How to Fix “No SIM Card Detected” Error on Android and iPhone

There are various reasons your Android or iOS device won’t read its SIM card. Some possible causes include incorrectly inserting the SIM card and your device experiencing a software issue. Whatever the reason, if your phone says “No SIM card detected,” you’ll need to find a solution fast if you want to keep using the device to place phone calls. This guide offers solutions for when your phone can’t detect the SIM card.

Good to know: if you’re plagued by the “SIM not provisioned MM 2” error instead, learn what to do.

1. Reboot or Shut Down Your Phone

If what’s causing your SIM card error is a software issue, sometimes a simple reboot is all it takes to fix the problem.

Android

Press and hold the power button until the pop-up window appears with the Reboot option. Tap on it to restart the phone.

This alone may solve the issue, but if it doesn’t make the no SIM error go away, try to shut down your phone by pressing Power off. Wait 30 seconds, then start it up again.

If this fixes your problem, stick to shutting down, then switching on your phone instead of rebooting until an Android update or carrier settings update gets released to fix the problem.

iOS

If you have an iPhone 6, 7, 8, or SE (2nd and 3rd generation), hold down the power button until you see the Slide to power off message. To turn off your iPhone, move your finger from left to right across the slider. When the phone switches off, press and hold the power button to switch the iPhone on again.

To bring up the Slide to power off screen on an iPhone X and up, press and hold the power button and either volume button.

2. Remove the SIM Card and Battery

Another simple fix is removing the battery (if it is removable) and SIM card from the SIM card tray. Before you do this, make sure you’ve turned your device off. Once you’ve removed everything, wait for about one minute, then reinsert everything.

Dropping your phone is common, but even if it didn’t suffer any damage, the SIM card could have moved out of place. A cheap method many have tried is adding paper or tape to get a tighter fit. That usually makes the SIM card fit tightly and resolves the problem.

Also look for slightly bent or misaligned SIM trays. Even a small deviation can cause the SIM card to not properly connect to the internal contacts of your SIM tray.

Tip: in the market for a new 5G phone? These models are worthy of your attention.

3. Clean the SIM Card

Over time, dust, debris and other particles can accumulate on the SIM card or inside the SIM card slot. This may interfere with the proper connection between the SIM card and the phone’s hardware, leading to detection issues. In other cases, corrosion on the SIM card’s metal contacts or the SIM card slot can result in the phone not recognizing the SIM card. Cleaning can enhance the contact between the phone’s components and eliminate the error.

Remove the SIM from the phone after turning it off, and gently wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth. Also use it to delicately clean the SIM card slot. Blow into the SIM card to remove dust, or use a can of compressed air. Avoid using liquids for the cleaning process. When you’re satisfied, you can reinsert the card, and turn on the phone to check whether the error still appears.

4. Insert the SIM Card in Another Phone

To verify that your SIM card is functional, insert it into another phone to see whether it can connect to your network. Use a spare phone you have lying around the house, or if none are available, ask a family member or friend to lend you theirs for a short period of time. If the SIM works on the new device, there may be something wrong with your phone – either with the software or hardware.

If the SIM doesn’t work, and you’ll need to replace your SIM. If your phone can’t detect the replacement SIM card, and you are confident that there is no physical damage to your phone, the tray, or the SIM, then it’s highly likely that your phone has a software issue.

5. Airplane Mode Solution

If you’ve tried all of the above basic fixes, and you’re sure that the SIM card is not to blame, it’s time to try the Airplane Mode solution. Swipe down from the top of your display (once or twice, depending on where you’ve placed the icon), and turn it on.

Depending on the Android version you have, you may or may not get a warning message when turning Airplane Mode on. Enable it and leave it on for about 30 seconds or so. When you turn it off, your device will start looking for a network, and hopefully, the SIM card error will be fixed.

On an iPhone, swipe down from the upper-right corner to see whether Airplane Mode is activated.

FYI: did you delete some phone numbers by mistake on Android? Learn how to recover them.

6. Turn Your SIM Card On (Android)

Another simple solution to the SIM error in more recent Android versions is to see whether your SIM card is switched on.

