Just now I made a stupid mistake: I changed the SIM cards in my iPhone and my new Galaxy S3 to test if the Galaxy was SIM card locked (it wasn’t). But after putting the original card back into the S3 (just push it in until it clicks), I wasn’t thinking what I was doing when putting the other SIM back into my iPhone. The iPhone has a small tray where you need to put the micro-SIM in, so that it fits (great design Apple…). But because Android phones don’t have a tray I totally forgot about the tray and popped in the SIM without it.
The moment I did it I knew I made a mistake, because it did not click, and I realized I forgot the tray. When I tried to get the SIM out I saw it got stuck and there was no way to get it out. A quick Internet search gave me a lot of solutions (go to the Apple store, use Scotch tape, use a set of tweezers, use a toothpick and even use a vacuum cleaner!). Well, the Apple store is always a last resort solution, so I did not try that. The Scotch tape may work if the SIM is only inserted a little bit, but mine was in way too deep for that to work. The tweezers at home are too thick, just as the toothpicks. And well, the vacuum cleaner I decided not to try…
So then I started thinking, the tray has a few millimeter on each side, so there must be space on both sides of the SIM card. There should be a way to insert something on both sides of the card and then try to pull it out. But what? At that point my eye fell on the paperclip that I had used to get the SIM card tray out (another fantastic Apple design… for some reason people seem to be afraid to criticize Apple, but their products sure have some design/UX flaws). The paperclip fit in next to the SIM card, and when I got a second paperclip it just fit in on the other side! Then I started to pull slowly. At first I did not see any progress, but then I noticed the card had come up a little bit. So I tried again, and again, and again. And finally after about 2 minutes the edge of the SIM card came out. One extra pull with both paper clips and I could use my fingers to get it out! The SIM card was not damaged and it worked fine again.
Why did I post this here? Not because I think any of my regular readers will have this same problem, but more because my blog has a pretty high Google ranking and this problem may be something that others will encounter as well. I hope I can save people who Google the problem some time and expensive trips to the Apple store, where they may need to take your phone apart in order to get the card out (another great Apple design…).
Same mess here. The phone stopped working (wouldn’t start, etc.) and was in a desperate need to find a solution as I was in a hurry to contact someone. Found a link to press Home and Lock button simultaneously for 10-15 seconds, and the phone started. I already had the metal SIM holder out of the phone, and I hurried to place the SIM in the slot, without thinking of the metal holder.
K-Boom! Problem no. 2! I was lucky I had 2 paper clips, so I placed myself lying on the bed with my a** touching the wall and held my phone with my knees (that means I was sort of upside down – legs up, but in a crouched position so I could have the phone near to my eyes – I held it horizontal-ish – imagine a line connecting your two eye-balls -> the phone was parallel with that line). I did that in order to use gravity as a friend. So it turned out I only needed one paper clip and pushed the laterals of the SIM more than 5 times per side and it eventually fell a little more out of the slot and was able to get it out with my freshly cut nails (I’m a man). That was a bit of a struggle too, but didn’t want to push it back again.
Very dumb thing to do! Getting things done in a hurry seems to lead to other problems.. At least I ended up with a good story for a good laugh while having a beer with my bros.
Hey, just read Nik’s post!
“Nik | March 25th, 2013 at 10:33 pm
commenter
Thanks dude!!. The trick wrked for me!!.. Instead of paperclips, i used the sim card eject pin provided by apple itself!!..”
I’m ashamed to say I didn’t think about that, and I’m an engineer! 🙁 Did that actually work? ‘Cause I’m sure as hell I won’t be trying that again! 🙂
Thanks everyone!
To the moderator: Perhaps Nik’s method is actually the fastest and most logical… Maybe you should include it in your post above next to a bold text that says: “SOLUTION” right at the beginning.
Just a suggestion! Thanks!
OMG!!! I honestly cannot believe that I nearly completely screwed my new iphone up by pushing the sim in without the holder!!!! Kind of glad that I am not the only person who has done it…!!!! Got it it out with a very thin sewing needle in the end but at one point I thought it was going to go in so far that I couldn’t eve see it!!! I have no idea why I did it…!!! STB!!!
Yup, I’m an idiot too, I inserted without tray! Thank you so much for the paperclip rescue. Your awesome!
LEGEND!!!
Thanks 🙂
The paperclips didn’t work so much for me, it only advanced to where the Sim card was a milimeter away from the edge of the surface. iGZNJSDGNKLeZSKVSDJgnz.
I’ve gotton mine stuck in an iphone 3 and I can’t even see the sim card, I have used a bobby pin but I can’t get it, and I don’t have a paper clip, is there anything else I could use?
Thanks man!! I didn’t know what to do but your stuff worked
Ik las net dat je een nederlander bent. Nogmaals bedankt trucje heeft gewerkt en je helpt zoveel mensen ermee. Groetjes
I stupidly put my sim card into my iPad without the tray pls help
Thanks for the tip on how to get the SIM card out that I put in with no tray. Worked great!
i used the sim tray pin that comes with the iphone – the pointy end is slim enough to slide down the sides and then work on each side gently it will eventually push the sim card so that you can reach it with a pair of pointy tweezers
This is the best, most useful blog I’ve read! On my new iPhone I managed to get the SIM card stuck and thanks to this post I was able to get it back out! Tip for anyone else though; don’t poke around with it once its stuck, focus on easy, safe ways on how to get it out. My sim is scratched and I’m in need of a new one now.
