iPhone Seller's Guide

How to Remove Sim Card From an iPhone 5 And Later Model

If you’re preparing to sell or recycle your iPhone, one of the most important steps is learning how to remove your SIM card from the iPhone. Although your iPhone’s SIM card doesn’t save your contacts and music (like other devices), it is responsible for housing your phone number and billing information. Because of that valuable data living on the SIM, you’ll want to follow these steps to remove it:

What is a SIM Card?

You know, that little piece of plastic that you pull out from the tray on the right side of your iPhone? That’s the SIM card, AKA, Subscriber Identity Module, a smart card inside most cell phones that communicates with your carrier. iPhones use a nano SIM card. “Nano” simply describes the size of the SIM card in your iPhone. The SIM card carries an identification number that is yours alone, and stores personal data, which is also, or should be, yours alone. SIM cards enable you to move between phones while keeping your phone number and data plans.

Now that you know what a SIM card is, let’s review how to remove your SIM card from your iPhone:

To remove the SIM card from your iPhone 5 and newer models, follow these simple instructions:

1. Gently insert a paperclip into the tiny hole in the SIM card tray
2. Apply a small amount of pressure until the SIM tray ejects
3. When it pops out, grab hold of the tray and remove the iPhone SIM card
4. Swap your SIM card
5. Reinsert the tray so it is securely embedded in the casing

As you can see, iPhone SIM card removal isn’t difficult but it is important that you are gentle and extra careful while you attempt it. Remember, your personal data is one of your most important assets, so always protect it, and always remove your SIM card when you transition to a new phone. Also, now that you know how to remove the SIM Card from iPhones, share this nugget with your friends so they are in the know.

Do I remove the iPhone 5 SIM card differently than other iPhone models?

No, you can follow the same steps above to remove the SIM card for all iPhone models. All iPhones utilize the nano-SIM card size and have the SIM card in a similar location to the iPhone 5, on the right hand edge of your iPhone. There are many questions about removing the iPhone 5 SIM card because it was Apple’s first ultra-slim design, but you still follow the same procedure to remove the SIM card from an iPhone 5 as you would to remove the SIM card from any other iPhone model.

When you are ready to trade in or recycle your iPhone, Gazelle is ready to assist you. You won’t believe how easy it is to get fast cash in your pockets. It’s why more than two million customers have turned to Gazelle to recycle their used iPhones and other devices. So don’t delay -- find out today how much your iPhone is worth!

Disclaimer: Gazelle is not affiliated with the manufacturers of the items available for trade-in.