iPhone 3G "No SIM card installed." Problem Solved

After waiting for 4 hours at my local Apple store, I finally got my iPhone. Like everyone else, I was so excited and hurried home. When I got home, I started to play around with it. When I handled the iPhone, I noticed that the bottom felt hot. Without taking much notice of it, I continued to set it up and try all sorts of interesting things that can be done using this phone.

Then, suddenly the message “No SIM card installed.” popped up, and the phone function stopped working. A simple Google search found this thread, which is extremely helpful. People suggested taking the phone back to AT&T store and getting the SIM card replaced. However, it was late, and the store was closed, so I decided to try out some of the other suggestions to reset the settings.

First, I tried reset the Network settings. This is what I did:

  1. From the main screen, tap Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Reset.
  4. Tap Reset Network Settings.

After resetting Network Settings, my phone wass still not working. I then tried to reset all settings.

  1. From the main screen, tap Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Reset.
  4. Tap Reset All Settings.

To my disappointment, it still didn’t work. Before I called it a day, I reset the network settings again, and it started to work again.

I don’t know if the problem will come back or not. Hopefully, this will fix the problem permanently.

[Update: 7/13/2008]

The dreaded “No SIM card installed” message came back tonight. I took out the SIM card and reseated it several times. I also reset all settings several times again. It is now working again. I think that I still have to eventually get the SIM card replaced at the AT&T store.

[Update: 7/15/2008]

How can you live a day without the SIM card problem?! I experienced the problem again yesterday morning. I noticed a pattern. The problem always occurred right after I took it out of my pocket, and I usually place the iPhone in my pocket upside down. I think the SIM card tends to come loose when the iPhone is upside down.

I have thus changed the way I put the iPhone in my pocket, and I have yet to come across the same problem since yesterday morning. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.


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50 Comments

  1. I had this happen too. I thought it might have stopped seeing the SIM card because the iPhone took a nosedive (first of many I’m sure) off my nightstand onto the floor. I tried resetting and that didn’t change anything. What did fix it was examining the SIM card and noticing a big dirty fingerprint covered half the contacts on the card. I wiped that off with a damp cloth and it was fixed. Crazy!

  2. Had my phone for less than 24 hours and ran into the same issue. I did place my phone upside down in my car and noticed within a minute or so got the “No sim card” message. Based on the above post, I wipe the card and replaced it (for the third time) and seems to be working at the moment. I did contact Apple Tech support, they suggested I go to an AT&T store for a new sim card to make sure its not a phone issue. The sim cards are AT&T product. I guess there’s an issue with phone being placed upside down. Thanks for the tip Saraj, for now it seems to be working.

  3. I took my sim out and used contact cleaner on a Q tip and cleaned the gold contact side then re installed the card and no problems since. I also noticed the sim carrier now pushed in farther than it was from the factory. It now is no longer flush with the phone but in just a bit more now. Working fine so far.

  4. Also had the phone less than 24 hours and this happened to me. Resetting network settings did nothing. Wiping the contacts off worked though. Hope it doesn’t happen again! I wonder if you could fit a few slips of paper or something on the back of the card to push it harder against the contacts?

  5. Thanks, guys. Before I saw this I went to an AT&T store. The SIM card worked fine in another phone and worked when it was put back in my iPhone. When I got home, the problem came up again. I saw this thread and noticed the contacts were dirty. I cleaned it, and it seems to be fine now. It seems like it’s a quality control issue with the cards.

  6. I am having this no sim card problem about 10 times a day. My solution is to switch the phone to airplane mode and then switch off airplane mode. It works but it’s very annoying. I’ll try to clean the sim card and see how it goes from there.

  7. Jerry’s airplane mode suggestion worked for me. I’ll see how long it holds up. What a fun flaw to have in an iPhone. I guess this is where they cut corners to meet demand.

  8. I’ve had my iphone for 1 day and I got the same รขโ‚ฌล“No SIM card installedรขโ‚ฌย message. I tried resetting the Network settings and IT WORKED! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

    I’m hoping this is a final fix ’cause the AT&T store is like 30 minutes away! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Thanks again-

    Heather

  9. Thanks this was helpful. Waiting on the never answered at&t helpline is an exercise in futility. Reseting the settings worked for me. I have had this phone for one month and have experienced poor reception and more dropped calls than my cell phone from 2000. Its cool when it works but a pain the rest of the time.

