinsert the SIM tray into your iPhone, and cross your fingers. If the “No SIM” error goes away, congratulations — you fixed the issue!

4. Try Using A Friend’s SIM Card

Find a friend with an iPhone, and try putting their SIM card into your SIM tray and inserting it into your iPhone. If the “No SIM” error goes away, we’ve determined the culprit: You’ve got a problem with your SIM card. Instead of making an appointment with the Apple Store, it might be easier to visit your carrier and tell them you need a replacement SIM card for your iPhone. It’s a quick process and you should be back up and running in no time.

If the “No SIM” error remains and you’re confident there isn’t any physical damage, you may have a software problem with your iPhone. Remember that the software on the iPhone is the brains of the operation. If the software isn’t working correctly, the hardware won’t either.

5. Turn Your iPhone Off And Back On Again

Hold the power button on your iPhone until “slide to power off” appears. Move your finger across the slider to power off your iPhone. After the wheel has stopped spinning and the iPhone display has gone completely black, hold down the power button until you see the Apple logo appear to power your iPhone back on.

If you have an iPhone with Face ID, press and hold the side button and either volume button to reach the “slide to power off” screen.

turn off your iphone

If the “No SIM” error is gone, congratulations — we’ve just resolved the issue! My gut tells me that some people may have to go farther to keep the problem from coming back, and if you’re one of those people, keep reading.

6. Reset Network Settings

Head to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset and tap Reset Network Settings on your iPhone. This restores the network configuration to the factory defaults, which can resolve software glitches in the invisible processes that are always running in the background and that are responsible for managing your iPhone’s connection to your cellular and other networks.

Before you do this, note that Reset Network Settings will erase your iPhone’s saved Wi-Fi connections, so make sure you know your Wi-Fi passwords before you give this a try. You’ll have to reconnect in Settings -> Wi-Fi after your iPhone reboots.

7. Update Your Wireless Carrier Settings, Preferably Using iTunes On A Computer

Plug your iPhone into your computer (or you can use a friend’s) and open iTunes. I recommend using iTunes because before it upgrades your iPhone, iTunes will automatically check if a wireless carrier settings update is available for your iPhone, and if there is, iTunes will ask if you’d like to install it.

Alternatively, you can go to Settings -> General -> About on your iPhone to install the wireless carrier settings update, but there isn’t a button to check. Your iPhone will automatically check for the update and a screen will appear after a few seconds if an update is available. I believe that using iTunes to check is more reliable, however, because network issues may prevent your iPhone from connecting to the update server.

Carrier Settings Update On iPhone

8. Update iOS, Preferably Using iTunes

If an iOS update is available, install that too. Along with new features, iOS updates contain bug fixes for all sorts of issues, including those that can cause the “No SIM” error.

I recommend using iTunes to update your iPhone’s software because if your iPhone is already experiencing software problems (as evidenced by the “No SIM” error), I wouldn’t trust the software on the iPhone to do the iOS update if I could avoid it. Chances are, everything would be fine if you updated your software by going to Settings -> General -> Software Update, but my gut tells me that given a choice, using a computer would be the safest option.

install ios 15 on your iphone

9. Restore Your iPhone

If you’re still seeing the “No SIM” error, it’s time to hit the software with “the big hammer”. We’ll restore your iPhone to factory defaults, reactivate with your carrier as part of the setup process, and restore from your an iTunes or iCloud backup.

A Strong Word Of Warning

Your iPhone needs to be activated after you restore it. Activation happens the first time you set up your iPhone. It’s what connects your unique iPhone to your wireless carrier’s network.

Here’s where things can get tricky: Your iPhone needs to be activated before it can restore from a backup – or do anything, for that matter. If the restore process doesn’t fix the “No SIM” error, your iPhone might not be able to activate. You won’t be able to restore your backup, and you’ll be left with an iPhone you can’t use.

I learned this lesson the hard way, and unfortunately, so did the person who couldn’t use his iPhone because it wouldn’t reactivate after it was restored. Here’s what I recommend: Don’t try to restore your iPhone unless you have a backup phone you can use if restoring your iPhone doesn’t fix the “No SIM” error.

