SIM Not Supported on iPhone? 11 Tips to Fix It

User Concern

“I just bought an iPhone online and had Verizon check it before purchasing. They said it is fine. But when I tried installing a Verizon SIM card. Won't accept it and said SIM not supported. Can't get into this phone now. Any ideas?”

Have you ever run into the same situation: bought a second-hand iPhone from the internet and when insert your SIM card, the iPhone said "SIM Not Supported"?

This is a common issue among iOS users and sometimes even you insert a SIM card from the correct carrier, the SIM card not supported error message still appears on your iPhone screen.

What Does It Mean When iPhone Says SIM Not Supported?

When you see the the message of iPhone SIM not valid/supported, it usually means the the device doesn't read or detect the SIM card. If SIM is not recognized, all the things used via carrier such as messages and calls will stop working. You won't be able to make calls or send messages until the SIM is unlocked.

Don't worry. In this article, we will show you several tips you can try to bypass iPhone SIM not supported issue and unlock your iPhone for different carriers.

Why Is My iPhone SIM Not Supported?

If your iPhone is locked to a carrier, you will encounter the "SIM not supported" error when you insert a new SIM card from a different carrier.

You can go to Settings > General > About and tap "Carrier Lock" to check if your iPhone is carrier locked.

If your iPhone says "No SIM Restrictions", then the device is unlocked. If not, you can read on and follow the 9 solutions below to troubleshoot SIM not supported on iPhone.

Bpass iPhone SIM Not Supported Issue (Effective Solutions)

Tip 1: Ensure the SIM Card is Active and Works

Before you try any other solutions, the first thing you need to do is to make sure that the SIM card you've inserted into the iPhone is active and working.

If you are trying to use a SIM card that has been deactivated by the carrier, the SIM card simply won't work. If you suspect that your SIM card is inactive, you need to contact your carrier to get it replaced.

You may also need to activate a plan on the SIM card before you can use it on your iPhone. If you are sure that the SIM card is active, but you're still getting the same error, try the next solution.

Tip 2: Eject and Reinsert The SIM Card

Restarting the SIM card in your iPhone can also help to fix this problem. Just find the SIM card tray on the side of your iPhone and open it using a SIM card ejector. Then push the tray back in to reinsert the SIM card and check if the problem persists.

Tip 3: Restart Your iPhone

Restarting your iPhone is another quick fix for SIM card not supported on iPhone. The steps to restart your iPhone varies depending on the device model you have:

• For iPhone with Face ID: Press and hold both the power button and either volume button until you see the "slide to power off".
• For iPhone without Face ID: Press and hold the power button until "slide to power off" appears on the screen.

Drag the slider from left to right to turn off your iPhone. Wait for a while, then press and hold the power button again to turn your iPhone back on. If a simple restart doesn't help, try to do a force restart.

Tip 4: Toggle Airplane Mode On and Off

It may sound silly but it is really effective in helping many users fixing iPhone SIM not supported issue.

• Slide down from the top to open Control Center.
• Turn on Airplane Mod and then turn it off.

Tip 5: Reset Network Settings

The SIM not supported error may occur on your iPhone due to incorrect settings. In this case, you should check your device's settings and if necessary, try to reset network settings.

Please note that all of your iPhone's Wi-Fi, Cellular, Bluetooth and VPN settings will be restored to factory defaults. You'll need to re-enter the Wi-Fi password or re-connect to Bluetooth devices etc.

To do that, open the Settings app and tap General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Then enter your iPhone's passcode when prompted and tap "Reset Network Settings" to confirm your decision.

Tip 6: Update iOS to the Latest Version

You may also experience SIM compatibility issues if the version of iOS running on your iPhone is relatively old. Therefore, it is necessary to update the device to the latest version of iOS to fix this problem. Follow these simple steps to do that:

1. Open the Settings on your iPhone and then tap on General.
2. Select "Software Update".
3. If an update is available, tap "Download and Install" to begin updating the device.