  10. I had the same problem when I woke up this morning after having my iphone flat on it’s back. I tried all of the reset options on the phone and that didn’t work. What did work is when i decided to attempt to clean the sim card from the back. I noticed that the gold plating on the back was two-toned rather than the solid color it normally is. So i cleaned that area, as recommended in a previous post, and then I closed the sim card port a little tougher than I normally do and it immediately started working after that. I’m writing this like two minutes after so I’m not sure how good of a fix it is.

  11. same thing here!

    im so glad i clicked this link…
    i took out and replaced the sim,i restarted, i changed settings…i even restored…
    when i restored i got this cartoon image of steve jobs saying something in russian (an april fools from the pawnage folks?)

    but then i thought what the hell and i cleaned off the back of the sim….AND IT WORKED!
    i can make calls again

    seems pretty stupid that the solution is as simple as that

  12. Wow thank you so much for providing this, when i saw the “take to At&t” posts I got scared. The Reset Network Settings worked the first try and it took less than 60 seconds thanks again!!!!

  13. I was having the same problem it kept saying sim card not installed and i got scared that i had broken it somehow. so i tried the reset network and settings and it didnt work so i decided to take out my sim card (didn’t know i could do that, nor knew how to do that at all, so i searched how to take it out and all you do it put the end of a paper clip in the little whole on the top of the phone, push down and the sim will pop up) so i took the sim card out and it looked like some dust had got crammed in the cracks so once i put it back in my phone was working perfectly.

    just wanted to add my scenario so that this can continue to help others.

  14. I tried both the resetting and the card cleaning exercises but the No Sim card message reappears on the screen once in a while.

  15. Same thing happened to me, after having my iphone for a week. On the suggestion of previous posts, I simply ejected the sim card, cleaned it with the enclosed cloth (after a quick fog from my breath), and presto – it worked! Thanks all for a great thread.

  16. Hi There..

    Thanks for ur posts..

    cleaning the sim card does wonders..

    All i did took the black cloth – that came along with iphone and few drops of Bacardi..!! for alcohol and wiped both the sim card (back \front) & sim tray ..!!

    Bacardi does worked for iphone ๐Ÿ˜‰

  17. Ideas sound good, however not worked for me ๐Ÿ™ I bought online and have never been able to switch mine on! Say’s no sim, so called support who said this is a generic problem at the moment and nothing for it but to send the phone back!! Not impressed.

  18. hi guys, this is my 1st post ever in my life, i think i found the (NO SIM) problem a solution, try this:
    1) put the sim card normally in the iphone.
    2) when u insert it PRESS AND HOLD HARD ON IT
    3) watch the signal bars…. IT WORKS!!!

    that means there is somethin wrong with the sim tray, its displaced or sth. what do u guys think???

  19. It is either you phone being dirty inside, or your old crummy sim card. To check if it is the sim card, try it in on of your friends at&t phones, or buy a go phone at radio shack, and see if it works when you put your sim card in that. If it also says “no sim,” then you have to either clean or replace your sim. Otherwise, use canned air to blow out your phone.

  20. Confirmed. Cleaning the SIM card certainly helps. Also: Try vacuuming the slot that the SIM card goes into. Surprising amounts of dust pile up in there which also seems to make it hard for the iPhone to read the SIM card.
    Works like a charm again ๐Ÿ™‚

  21. Resetting the network settings did not work for me and cleaning it didnt work for me as well. I also noticed the sim card didn’t fit snugly on the slider tray. There was actually excess on one side of the card, so I rubbed it down with my finger to flatten it a bit and made it fit better…popped it in…and worked.

  22. nothing worked for me, 30 times did all this steps, i tried severals sims , Orange VOdafone etc. no fuckin shit works. i want to through this shit at the wall.. i ll shit on that!

    i tried one old orange sim and this one does work, but the nr its to old and its not workin any more..