THANK YOU! Oh, my stars! I thought I had killed my phone.
thank you for thinking of others… I googled how to do this and found your page.! worked and saved me a trip to the apple store with 2 babies.. much appreciated
THANK YOU!!!! Just did the same and used your idea – took about 10 seconds!I cannot thank you enough
Well Google is really a great place for tips like this…Believe it or not, I had almost the same thing happen to me except it was just putting a SIM into my iPhone-4-S. I had someone showing me how and did just that. I promise, I worked on getting this thing out for Hours, an since it is a company phone, I didn’t want to call it to anyone’s attention for being so careless. I mean I did every one of those things you mentioned but in addition, I took the back off and tried to access it from there, No Luck! Even removed about 8 of the t-tinny screws and couldn’t get to it. I thought about using paper clips but there are electronics in there and I was afraid of cross circuiting and burning the whole thing up. I Googled it and looked at a bunch of videos but none gave me a good tip until yours popped up. Less than one minute after bending some paper clips just so, the SIM was out…Thanks a bunch for this tip. I recommend just a slight modification to the paper clip, bend an 8th of an inch slight bend to assist with grabbing it, worked like a $100 tool. Again Thanks
after much spousal derision for even trying the paperclip…worked in about 3.5 seconds
note it needs to be a long paperclip to work
Thankyou so much, loaned my phone, returned without the sim tray, neighbour having problems with her phone – she put her sim in with of course no tray. The two paper clips worked fine. Now need to by a tray for sim card. Thanks Beth Tasmania Australia
thanks mate,
youve saved me a trip to apple, and a few quid inot the bargain,
cheers
Thank you so very much! I just did this not realizing it wouldn’t come out and frantically went straight to google and your page popped up right away!
Thanks for this! Had my phone less than an hour and was just about to run back to the store to make them deal with it or replace it. I didn’t have paperclips but cake testers are thin and flexible and it took very little time to get it out with one.
🙂
Thanks! It worked for me. Used a thin knife to lift the card up behind a blocking edge in the slot.
Thanks 🙂 Although I managed to sort of reef it out with one. Once a small bit was outside I got it with a fingernail.
Thank you for this suggestion, worked perfectly:)
Everyone loves it when people get together and share views.
Great site, continue the good work!
So glad I found this! I used 2 straightened out hair clips… same method though! They have a nobble at the end which helps to grip.
Thank you!
What a big relief. Experience the same trouble and followed your tips. Thanks a lot.
That trick just save me! Just before christmas, I had screwed that stupid Sim tray with the Sim in it without the drawer! I use a regular paper clip, forget the tool provide with the phone, just use the normal small paper clip then pull it from one side, it will turn then will show up a bit, then you may use your nail to finish the job!
Phew… man !! Got it out now! YES!!!
Dude you saved my life …. I did this to my wife’s iPhone. Thanks a ton for this post!
Thank you soo much! You’ve made my Christmas.
I used a pair of pliers to bend the tip of the paperclip into a small L shape and it pulled right out.
Thankyou so much , just got the new i phone of my son for christmas . P ut the card in without the tray , nearly having a break down trying to get it out like you nothing would work . Followed your instructoins and yes its work , cant thak you enough
I was in a similar situation and tried a few different things that did not work then I used Google and came across this article. Great tips and advice. I managed to get mine out with a paperclip. Thank you so much.
I got my iPhone on Saturday and have just done this, I felt sick thinking I’d broke it! It was pushed right down as well but I managed to get it out using the end of an ear-ring, came out within seconds!
I made the same mistake earlier. Thank you for the advice. The metal paper clip did the trick! 🙂
This massively helped! Thanks so much!!!
Thanks! I probably damaged the sim car with tweezers, but the paper clip got it out in 10 seconds. I’m so used to android phones, which do not need a sim card tray.
Could someone give me adivce on how to do it as I’ve tried so hard but it won’t work
Thanks. I ended up using one bobby pin and the apple key that comes with the iphone. The key is sturdier (less bendy) than pins or paperclips, giving just the right effect.
Thanks.
Thankyou. Worked like a charm and it was really really stuck way down too!
Thanks so much got it out
I used a paper pin,made a very small bent at the pointed end with the help of a plier and inserted it very next to the sim,reached the inside end of the sim,hooked it and pulled it out.Don’t forget to power off before inserting the pin.
thanks a lot dude , it really helped ..i was so freaked out!!! But just as u said it came out in just 2 mins from one corner … i had been trying since an hour !!! 🙁 .. Thanks again !!!
Just done this in my iPhone 3G. Tried a chewed DSi Stylus, just broke the case and pushed the sim card in even more. Will try tweesers and paperclip. I thought my phone was a goner
THANK U SO MUCH I JUST DID THIS TO MY IPHONE 5 S U A ED MY LIFE
Saved my bacon. After struggling with the phone company for three days on other issues my new phone arrived and I like a dumb dumb shoved the sim card in with out the tray THEN shoved it in all the way with the tray!!
Googled my issue and your blog popped up! Thank you SO SO SO SO SO much..I won’t be on an episode of Snapped because of you!!
Also only took about a minute. 🙂
Genius!! (worked on my Droid too)
Thx the paper clip trick worked like a charm for me.