iPhone Says No SIM Card Installed When There Is One? Best Fixes and Causes

We’re all too familiar with the frustration that comes with being unable to access the internet – especially when it starts out of the blue. Your iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one, which means you can’t make or receive calls or utilize your wireless data.

Why is this happening? Sometimes, it’s just a glitch or something simple you can fix yourself. As frustrating as it is, you can’t always say exactly what is causing the issue, there are many different reasons why your iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one, and we’d be exploring them here.

Why your iPhone says No SIM Card Installed When There Is One

Your iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one because it is no longer detecting a SIM card in the tray. One of the more common reasons why this happens is because the SIM or its tray has shifted out of place or become dislodged. It could also be a result of the presence of dust on the SIM card. Your iPhone might be too hot or it could be a random or software update glitch that goes away on its own. It could also be pointing to more serious issues like a damaged SIM card or SIM slot. Whatever the cause may be, here are some simple fixes you can try out.

How to fix it when an iPhone says No SIM Card Installed When There Is One

First, take out the SIM card tray of your iPhone, take out the SIM card and clean it gently, then replace the SIM card and the tray. Ensure that the SIM card is placed properly in the tray and the tray is inserted correctly into the phone and is completely closed. More often than not, this should get your SIM card recognized again. If it doesn’t, then you might want to try these other fixes;

Fix 1: Restart Your iPhone

Restarting a phone is one of the go-to fixes for many phone-related issues, including this one. If your iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one, you should try restarting it.

1. Hold the sleep or wake button for some seconds
2. Move the slider to power OFF
3. Wait a few seconds and hold the sleep or wake button to power ON

Fix 2: Update Your iPhone

Updating your iPhone might fix whatever bug or glitch is causing the “iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one” error.

1. First, ensure you are connected to a Wi-Fi network and your battery is sufficiently charged
2. Open the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone
3. Scroll down and click on ‘General’
4. Click ‘Software Update’ to see the available update
5. Select ‘Download Now’ to download and install the update to your iPhone

Fix 3: Carrier Settings Update

If an iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one, it might be caused by an update to the carrier settings by your phone company. To check for an update:

1. Go to the ‘Settings’ app on your phone
2. Scroll down and click on ‘General’
3. Click on ‘About’, if there is an available update, you will see a prompt to update
4. Click on ‘OK’ or ‘Update’ to begin

Read also: Why Is My SIM Card Not Working? Fixes for iPhone

Fix 4: Turn Airplane Mode On/Off

Resetting your network might be the solution to the problem. You can do this by switching airplane mode ON and OFF.

Simply swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone to access your control center, click on the airplane icon to turn it ON, wait a few seconds, and then click it again to turn it OFF. For earlier models or those without a home button, swipe down from the top right corner of your iPhone to access your control center and then follow the steps above.

Fix 5: Try another SIM Card

As stated earlier, one reason your iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one is that your SIM card might be damaged or corrupted.

You can test your SIM card, either by using another SIM card on your device or putting your SIM card in another device. This would also let you know if your phone is the issue. When doing this, ensure the SIM card works properly on another phone before inserting it into your phone.

Also, make sure it’s the right size and is inserted correctly. If the error goes away after trying out the other SIM card then the issue is with your SIM card and you should replace it. If the error doesn’t go away then, the issue is with your phone and you should contact Apple Support for the next steps.

Read also: How to Get Water Out Of Phone Charging Port

Fix 6: Reset Network Settings

Your iPhone’s network settings might be the reason why your iPhone says no SIM card installed when there is one. You can fix this by resetting your network settings. You should note that doing this reset will erase all your Wi-Fi passwords.

1. Go to ‘Settings’, scroll down, and click on ‘General’
2. Select ‘Reset’ and then ‘Reset Network Settings’
3. Enter your passcode and click on ‘Reset Network Settings’ again to reset

Fix 7: Contact Apple Support

If none of these fixes work for you, you should contact Apple support or schedule an Apple store appointment. The issue might be a damaged SIM card reader.

Read also: iPhone Recognises SIM but No Signal Bars? Things to do