Always Backup Before You Restore

If you do choose to restore your iPhone, make sure you have a backup. You can backup your iPhone to iTunes or iCloud, and I’d like to point you toward two Apple support articles that do an great job of explaining the process: “Back up and restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using iCloud or iTunes” and “Use iTunes to restore your iOS device to factory settings”.

Still Seeing The “No SIM” Error?

If the “No SIM” error still hasn’t gone away, you’re going to need support. When dealing with Apple support, I find it easiest to start at Apple’s support website or call my local Apple Store to make an appointment with the Genius Bar.

This may also be a good time to consider switching wireless carriers, especially if this isn’t the first time you’ve had SIM card issues on your iPhone. You can use UpPhone to compare cell phone plans from dozens of different wireless carriers. You might even save money if you switch!

Wrapping It Up

I really hope this article has helped you to understand, diagnose, and fix the “No SIM” warning on your iPhone. If have any questions or comments you’d like to share, please leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to respond as soon as possible.

Thank you so much for reading and I wish you all the best,
David P.

About Author

I'm a former Apple employee and the founder of Payette Forward, and I'm here to help you with your iPhone.

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Richard Radzik
1 year ago

Had this no service problem. Could not make or receive calls but could receive texts
Powered off the phone. Removed the SIM. Powered on again and hey presto… no service sign had gone and could make and receive calls. Brilliant. Thank you

jazzy
1 year ago

I never even heard of the NO SIM issue until I used chat for Apple Support. The reason I suspect them is because NO SIM flashed two times during the chat with Apple Support. I had NEVER seen NO SIM before and I had to turn my phone off to end the chat. I have NEVER used Apple Support before, and my iPhone has no warranty (purchased 2018).

Pennie
1 year ago

Tip for my fellow ladies – you can use the back of your earring to open the SIM card tray. Works every time. 😘

Mike
2 years ago

I initially I had the “No SIM Card” message. I followed the instructions because they were simple enough, no problems there. I ejected the SIM Tray and found it to be okay and in good condition; I re-inserted the SIM card, rebooted the phone and nothing changed. In the upper-left corner where the Verizon LTE signal strength bars are normally shown, it said “NO SIM”. I repeated the process above and upon further inspection I noticed smudges on the SIM so I moistened one end a Q-tip Schwab and lightly wiped the smudges away ever so carefully. Then, I uses… Read more »

Shelly Ratliff
2 years ago

I have a weird one! What do you do if the phone doesn’t even miss having the SIM card in? It started out with the endless searching so I tried removing the SIM. I even rebooted expecting that after I removed the SIM I would get at least a message saying something like “Insert SIM” or “SIM Missing”. Nothing. It is still attaching to the network Wi-Fi though!

Rayna
2 years ago

Thanks so much! Great article that made trouble-shooting easy and now I can use my phone again = )

Sjabuliso
2 years ago

I take it out the sim and reset my iPhone but still says No service

Editor
Colin Boyd
2 years ago
Reply to  Sjabuliso

Hi Sjabuliso, do you usually have solid cellular service in your area? It’s possible that your out of your cellular provider’s range.

melissaaaaa
2 years ago

omg my sim card won’t pop out

Editor
Colin Boyd
2 years ago
Reply to  melissaaaaa

Hi Melissa, I wish we were there to help, but we can’t. Best of luck!

Dennis
2 years ago

My iPhone xr doesn’t have cellular internet. When i got to the office it shows that its connected to wifi but at the top right corner it shows its still working off the cell service. Soft reset, removed and installed SIM card, turned off and on. Nothing seems to work.

Dennis
2 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

I fixed it. I deleted my express VPN from the settings menu. Settings/General/VPN. Chose Express VPN and deleted. Voila, it’s back to normal. I haven’t tried to reinstall yet.

Elizabeth
3 years ago

I need help, i removed it and put it back in again and reset my iphone. It still says No Sim in the corner

Kasey Ramos
3 years ago

D.P. I popped my SIM card tray out pushed it back in and I’m back in business ?

Liam Shotwell
3 years ago
Reply to  Kasey Ramos

Isn’t it great when it’s just that easy? ?

Tim S
3 years ago

Thank you. Popped out the SIM card and put it back in and restarted my phone. And it worked again.

