Do we remove the SIM card from the iPad and iPhone using improvised means?

Apple developers thought carefully about everything in advance with the issue of removing the SIM card: it would seem that just press it with the key and there is no need to suffer. It’s just that this special needle tends to get caught somewhere, and if you need to change the card quickly and in an unexpected situation, then you won’t be able to remove the tray from either the iPhone or iPad without improvised means. Fortunately, there are several proven working methods to finally remove this ill-fated SIM card.

Ordinary situation

Let's assume that the SIM card can be removed without complications, and let's turn to a technique based on the principle of replacement. By removing the tray with a key, you are not doing anything other than a small mechanical effect: the needle simply activates the mechanism and is not the only item suitable for this. It is quite possible to remove the tray by replacing the needle with a regular paper clip, which must first be straightened a little. The tip of a paperclip is as good as a special needle at activating the tray eject mechanism, and in most cases your problem will no longer require any other techniques or tools.

Oh yes, if you have never removed a SIM card from an iPhone yourself, be it 3, 4, 4s, 5s or 6, then first you have to find the right slot. For different models it is located in different places, but it always has an oblong shape, similar to an oval.

• The slot is located on the right side of the iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s and iPhone 4 GSM, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini.
• The tray is located on top, next to the power button, on older models: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G GSM. At the same time, when trying to remove a SIM card from an iPad, you need to insert a paperclip into the key slot not perpendicularly, but at an angle of 45˚.
• The slot at the bottom left can only be found on iPad Wi-Fi + 3G.

Advice

The use of a paperclip is most popular due to its availability and versatility, but if a paperclip is not available in your situation, it can be replaced with other similar items. The end of a large needle or wire is quite suitable for these purposes.

When your SIM card gets stuck...

Did you try the paperclip trick and the tray came out, but you couldn't pull it out completely? Most likely, the problem is the SIM card, which did not fit properly in the tray, preventing the tray from being removed from the slot. The main thing at this stage is not to be nervous: if you try to remove the SIM card using physical force, you risk breaking the mechanism. In this case, even if the tray fits back into the slot, it will not stay in it, and you will have to fix it in the case with tape or tape.

Better take a needle or blade and try to position the SIM card so that it does not interfere with movement while you remove the tray. Yes, the work is painstaking and can take a lot of time, but this problem is completely solvable if you have a little patience and show a little skill.Just don’t push the needle too deep inside the body: there are other parts and elements there that can easily be damaged by a careless movement.

You can also simply tap the gadget on a table or other surface: if the card is held loosely in the tray, this can help it return to the desired position and help you pull out the tray completely.

Advice

Many owners of iPhones and iPads lightly sand the edges of even new purchased SIM cards with fine sandpaper to prevent this problem. This will make it easier for the card to get into the desired position in the tray, even if it is stuck in the spacer, because rough edges and plastic burrs will no longer get in your way.

If the tray does not eject at all

There is no need to fanatically press the button with a paper clip if, with light or moderate pressure, the tray does not come out of the iPhone or iPad. Most likely, in your case you will have to contact a service center for help, unless, of course, you have the useful skill of disassembling and assembling such equipment. And it would definitely be a bad idea to try to pull out the tray mechanically: picking with a knife or other sharp objects will not only ruin the appearance of the equipment, but can also lead to more serious damage if a piece of the tool breaks off and remains inside. You don't want your beloved 5s or 4s to suffer even more damage, do you?

Advice

Often, a complete blocking of a slot occurs when the SIM card in use was cut from an old one that did not fit the parameters. Believe me, re-issuing the card will be much faster and will require much less money than a similar breakdown of an iPhone or iPad.Don’t be lazy to replace the card so that you don’t have to contact the service center for help later due to your own carelessness.

Some problems with an iPhone or iPad, such as removing a SIM card without using a key, can be solved on your own, but the main thing is to remember that service centers exist for a reason and are also ready to help in a difficult case. Go for it, but adequately assess the situation and don’t panic!