Are you changing companies and don’t know how to change the physical SIM card on an iPhone? Here we tell you everything you need to know about it
Unless you’re reading this from the US, this article may not be of interest to you if you already own an iPhone 14 or later, as these no longer include physical SIM cards but rather eSIMs that we also teach you how to set up and use. Otherwise, In USA and other countries around the world, using our iPhone with a SIM card is still normal. If you are considering changing carriers or have moved to another country and want to change your card, Here we show you how to change the SIM card on your iPhone..
Remove and change your iPhone’s SIM card
You will need the SIM card eject tool provided in your iPhone box. If you don’t have it, don’t worry, you can get a small paper clip and use one end of it. The following instructions are valid for any iPhone using a nano-SIM card, i.e. iPhone 5, 5c, 5s and later.
Eject SIM Tray on iPhone
- Locate the SIM tray whether left or right side (see list of devices below)
- Pon pay attention to the SIM tray hole
- Insert the eject tool or the tip of the clip in the hole
- Push it firmly towards the iPhone until the tray opens
- Carefully remove the small tray and remove sim card
- Place the new SIM card by placing it correctlycheck the notch that is on both the tray and the card; it should show the chip facing up and its logo below
- Now it’s time to return the board in the same orientation as when it was released
- Press to secure the tray
Place the new SIM card into the iPhone tray
iPhone SIM drawer on the left side
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone SIM drawer on the right side
iPhone SIM drawer on the right
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone SE (1st, 2nd and 3rd generation)
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 5c
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 4s
- iPhone 4 (GSM model)
SIM drawer on an iPhone with home button
What happens if I can’t remove the SIM card from the iPhone?
Apple recommends that If you have any problems removing the SIM tray from your iPhone, you should take it to an Apple St ore, authorized reseller, or your trusted carrier.
Stop using a physical SIM and convert it to an eSIM
Movistar and O2 now allow you to quickly change your SIM for an eSIM from the iPhone
Depending on your operator, Movistar and O2 allow you to do this, you can convert your physical SIM card to eSIM from a second-generation iPhone SE and later, through an iPhone XR, XS and later, up to the current iPhone 16 Pro Max.
- Go to Settings (Settings) then Mobile data
- Press Configure mobile data or on the Add eSIM button.
- Select mobile number then press Convert to eSIM
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the procedure
There is an important note regarding iPhones that allow you to convert a physical SIM card to an eSIM. iPhones purchased in China do not support this featureso if you bought an iPhone sold in China you will not be able to perform this last procedure.
This may be because currently in this country it is possible to use two nano-SIMs of the iPhone XR, XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and later. Because they can carry two cards, the SIM tray is longer than normal, so if you come across one of these models, be very careful not to break it.
It doesn’t hurt reminds you and reiterates that iPhone 14 and later models purchased in the United States no longer have the physical card option. If you, a friend or a family member are traveling to this corner of the world soon and are planning to buy an iPhone to save a few dollars, keep this in mind. If you have any further questions about the process, be sure to watch the Apple Support YouTube video.
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