Liam Shotwell
3 years ago
Reply to  Tim S

Glad we were able to help! ?

Denise
3 years ago

Oh my gosh, you’re amazing! You just helped a 57-year-OLD very tech-unsavvy mom fix her phone!?

Payton Reynolds
3 years ago

Hey, I have an iPhone 11 and it says no SIM Card for me. I have gotten a new one but still having the same issues what could it be?

Payton
3 years ago

Hey, I have an iPhone 11 and it says no SIM Card for me. I have gotten a new one but still having the same issues what could it be?

olivier hoga
3 years ago

my iPhone 6s is keeping saying no service while there is a sim card in and i don’t know what is the problem if you are able to assist please do it for me

Lee clark
3 years ago

i have tryed all these and still no signal , i just payed to get my phone unlocked , will i need to take it to the store

Liam Shotwell
3 years ago
Reply to  Lee clark

I would take it to the store if I were you. Try to make an appointment if you can and take the precautions you need to in order to not get sick. I’m not sure what iPhone you’re using, but it’s possible that even though it is carrier unlocked, the connectivity technology may not be supported by your carrier. It’s also possible that there is some hardware damage.

Lexi
3 years ago

I recently upgraded from an SE (Gen 1) to a 7 Plus. I can’t get the cellular data to activate. I can make and receive phone calls. I went through your other article on how to troubleshoot and nothing worked.

Jojopop
3 years ago

Hi! Need help. iPhone 11 stopped connecting to cellular service. All other phones/ devices connected with plan still working. Getting a message that that there is no cellular plan connected with account. Acting like a new iPhone. Any suggestions?

Liam Shotwell
3 years ago
Reply to  Jojopop

If you’ve tried everything in this article, I would try contacting your carrier and seeing if the device (and the SIM card) is still connected to the account. It’s possible that the SIM is broken or that they removed service for your device.

Jojopop
3 years ago
Reply to  Liam Shotwell

Hi. It appears that service is still connected according to Verizon. Could be the SIM card. Good idea. I’ll ask. Txs

Beverley Stephenson
3 years ago

Hi want to know if you can help I have done a reset on my iPhone 7s I can send a text but can’t call or receive calls

Samantha
3 years ago

My phone says “no sim” when there is a perfictly fine sim in there.. Ive taken it out and put it back in and i have also turned my on and off multiful times. I have a straight talk refurbished AT@T iphone 8 plus..

June eales
3 years ago
Reply to  Samantha

My iPhone keeps saying no service I have switched it off and on several times but still comes back the same message

Nancyann
3 years ago

Thank you, this solved my issue with sim card

sean c lacon
3 years ago

Did the trick thanks , Sean in Virginia

Raj
3 years ago

Used my wife’s SIM card and the phone worked, so I knew that problem is with the SIM and not the phone. Cleaned SIM card with an alcohol pad and let it dry, reinstalled and it started searching the network. It worked. Thanks.

jill moore
4 years ago

was sent a new sim card from virgin and now my phone won’t work it just says No Service

Yasin Moh'd
4 years ago

hi sir
i need your help,am using iphone x 256 gb warrenty finished but this problem is no sim .am any sim put it same problem plz solution

Sonya Muhl
5 years ago

Thank heavens, this worked! My husband’s phone did it, then he inserted my sim into his phone and my sim then did the same in my phone. I fixed both with your way! Thank you!

George Watson
5 years ago

I did all of the above steps to no avail. Then I removed the sim card, laid it flat and used an eraser to rub the gold areas. After reinsertion everything worked.

Morgan Brewin
5 years ago

I got a iPhone 6 and when I put in my sim it comes up with either searching or no service Ive reset the network settings and everything. Please help

Clive Ford
5 years ago

hi there my iphone 4s is not registering simcard im on the activation screen of the iphone wont let me go further than sim required i have sim card in there but it has not got a connection

Carole Cottle
5 years ago

Thank you! I removed the SIM card (by following your link “exact location of the SIM tray on every iPhone model” ), and put it back in and voil! The “no service” message has been replaced with the carrier! Thanks for helping!

Mark Snodgrass
5 years ago

Awesome article! Thanks for the help. the SIM card cleaning did the trick. Thank you!!