How to Fix iPhone Saying No SIM: 5 Useful Ways

When you find no SIM available on iPhone, just use 5 ways below to easily solve the problem. And the professional FoneTool will help you fix it efficiently!

Kathy by Kathy Updated September 6, 2024
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My iPhone says no SIM card.

Hi. My phone says no SIM card. I cannot send nor retrieve phone calls nor messages. How do I rectify this?

- Question from Apple Community

When you need to make calls or send messages, having a SIM card in your iPhone is essential. However, sometimes you might receive a notification saying "No SIM Card Installed." This can be quite frustrating, but don't worry—this article will guide you on how to quickly solve this issue.

no sim card iphone

Why is my iPhone saying I have no SIM when I do?

When you encounter a “No SIM” alert or a similar notification on your iPhone, it indicates an issue with your SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. The SIM is a small plastic chip that fits into your device, storing essential data and enabling you to make calls and access mobile internet, among other functions.

If your iPhone displays “No SIM,” the problem could be due to a damaged or dirty SIM card, software glitches, or the need to update your carrier settings.

How to fix iPhone saying No SIM

Here we offer some useful ways to help you. Hope you can fix the issue right now!

Solution 1. Restart the iPhone

When the issue occurs, you can try to restart your device first.

For iPhone X or later: Press and hold either volume button and the side button simultaneously until the power-off slider appears > Drag the power-off slider to the right to turn off your device.

restart iPhone

For iPhone 6/7/8 or SE(2nd or 3rd generation): Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears on the screen > Drag the slider to the right to power off your iPhone.

For iPhone SE (1st generation), 5, or earlier: Press and hold the top button > When the power-off slider appears, drag the slider to turn off the device.

After that, press and hold the side/top button until you see the Apple logo to turn on your iPhone. Then you can check your SIM to see if the problem is solved.

Solution 2. Update software

If your iOS system is outdated, your iPhone can always cause various iPhone issues, so you can update the software on iPhone to try to fix it. Just go to Settings > General > Choose Software Update. If there is any update available, click Download and Install to make it.

update software

Tip: If your iPhone can't finish the process, find solutions in this Fix iPhone/iPad Unable to Check for Update guide.

Solution 3. Check the SIM card and tray

If your iPhone is updated, take a moment to examine the SIM card and the card slot for any dirt or damage. Ensure that the SIM is properly aligned when you place it back in the tray.

Step 1. If the SIM card is dirty, carefully clean it by wiping it with a microfiber cloth or a cotton swab moistened with a 50/50 mixture of water and alcohol. Allow it to dry completely before reinserting it into the tray.

Step 2. If the SIM card is not correctly seated, follow the steps to remove and reinsert it properly.

Step 3. If your SIM card is damaged, reach out to your carrier for a replacement.

Step 4. If the tray is damaged, you will need to have your iPhone repaired.

Once the process is finished, you can check for the carrier settings: Go to Settings > General > About. If there’s an available update, follow the prompts to proceed with the update.

Solution 4. Contact your carrier

If your issue is still unresolved, please contact your wireless carrier to confirm that you have an active plan. Additionally, if your device uses an eSIM instead of a physical SIM card, you will need to reach out to your carrier to address any error messages.

Solution 5. Factory reset your iPhone

If all ways can't work, you may need to use the professional iPhone eraser - FoneTool to help you reset your iPhone to factory settings.

With this handy tool, you can have a completely different and enjoyable experience.

yes Delete documents and data on iPhone in one click, like photos, videos, music, messages, etc.
yes Deep erase technology ensures all your deleted data can not be recovered anymore. 
yes You can selectively or fully back up your iPhone data to PC before the erasing.
yes FoneTool works well with various iOS devices and iOS versions, even the latest ones.

Now you can download it on your Windows PC and learn how to reset iPhone to fix the issue.

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enlightened Note: This way will erase all the data on iPhone, if there is any important data you need to back up, you can go to Phone Backup and choose Full Backup to back up all your iPhone data first.

Step 1. Launch FoneTool on your PC > Connect your iPhone to the computer with the USB cable > If asks, tap Trust on your iPhone.

Step 2. Go to Toolbox > choose Data Eraser.

choose data eraser

Step 3. Click Erase private data > Choose Get Started.

erase all data

Step 4. Tap each icon that needs to be erased and check Enable Deep Erase Technology if you want them unrecoverable, then click Start Erase.

start erase iPhone data

Once the process is finished, the iPhone says no SIM SOS only issue might be fixed. Then you can go to My Backups to restore your iPhone data in one click.

Conclusion

When you encounter the no SIM available on iPhone issue, just use the 5 ways above to solve the problem. If you need to factory reset your iPhone to fix the issue, the professional FoneTool will be your nice choice. You can use it to easily wipe all iPhone data.

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