How to Swap SIM Cards

This wikiHow teaches you how to insert a new SIM card into your iPhone or Android phone. The SIM card helps the phone connect to a specific carrier, such as Viettel, Mobiphone or Vinaphone. To use a new carrier SIM card that is different from the current one, your phone must be network unlocked.

Table of Contents

Prepare to change SIM

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Check if the phone is unlocked . Many phones are “network locked”, meaning we won’t be able to use the device with another carrier’s SIM card.

You can unlock your iPhone or Android phone if you qualify (this is carrier-specific).
If your phone is unlocked, you should be able to insert another carrier’s SIM card to use it.

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Buy a new SIM card. SIM cards from carriers (such as Viettel, Mobiphone, Vinaphone) are usually sold at their respective transaction centers, most phone shops, and online.

Most phones only accept a certain size of SIM card, so you need to check this before you buy a SIM.
If you’re not sure what type of SIM card you’re using, take your phone to your carrier’s store and have a staff check it out. They can even insert a SIM card for you!

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Power off the phone. It is important that the phone is powered off before removing the SIM card:

With iPhone – Hold down the Lock button on the side of the phone, then swipe the slide to power off switch to the right when prompted.
With Android – Hold down the power button on the side of the phone, then tap Power off when prompted.

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Remove the phone case. If your phone has an outer case, you’ll need to remove it first to find the SIM tray because the SIM tray is built directly into the phone’s chassis.

On iPhone

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Find the SIM tray. On any active iPhone, the SIM tray is located below the Lock button on the right side of the phone; You will see a thin oval-shaped tray with a small hole at the top.

To get the SIM card on the iPad, you need to find the SIM tray on the bottom right edge of the device, but the iPad 3 and 4 will have a SIM tray located near the top left corner.

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Take out the SIM tray. Insert a straight paper clip, needle, or similar sharp object into the hole near the bottom edge of the SIM tray, and then push it in slowly until the tray pops out.

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Remove the old SIM card from the tray. Gently remove the SIM card from the tray, or you can turn the tray over so that the SIM card falls onto a soft surface (such as a towel).

Avoid touching the yellow connector on the bottom of the SIM card.

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Insert the new SIM card into the tray. The SIM card will only fit in one orientation on the tray: the cornered edge of the card is towards the upper-right corner of the tray.

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Reinsert the SIM tray into the phone. You will hear a click when the SIM tray snaps into place, then the back of the tray will connect to the phone case.

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Power on iPhone. Press the Lock button to open. After your iPhone restarts, you may be asked to enter your Apple ID password.

If your phone has a SIM PIN set, you’ll need to enter it before you can use the new carrier.

On Android

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Find the SIM slot on your Android device. SIM slots on Android phones are located in different locations depending on the manufacturer, so it’s best to research the specific model to identify the SIM slot. Common locations include:

On Samsung – At the edge on the phone.
On Huawei – On the bottom right or bottom left edge of the phone.
On LG – On the top, left or right edge of the phone. Some LG phones, such as the G4, have the SIM card hidden under the memory card, below the battery behind the back of the case.

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Remove the battery if necessary. If your Android device requires taking out the battery to get the SIM, remove the back cover and gently pry the battery out.

The SIM card may be hidden under the memory card behind the phone case.

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Take out the SIM tray. Insert a straight paper clip, needle, or similar sharp object into the hole near the bottom of the SIM tray, and then push it in slowly until the tray pops out.

If the SIM tray is on the back of the phone, gently push the SIM card out of the slot with your fingernails.
If there is no hole near the bottom edge of the SIM tray, try pressing the SIM tray into the phone and then releasing it so that the tray pops out.

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Remove the old SIM card from the tray. Gently remove the SIM card from the tray, or you can turn the tray over so that the SIM card falls onto a soft surface (such as a towel).

Avoid touching the yellow connector on the bottom of the SIM card.

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Insert the new SIM card into the tray. The SIM card will only fit in one orientation on the tray: the cornered edge of the card is towards the upper-right corner of the tray.

You should consult your specific phone’s manual or online documentation if you encounter any details other than those described above.

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Reinsert the SIM tray into the phone. You will hear a click when the SIM tray snaps into place, then the back of the tray will connect to the phone case.

If the SIM tray is below the battery, it will lock into place after it is placed deep enough.
For phones with internal SIMs, you’ll need to reinsert the battery (and sometimes the memory card) into the back of the phone before proceeding.

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Power on the phone. Press the power button to open. Your phone will automatically work with your carrier, but you may need to enter your password or SIM PIN (if you’ve set it up) before you can start using it.

Advice

Some Android phones allow 2 different SIM cards to be inserted, so you’ll be able to switch between the two numbers without having to change phones or SIM cards.

Warning

If you’re not eligible for carrier unlock, you won’t be able to unlock the network.

Steps

Prepare to change SIM

On iPhone

On Android

Advice

Warning

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