Transfer Contacts from Your SIM Card to Your iPhone

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Easily copy and save contacts from a SIM card straight to your iPhone

Written by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: July 10, 2024 Fact Checked

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• What does it mean to import SIM contacts?
|
• Transferring Contacts from Your SIM Card
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• Q&A

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This wikiHow teaches you to transfer saved contacts from a SIM card to your iPhone. iPhones themselves do not store contacts on the SIM card, so this method will not work for transferring contacts from one iPhone to another.

Quick Steps

1. Open the SIM tray on your iPhone and insert the old SIM card.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Scroll down and tap Contacts.
4. Tap Import SIM Contacts.
5. Find your imported contacts in the Contacts app.

Steps

Section 1 of 2:

What does it mean to import SIM contacts?

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1. 
   1
   Some SIM cards support storing contacts. A SIM card is a tiny chip that stores the data you need for your phone to work with your cellular network. Your phone’s SIM card holds information like your phone number, user identity information, and mobile network authorization data. However, some SIM cards can also carry additional data, like saved contacts or even text messages.
2. 
   2
   You can move stored contacts from your old SIM to your iPhone. If you’re switching to a new phone, downloading your old contacts from your SIM can make the process a little quicker and easier.

   • Not all SIM cards work with all devices, so this will only work if you have a SIM that both supports stored contacts and will fit in your iPhone. Some iPhones don’t support a physical SIM card at all.
   • If you don’t have a SIM card that supports storing contacts, or if your SIM card isn’t compatible with your new phone, there are several alternative ways to transfer your contacts to iPhone.
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Section 2 of 2:

Transferring Contacts from Your SIM Card

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1. 
   1
   Make sure your old SIM card contains your contacts. Check your SIM storage or device manufacturer’s documentation to see if it supports SIM storage.

   • iPhones do not store contacts on a SIM card and can only pull contacts from the SIM card to its internal storage.
   • If your SIM card doesn’t have contacts stored on it yet, save them now before removing it from your old phone.
2. 
   2
   Move the SIM card from the old phone into your iPhone. On most models of iPhone, the SIM tray is located on the left or right side of the phone, under the side or volume buttons. If you have a very early model, such as an original iPhone or an iPhone 3G or 3GS, the tray is located on the top. Insert a paperclip or other thin wire into the hole next to the SIM tray. It will pop open and you can place the SIM card inside.

   • Some iPhone models (such as the iPhones 14 and 15) don’t have a SIM card tray and are designed only to work with a virtual eSIM.
   • Check Apple’s handy guide to find the location of your phone’s SIM tray (if it has one).
   • If you’re not sure what type of SIM card will work with your iPhone, check Apple’s compatibility list.
3. 
   3
   Open your iPhone's Settings. This is the grey icon with cogs

   

   on one of your home screens.

   • This could also be located in the "Utilities" folder on one of your home screens or in the App Library.
4. 
   4
   Scroll down and tap Contacts. You’ll find this option in a list of apps that come with your iPhone. A new menu will open up.
5. 
   5
   Tap Import SIM Contacts. It’s at the bottom of the screen. This will copy any contacts on the SIM card to your iPhone’s Contacts app.

   • You may be prompted to select a location for the imported contacts. For example, if you have a Gmail account connected to your iPhone as well as an iCloud account, choose one of these from the popup.
   • Depending on how many contacts are on your SIM card, this process may take a few moments to complete.
6. 
   6
   Open the “Contacts” app. After the transfer is complete, the contacts from your SIM card will appear listed here. Check your list of contacts to make sure the data was imported correctly.

   • Since different types of phones may have different ways of storing contact data, the contacts might not transfer correctly or completely. Check the manual or manufacturer website for your old device if you need more help.
   • If you have a newer SIM card for your iPhone that you want to use, take the one from your old device out now and put the new one in.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  Can I transfer contacts from my iPhone to a laptop?

  

  💮Lexi💮

  Community Answer

  Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cabled. 2. Click the Device button, then click Info. Press Sync at the bottom of the screen and all your iPhone contacts will be copied to your PC.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 5 Helpful 0
• Question

  Is there any other way I can import my contacts from a sim to an iPhone?

  

  Community Answer

  You could export your contacts as a CSV file, transfer it into your iPhone using a file manager (for example, Xender), then open the exported file to save your contacts. Or, once exporting your contacts, you can upload them to your iCloud account using your desktop.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 3 Helpful 0
• Question

  How do you transfer images through the SIM card?

  

  Jay

  Community Answer

  You can't. The SIM does not have adequate storage capabilities to hold such files — this also goes for videos, music and text files.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 3 Helpful 0

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