The phone does not see the SIM card: what to do

Many people are associated primarily with communication, calls, messaging. But it is thanks to the small module in the smartphone (SIM card), cellular services became possible.

When the smartphone ceases to "read" a SIM card, it entails a lot of problems, because now it is one of the user identification tools. To the phone number can be tied Account Google and other services that most of us use every day. We will deal with the main reasons for such a problem.

Hardware problems

in this Categories Consider problems associated with the module itself that cannot be solved buttons. These include various damage to the SIM card itself, a mobile device tray and the like.

A SIM card activation is needed

If you just purchased sim card are inserted into the slot, but the incoming call does not likely do the activation. You can do this using an outgoing call or a command set to check the balance.

The problem may be in the SIM card displacement. All phones have a slot in which the contacts are in contact with the SIM card chip. If it is a little shifted, then it will not work. This can occur due to the drop in the mobile or incorrect installation of the module in the tray. You need to remove the SIM card and paste it as indicated on the labeling of the smartphone.

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If the problem did not decide, then try installing it to another phone. So you will understand whether there is a map of damage or the problem in the device.

SIM card breakdown or tray

Mobile device does not read SIM due to its damage. In this case, all contacts are integer, but the defect can be on a plastic, which is broken or has chips, and the shape of the card itself is uneven. Sometimes users cut a mini card to make a Nano-card from it. Often it is damaged or located in the slot is not entirely correct - replacement is required.

The holder or the tray for SIM can also have defects. To check this, you can insert a module into any other machine. If he sees the network, it means a broken slot or the reason in the smartphone itself. To do this, it is better to contact the service center in which exactly determines the cause of the inoperability of the SIM card.

Do not attempt to repair the holder yourself, firstly, the soldering station will be required. Secondly, without the experience of repair, it is possible to worsen the situation by damage or deformation of some components and, as a result, to ensure that the SIM card is generally stuck in the phone.

Pollution and oxidation of contacts

As the mobile device is used and the SIM card can occur, and such that the module is simply contaminated. Even dust can prevent the chip recognition.

Depending on the type of SIM card, its contact zone usually contains 6 basic elements (sometimes even 8):

1. Power.
2. Control.
3. Frequency.
4. Data recording.
5. Enter and output.
6. Grounding.

The presence of dirt at least one part is enough to stop the module functioning. The reason may be in rust, dust on the chip or its oxidation.

Step 1. Clean SIM using an eraser or a cotton disk, moistened with alcohol without impurities. Do not use water or detergent.

Step 2. With strong oxidation, apply fine-grained grinding paper. Use her carefully to not damage the chip.

Step 3. Wipe the contacts with an alcohol napkin to completely remove contaminants.

If the cleaning did not give a positive result, then it is better to replace the SIM card.

Software problems

The second category - problems that are easy to fix directly in the smartphone system. Sometimes the device does not see the SIM card for the most banal reasons that can be removed by pressing several buttons.

Airplane mode activated

The first and easiest thing to do if the phone does not see the SIM card is to make sure that airplane mode is not activated on the device, since it disables all wireless modules.

You can do this as follows:

Step 1. In the smartphone settings, go to "Network and Internet".

Step 2. Next, expand the full list of options by clicking on the Advanced button.

Step 3. The screen will display “ Airplane Mode ”, opposite which the slider should be disabled. If the feature is enabled, just turn it off. Thus, all wireless modules and services will be launched, including cellular communication, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.

Requires SIM to be enabled

card in the settings of the mobile device. If desired, it can be very easily turned off without the need to remove it from a special tray.

To see if the SIM card is enabled on your device, do the following:

Step 1. Open the smartphone settings and click on "Network and Internet".

Step 2. Click on SIM cards. A window will open, in which you can see if the modules installed in the tray are enabled or not.

Step 3. If they are disabled, then click on the corresponding sliders located opposite the name operator.

If everything is activated in the settings or the SIM card is simply not displayed there, then see the following possible causes and their solutions.

Network configuration change

Problems can also occur on the carrier side. It happens that the SIM card is detected by the smartphone, but there is an inscription "Emergency calls only". After purchasing a SIM card, it must be configured so that the smartphone has access to the network. For this, APN technology is used, which determines the network path for exchanging data when a new subscriber connects.

Manual setup was usually required on older mobile devices. Today everything should be set up automatically, but if for some reason it doesn't, do the following:

Step 1. Go to the settings and go to the tab "Network and Internet".

Step 2. Press the "Mobile Network" section, and then select a line "Additional settings".

Step 3. Scroll through the window to the end and find paragraph " Access points (APN) ". Click on it.

Step 4. Take any other device and in the browser, enter the "APN *** access point", where instead " *** "- the name of your cellular operator. Find data to connect on the official website.

Step 5. Return to the smartphone and press the button "+", To add a new access point. Now specify the desired parameters as specified on the Operator's website by filling out the required fields.

Step 6. Press "Three Points" and select "Save". Select the only point created by clicking on a specific line.