To do this, go to Settings -> Wi-Fi & Network -> SIM & Network -> SIM, and make sure your SIM is turned on. Depending on your phone’s brand and model, some settings may not be available in the same locations, as discussed below. For example, you may have to navigate to SIM cards & Mobile Networks instead of the path above.

If you have a dual-SIM setup, this is also the screen where you can make sure that the SIM card you want to use is switched on.

7. Change the Preferred Network Type (Android)

Switching the network type is another method you can try to solve the SIM card not detected error.

Go to Settings ->Wi-Fi & Network -> SIM & Network -> Preferred network type, and choose the first option. In our case, it’s 2G/3G/4G (Automatic). On other models, you may see the LTE (recommended) option instead.

Tip: learn how to set a metered Wi-Fi connection on Android to have better control of your data usage.

8. Choose the Correct Network Operator

If the network operator you’re with is not the one that’s selected in your phone’s device’s settings, you’ll definitely get the SIM card error.

Android

To make sure you have the right one on your Android, go to Settings -> Wi-Fi & Network -> SIM & Network -> SIM 1 (or SIM 2) -> Network operators. Turn the Choose automatically toggle off.

Once your Android device is done searching and displays the results, tap on your carrier.

iOS

For iOS, go to Settings -> Cellular Data -> Network Selection. Turn off the Automatic network selection, and manually select your carrier from the displayed list.

Tip: if your internet connection is unstable or slow, consult our iPhone Wi-Fi not working troubleshooting guide.

9. Enter Your Network APN Settings Manually

If the above methods didn’t work, your SIM card may have completely lost contact with the network it’s supposed to be connecting to. If that’s the case, you may need to manually enter your network operator’s APN (Access Point Name) settings.

Android

On a newer Android device (9.0 Pie onwards), do this by going to Settings -> Wi-Fi & Network -> SIM & Network -> SIM 1 (or SIM 2) -> Access Point Names. Tap the + icon.

At this point, you’ll need to either contact your network provider to get the necessary APN settings or check online to see whether your network provider has published the information on their site. It may also be a good idea to take a screenshot and save your APN settings of your working network to quickly refer to them if you run into trouble again.

iOS

For iOS, request a carrier settings update instead by going to Settings -> General -> About on your iPhone.

If there is an update available, you will see a pop-up asking you to authorize the update. If you don’t see any such pop-up, there is probably no update available. However, you can always contact your network provider to confirm this.

Tip: if your Android apps are not working, try these solutions.

10. Clear SIM Toolkit App Data (Android)

Android phones come with a built-in app called SIM Toolkit for managing functions related to your SIM card. If this app’s data ever becomes corrupted, you may experience the SIM card error. To mitigate the issue, try and reset it.

Remove the SIM card from your phone, then go to Settings -> Apps -> See all apps, and find the SIM Toolkit app in the list. Tap on it.

On the app info page, select the Storage & cache option, tap on Clear cache, then Clear data. Reinsert the SIM card, and turn on your phone.

11. Try Using Your Phone in Safe Mode (Android)

Unfortunately, not every app you install plays nice. Some apps can cause more harm than good, and will cause this error. Boot your device into Safe Mode to attempt to identify a problematic app.

Press the power button until options appear on your display. Long-press Power off (or Restart) until you see Safe Mode windows pop up. Press OK to launch the mode on your device.

Stay in Safe Mode, and see whether you continue to have this problem. If not, try to remember the last few apps you installed and uninstall them. Get out of Safe Mode and see whether you continue to have this problem. Some apps may be hidden on your Android, and this will uncover and uninstall them.

Tip: heard of eSIM but aren’t sure what it’s all about? We explain all about this new technology.

12. Reset Network Settings

If you are not sure which software issue is affecting your device, you can do a network settings reset. Doing this will not erase any data but will reset your network settings to their defaults.

Android

Navigate to Settings -> System -> Reset options. Tap on Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.

Tick the box next to Erase downloaded SIMs if that applies, then press the Reset settings button.

iPhone

Go to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone, press Reset, then tap Reset Network Settings.

Hopefully, one of these solutions will allow your phone to start detecting your SIM card yet again. You may want to change your SIM PIN to increase the security of your Android device. You may find it helpful to learn how to unlock your Android phone from a service provider and enjoy more freedom.

Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.