You insert a Sim card on your iPhone, then a pop-up appears on the screen saying “SIM Not Supported.” Now you can’t make phone calls, send texts, or use cellular data. In this article, I’ll explain why it says SIM Not Supported on your iPhone and show you how to fix the problem for good!
Why Is My iPhone SIM Not Supported?
An iPhone usually says a SIM is not supported because your iPhone is locked to your carrier. This means you can’t insert a SIM card from a different carrier if you switch.
To check if your iPhone is locked, open Settings and tap General -> About -> Carrier Lock. An unlocked iPhone will say No SIM Restrictions.
If you don’t see this option, or if it says something else, contact your carrier and request an unlock. After you submit the request, it might take a few days to complete. Contact your carrier to check the status of your request.
How To Fix The SIM Not Supported Error On iPhone
Though the situation described above may apply to many of you, it won’t apply to everyone. It’s unlikely, but you may be experiencing a software problem instead. Follow the steps below to troubleshoot the problem.
Restart Your iPhone
The first thing to try when your iPhone says Invalid SIM is to restart your phone. Restart means turning your iPhone off and back on. By turning your iPhone off and back on, we allow it to shut down all of its programs naturally. They’ll have a fresh when you turn it back on.
To begin turning off an iPhone without Face ID, press and hold the power button until slide to power off appears. If your iPhone has Face ID, press and hold the side button as well as either volume button. Swipe the red power icon from left to right to shut down your iPhone.
Wait a few seconds, then press and hold down the power button or side button to turn your iPhone back on.
Update Your iPhone
Your iPhone could also be saying SIM not supported because it’s software is out of date. Thankfully, it’s possible that Apple has already released an iOS update to fix the problem.
To check for an iOS update, go to Settings -> General -> Software Update. If an update is available, tap Download & Install.
Eject and Reinsert Your SIM Card
So far, we’ve worked through a lot of iPhone troubleshooting steps. Now, let’s take a look at the SIM card.
If you recently dropped your iPhone, the SIM card may have been knocked out of place. Try ejecting the SIM card from your iPhone, then putting it back in.
Use a SIM card ejector tool or a paper clip and press down in the small circle on the SIM card tray. You’ll have to apply a fair bit of pressure to get the tray to actually eject.
Make sure the SIM card is properly positioned in the tray and reinsert it. If it still says SIM not supported on iPhone, move onto our next SIM card troubleshooting step.
Try A Different SIM Card
This step will help us determine whether you’re dealing with an iPhone issue or a SIM card issue. Borrow a friend’s SIM card and insert it into your iPhone. Does it still say SIM not supported?
If your iPhone says SIM not supported, you’re experiencing an issue with your iPhone specifically. If the problem went away after you inserted a different SIM card, then there’s a problem with your SIM card, not your iPhone.
If your iPhone is causing the SIM not supported problem, move onto the next step. If there’s a problem with your SIM card, contact your wireless carrier.
Reset Network Settings
Your iPhone’s network settings includes all of its Cellular, Wi-Fi, APN, and VPN settings. Your iPhone may say SIM not supported if there’s software error within the cellular settings. Unfortunately, these problems can be difficult to track down, so we have to reset all of your iPhone’s network settings.
Pro-tip: Make sure you write down all of your Wi-Fi passwords before resetting network settings. You’ll have to reenter them after resetting your iPhone.
To reset your iPhone’s network settings, go to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset Network Settings. You’ll have to enter your iPhone passcode, then confirm the reset.
Contact Your Wireless Carrier Or Apple
If it still says SIM not supported on your iPhone after you’ve reset the network settings, it’s time to contact your wireless carrier or visit your local Apple Store.
With SIM card issues, we recommend going to your wireless carrier first. It’s more likely that they’ll be able to help you fix the SIM not supported problem. You may only need a new SIM card!
Visit your wireless carrier’s retail store or call their customer support phone number to get in touch with a representative.
iPhone SIM Now Supported!
Your iPhone SIM card is now supported and you can continue making phone calls and using cellular data. Next time it says SIM Not Supported on your iPhone, you’ll know how to fix the problem. If you have any other questions about your iPhone or your SIM card, leave a comment down below!