Step 7. Ensure that in section "Network" The option "Select the network automatically" is activated. If necessary, transfer the slider to position "Inclusive".

Do not eliminate technical failures and problems with the tower of the cellular operator. If the phone does not find a network, perhaps the problem as a coverage area. The fact is that the operator's tower may not cover the area in which you are. In this situation, reboot the device or try to go to another place.

Systematic failures

should not be excluded and the presence of any conflicts and failures in the smartphone system, which is why it does not find SIM. You can try to simply reboot to their elimination. All services and services will be restarted, which often helps solve the problem.

If it did not help, perhaps there are violations in the operation of system files. In this case, it is necessary to make a reset to the factory settings. But Previously, you need to save files and contacts, since the function deletes all data and applications from the device. You can move them to cloud storage or to a computer.

Step-by-step instructions for resetting the settings:

Step 1. Enter the settings of the mobile device and go to the tab "System".

Step 2 Press Advanced, then select Reset ».

Step 3. Open the item called "Reset settings", scroll the window below and click on "Reset phone settings".

After that, you should wait for the process to complete, which can take up to 5-10 minutes. The smartphone will turn on and will have standard settings. See if he sees the sim card.

OS reinstallation required

Sometimes the operating system on the smartphone may not work correctly. This usually applies to inexpensive devices of the "third tier" (from dubious and little-known manufacturers), which often have crooked firmware.

Along with such updates, bugs and serious flaws often appear in the system along with new “features”, which can lead to the fall-off of various modules, including cellular communications, Wi-Fi and others. Fortunately, in some cases, developers quickly notice their mistakes and roll out new firmware versions with fixes for certain problems.

To check for updates, do the following:

Step 1. In your smartphone settings, go to the System tab.

Step 2. Here click on Advanced and open the section "System Update".

Step 3. A message should appear on the screen to start searching for updates. If this does not happen, click on the appropriate button yourself.

If, nevertheless, there is a new firmware version ready for download and installation, be sure to charge the phone to 80-90% before that, so that during reinstalling it did not turn off. Sometimes new updates from the official developer can not be waited. In this case, you will have to dig on the Internet and find unofficial firmware in which the problem with the network will be solved by enthusiasts.

Viruses on the smartphone

Viral files may adversely affect the operation of the device, including network reception. In order not to come across for downloading malicious files and opening hazardous web pages, suspicious links, dubious letters, advertising banners should be avoided.

On Android devices , antiviruses are much more useless in the fight against malicious software than, for example, on a computer running Windows. The fact is that the user can give a couple of permissions a dangerous program that is hidden under the guise of a conventional harmless application. Using these permissions, it becomes inaccessible even for antivirus.

The only means of combating such a threat is to switch to safe mode. How to do this, drawn in detail in another article available by this link. Now check if the SIM card caught. If so, then the reason in the viruses to find and delete.

Step 1. Open the smartphone settings and find the "applications and notifications" section. Go to it and click on the button "show all applications".

Step 2. Carefully check the list of installed software. Remove the suspicious software (usually it is a dubious name program). And it is better to simply choose from the list everything that you do not particularly need and leave only those applications in which you are exactly sure. Viral utilities may look as follows as indicated below in the screenshot:

For protection, you can, of course, download the antivirus to scan all files, but As already mentioned, it's not so relevant on the smartphone. It is enough to download any applications only from the official store of Google Play and use browsers with protection against suspicious sites (Chrome, Yandex), and yourself to be extremely attentive.

The remaining causes

The third category is other situations, in connection with which the SIM card may be inoperable.

The smartphone works with a SIM card of a specific operator

on the Russian market, as a rule, smartphones work with all cellular operators. The only exceptions are cheap devices or operator-branded phones that come with a SIM card. They do not work with other operators, and to fix this, a flashing is required.

Be also careful when purchasing mobile devices from AliExpress and other foreign online stores. It is better to immediately check whether the smartphone works with all mobile networks. If it is "locked", it will need to be unlocked. You can do it yourself by opening the bootloader and installing another firmware.

The SIM card has not been used for a long time

It happens that the SIM card has not been used for a long time, perhaps the operator has already automatically terminated the contract. As a rule, this happens within 60-180 days (depending on the company) if no calls or messages have been sent from the number. The issue is sent to the archive and after a while goes on sale again.

In this case, the only thing left to do is to throw out the SIM card and buy a new one. In order for the contract not to be canceled, it is necessary to make calls, send SMS messages, or at least replenish the account. So the operator will see that the number is not “hanging” in the air just like that, but they are really being used, and in this case, automatic termination will no longer be possible.

In addition, few people know that the SIM card has its own expiration date. It has nothing to do with the duration of the tariff. If the module is more than 7 years old, it is likely that it has lost its functionality due to worn contacts. Indeed, over time, they are overwritten, especially if you often rearrange the SIM card from one device to another. It is better to contact the operator's office for its replacement. If you wish, you can even leave your old number absolutely free of charge and continue using cellular services.