    :(((((((((((((((

  23. i dont know…nothing really worked for me. it doesnt say ‘no sim card installed, it just shows one tiny bar, but thats not enough to call with or send any messages. i tried everything from switching to plane mode and back to restoring network settings. any ideas, guys? the bar stays there for all the sim cards ive tried…

  24. This has happenede to me as well it happened to me once before but i reset it on iTunes and it worked. One month later it popped up so i turned it off… nothing, i reset it on iTunes, nothing…. I took out my sim card and put it back….nothing. I was getting really frustrated so i looked on the internet and i figured out my sim card was burned out. My mom just left for the Apple store and i have been looking for more answers…. it is really pissing me off!

  25. Ok ive had the iphone 3g for a couple months now and i got the no sim card thing today so i went to the att store got a new sim and it didnt work , then i went and got another new one and it didnt work, and i did all of the above,wiped the contact,reset network and all settings, switched it to airplane mode, pressed it hard, everythingg. im losing hope but im thinking of resetting it on itunes, if i do that does everything that i have saved go away?

  26. If you reset your iPhone, yes everything you save would go away. Therefore, you need to backup your iPhone before doing it. I think it might be a hardware problem of your iPhone, take it to the Apple store and have them check it.

  27. I dropped my phone (dammit!) this morning and when I picked it up I noticed it said “No Sim Card Installed”. Of course I panicked and ran to the interwebz for help. I tried the simple thing first.. turning the phone off and back on. No luck, so I took the phone to an area where I get better reception and it came back on it’s own. I took the sim card out for sh*ts and giggles after reading these posts and the card looks ok. I’ll keep and eye on this for sure. I got way too much crap on there to lose it. A tip though…back up your phone frequently, just in case.

  28. This just happened to me too…Out of the blue I got a “No SIM”/”No SIM Card Installed” message. After resetting the Network Settings on the iPhone (to no avail) I decided to pull the SIM card out. When I slid it out a fair amount of pocket lint came with it. I wiped the SIM card clean and blasted the slot with compressed air. A noticeable amount of lint flew out. My phone is kept in my pocket anytime I’m away from my desk…I’m assuming a considerable amount of lint build-up eventually interfered with a critical contact/connection within the phone, causing it to think that the SIM had been removed. I’m back in business after a few shots of compressed air.

  29. Weird, had it for 2 days and had the same thing. it was in my pocket for the first time ever.. so not sure about that . Did the reset network settings and now it’s fine…for now. Thank you guys! that sucks!

  30. my problem is different.
    i just downloaded something from iTunes, and the moment it got finished it popped out ”insert a sim card to activate iphone”
    and it doesnt even go to home page! it’s just that message all the time. please help me.

  31. and by the way, it wasn’t like this before because i’m not getting a sim card soon.
    i could even send emails without a sim card but from just about 1 hour ago that i downloaded from iTunes, it got stuck.

  32. Ive been all over the forums, Ive read all sorts of problems and solutions for this “SIM not found” thing, and you were the only one who was right ๐Ÿ™‚ thank you very much !

  33. No! Dont unscrew it, just use the tool in the little hole next to the headsethole (minijack) and if u dont have the tool use the tip of a corkscrew or something ๐Ÿ˜›

  34. Here’s the solution. Put a piece of eletric tape, 1/4 in. on the sim card holder. You want to place where the sim card would go on the holder towards the top. Top meaning the bigger end of the sim card holder where the tiny hole is to open it. Also place the tape so it overlaps the triangle on the sim card holder. the triangle is at the top where the actually sim card goes and is there due too the irregular shape of the sim card. What this does is it create’s a better connection, pushing the card nice and tight against the sensor of the reader. It also pushes the sim card a little further in giving the wifi system a boost. Look at your screen after you do the above, and you will see the bars increase at the top left hand side of the screen.

    The increase in WiFi will work for every iPhone user!!!!!

  35. When I pulled my SIM out it was a little dull looking in patches. I gave it a good rub with a microfibre cloth and when I popped it back in it worked fine again. I did notice that the slot for the SIM holder seemed to have let in some gunk,so not a great design.

  36. For me, nothing worked except removing the sim card, wiping it with a cloth and inserting back in. The sim card had a large fingerprint on it, which is why I think it wasnt working.

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