To remove a SIM card from an iPhone, find the small tray on the side of the phone, push the SIM eject tool (or a straightened paper clip) into the tiny hole next to it until the tray pops out, then pull the tray out and lift the SIM card off it. On iPhone 12 and later the tray is on the left side; on iPhone 11 and earlier, and on iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation), it’s on the right.
Some iPhones have no SIM tray at all. iPhone 14 and later models sold in the United States, and iPhone Air everywhere, use eSIM only, so there’s no card to remove. If that’s your phone, skip to what to do on an eSIM-only iPhone.
Where is the SIM tray on my iPhone?
This table follows Apple’s iPhone identification guide, which lists the tray position for every model. Not sure which model you have? Check Settings > General > About > Model Name.
| iPhone model | SIM tray |
|---|---|
| iPhone Air | None (eSIM only, all countries) |
| iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max | None in the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; left side elsewhere |
| iPhone 14, 15 and 16 series, iPhone 16e | None on US models; left side elsewhere |
| iPhone 12 and 13 series (including mini) | Left side |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Right side |
| iPhone 11 series, XS, XS Max, XR, X, 8, 8 Plus | Right side |
How to remove the SIM card
You’ll need the SIM eject tool that came in the box, or a small paper clip. Don’t use a pin with a sharp point or a toothpick, which can snap off inside the hole.
- Turn off your iPhone. It isn’t strictly required, but it avoids error messages and is kinder to the SIM contacts. Our guide to turning off any iPhone model shows the button combination.
- Find the SIM tray on the side of the phone (see the table above). It’s a thin outlined slot with a tiny hole at one end.
- Push the eject tool straight into the hole. Press firmly but gently until the tray pops out a few millimeters.
- Pull the tray straight out with your fingers.
- Lift the SIM card out of the tray. Note the notched corner; it only fits one way.
- Slide the empty tray (or the tray with a new SIM) back in, the same way round it came out, until it clicks flush with the frame.
Note: The tray is shaped to fit only your model. If you’re moving a SIM between two iPhones, move just the card, never the tray.
How to activate a new SIM card after you insert it
For most people there’s nothing extra to do. Apple’s carrier unlock article sums it up: remove the old SIM, insert the new one, and your iPhone activates.
- Put the new SIM in the tray with the notched corner lined up, and push the tray in.
- Turn on the iPhone and unlock it. Within a minute or so, your carrier’s name and signal bars should appear at the top of the screen.
- If you see a Carrier Settings Update message, tap Update.
- If the SIM has a PIN, enter it when asked. Your carrier provides the default PIN.
- Make a test call and load a web page with Wi-Fi off to confirm calls and data work.
If your iPhone has two lines (a SIM and an eSIM), you may be asked which line to use for calls, messages and cellular data. You can change that later in Settings > Cellular.
“No SIM” or “Invalid SIM” after swapping cards
Work through these, based on Apple’s steps for Invalid SIM and No SIM alerts:
- Check the iPhone isn’t carrier locked. Go to Settings > General > About. If Carrier Lock says No SIM restrictions, the phone accepts any carrier’s SIM. Anything else means you need to ask the original carrier to unlock it.
- Make sure the plan is active. A brand-new SIM may need to be activated on the carrier’s website or app first.
- Restart the iPhone.
- Check for a carrier settings update in Settings > General > About; a prompt appears if one is available.
- Reseat the card. Remove the SIM, check it’s flat in the tray, and push the tray in until it closes completely.
- Test another SIM, or visit the carrier’s store to have the card checked or replaced.
What to do on an eSIM-only iPhone
If there’s no tray on the side of your phone, your number lives on an eSIM. You “remove” or move it in Settings instead:
- Moving to a new iPhone: follow our guide to transferring an eSIM to a new iPhone; Quick Start usually offers it during setup.
- Deleting a line you no longer use: see how to remove an eSIM. Deleting an eSIM doesn’t cancel your plan with the carrier.
- Adding a new carrier or travel plan: see setting up an eSIM.
On models that have a tray, you can also convert a physical SIM to an eSIM in Settings > Cellular if your carrier supports it. Tap your line, then look for Convert to eSIM.
Common questions
Can I remove the SIM card without the eject tool?
Yes. A standard paper clip, unbent so one end is straight, fits the hole. Avoid anything that could break off inside.
Will I lose contacts or photos if I take the SIM out?
No. iPhones store contacts, photos and messages on the phone and in iCloud, not on the SIM card. Only the phone number and carrier connection go with the card.
What size SIM does an iPhone use?
Every iPhone with a tray since iPhone 5 uses a nano-SIM. If your carrier sent a card with larger punch-out sizes, press out the smallest one.
Matthew Roberts is the founder and editor of ARS Digitech. He started the site to answer the iPhone questions his friends and family kept asking him, and it has grown into a library of iPhone and iOS how-to guides. Matthew writes and maintains every tutorial on the site, checking steps and menu names against Apple’s official support documentation and updating guides when an iOS release moves a setting.