All iPhones and iPads with cellular have a slot on their sides that houses the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card provided by your mobile carrier. The SIM card enables your device to access the carrier's network and use voice and data services. If you plan to switch mobile network carriers or have upgraded to a new iPhone, you'll need to remove the SIM card. Keep reading to learn how.

iphone SIM remove

What You'll Need

To remove the SIM card in your ‌iPhone‌ or iPad, you'll need the SIM eject tool that Apple includes in the device's box. If you don't have one, you can use a regular paper clip. Simply straighten the outer end of the paper clip so that it's longer and points away from the rest of the metal. The picture provides an example.

bentpaperclip

The SIM Card Slot Location on iPhone

Since the iPhone 4, Apple has generally kept the SIM card slot in the same place on the handset on successive generations. You can find it on the right side of the phone, on the side opposite the mute switch and volume buttons. On the ‌iPhone‌ XR, Apple moved the slot further down but it's still on the same side.

iphonesimcardifixit

Image credit: iFixit

If you have an original iPhone, iPhone 3G, or iPhone 3GS, the SIM card slot is on the top of the handset in between the headphone jack and the power button.

The SIM Card Slot Location on iPads With Cellular

The SIM card slot has switched location a few times on cellular ‌iPad‌ generations, so checking which model you have should help you find it.

On the original iPad, it can be found towards the middle of the left side of the ‌iPad‌, opposite the side where the mute switch and volume buttons are located.

ipad 2 sim tray
On the iPad 2/3/4, it's on the left side of the ‌iPad‌, near the top, opposite the side where the mute switch and volume buttons are located.

On all generations of iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini you can find the SIM slot on the bottom right side of the device, on the same side as the mute switch and volume buttons.

How to Remove the SIM Card from an iPhone or iPad

  1. Insert the SIM eject tool or your bent paperclip into the small pinhole opening in the SIM card slot.
  2. Apply light pressure until the SIM tray pops out slightly.
  3. Using your thumb and finger, gently pull out the SIM tray from the slot.
  4. Place your SIM card in the tray. If you're swapping SIM cards, remove the existing SIM from the tray and replace it with the new one. Make sure that the grooved corner of the SIM card aligns with the one in the frame of the tray to ensure correct orientation.
  5. Carefully re-insert the SIM tray back into the slot. It only goes in one way, so make sure you orient it correctly by lining up the pinhole.

Never force the SIM tray back in the slot, otherwise you risk damaging the internal contacts on the logic board of your iOS device. If the tray won't go back in, remove it, take out the SIM card, then re-insert the card again while taking extra care to get the orientation right. If you're having difficulty ejecting or re-inserting the SIM tray, take your device to your carrier or an Apple Store for help.

Popular Stories

cook trump

Trump Responds to Apple Keeping Diversity Policies

Wednesday February 26, 2025 6:32 am PST by
In an all-caps post on Truth Social today, U.S. President Donald Trump said Apple should fully end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Tim Cook meeting with President Trump in 2017 "APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM," he wrote. Trump's post comes one day after Apple held its annual shareholders meeting, during which a majority of...
apple watch ultra snow

6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:00 am PST by
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way. By the time the ...
iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.4 Will Be Released in April With These New Features

Wednesday February 26, 2025 7:15 am PST by
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April. From the Apple News+ Food announcement:Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Has No Visible Display Crease – Report

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:58 am PST by
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices. According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed...
trump iphone dictation issue

Apple Fixing 'Trump' Dictation Processing Bug

Tuesday February 25, 2025 1:18 pm PST by
Multiple iPhone owners today noticed a pronunciation processing issue that causes the word "Trump" to momentarily show up when using dictation to send a message with the word "racist." In some cases, when speaking the word racist through the iPhone's built-in dictation feature, the iPhone briefly interprets the spoken word as "Trump" and "Trump" text shows up in the Messages app before being ...
airtag orange

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch in May or June With These New Features

Monday February 24, 2025 6:11 am PST by
Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timeframe. Below, we recap three new features rumored for the AirTag 2: With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the...
airpods pro purple

Here's When AirPods Pro 3 Are Rumored to Launch

Monday February 24, 2025 9:14 am PST by
According to a post on X today from a leaker known as Kosutami, Apple plans to launch AirPods Pro 3 in May or June this year. The leaker also claimed that an AirTag 2 will launch around the same time. Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, they accurately...
ios 18 4 carplay

iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay

Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay. As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...