Once the update is complete, the SIM card should begin working normally. If you're still having problems, try the next solution.

Tip 7: Make an Emergency Call to Unlock iPhone

This method may sound tricky but it really works for many iPhone users and help to activate their device without a SIM card. The unlocking process is very simple. Basically, all you have to do is place an emergency call on your iPhone. Here's how to do it:

1. Press the Side/Home button on your iPhone and then choose "Emergency Call" from the menu that appears on the screen.
2. Dial 112 or 911, depending on where you are, but disconnect the call as soon as the call is connected.
3. Press the Power button and you should go back to the device's main screen.

Once this is done, you should be able to bypass this SIM card not supported problem.

Tip 8: Bypass iPhone SIM Not Supported with iTunes

If you have iTunes installed on your computer, you can also use iTunes to troubleshoot the issue of SIM not supported on your iPhone.

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch the latest version of iTunes.
2. Choose "Set up as new iPhone" and iTunes will activate your iPhone.

When you decide to set up your iPhone as a new one, you may need to note that everything on iPhone will be erased. Therefore, it is advisable to back up the iPhone data before doing so.

Tip 9: Use 3rd-party Unlocking Tool to Unlock iPhone

If your iPhone is locked to the carrier and you are unable to get the carrier to unlock it for you, the best solution may be using a third-party unlocking tool like iMyFone iBypasser. This tool is a safe and user-friendly solution that can quickly unlock your SIM card and remove other activation features.

Key Features

• You can use it to bypass iCloud Activation on iOS devices even if you don’t have the Apple ID or password.
• It can also quickly remove screen locks like 4-digit/6-digit passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID without activation restrictions.
• It will also bypass DNS servers with a single click.
• It will easily unlock the SIM lock on multiple iDevices.

How to Use iBypasser to Unlock Carrier Locked iPhone

If you're struggling with a carrier-locked iPhone or other iDevices, iMyFone iBypasser can certainly help. Using it is very easy, here are the simple steps to follow;

1. Simply download and install the software on your Mac or Windows computer, then select "Remove iPhone SIM Lock" and click "Start."
2. Connect your iDevice to the computer with iBypasser installed using a USB cable, then follow the on-screen instructions to jailbreak the device.
3. Confirm the device’s information on the next screen and in just a minute, the SIM lock will be removed, and you'll be able to use your device with any carrier.

Tip 10: Contact Your Carrier and Request an Unlock

As mentioned above, one of the reasons for the SIM not supported error on your iPhone is that it is locked to your carrier. In this situation, you should contact your carrier to request a SIM unlock.

Most carriers will however require that you finish the payment plan in the contract before they can help you unlock the SIM card. If you still have several months before the contract ends, wait patiently until it ends or try other solutions.

Follow the steps blow to contact your carrier and request an unlock:

• Check which carrier your iPhone is locked to with online IMEI checkers, for example, WipeLock iPhone Carrier Checker. Addition to carrier, it can check the Blacklist and iCloud lock status for you.
• Go to Apple Support site to check if your carrier supports unlocking. Find the carrier that your iPhone is locked to and check if there is "Unlocking" item under it.

• If your carrier supports to unlock your iPhone, directly call them and submit an unlock request. Most carriers will require a payment to unlock the iPhone.
• After that, wait for your carrier to process the unlock. Usually, the unlocking process will take 3 to 5 working days.

Why Not Use a Reliable Tool to Fix iOS System?

Do you know that any small glitches on iPhone will also result that your iPhone saying SIM not supported. In such a scenario, you need to repair the device system via professional tools like FoneGeek iOS System Recovery (iOS 17 supported).

To bypass this SIM not supported issue on iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Install FoneGeek iOS System Recovery on computer and open this software to hit on ‘Standard Mode’.
2. Connect the device to this software and the software will display the firmware package that matches the device model. Click on ‘Download’.
3. When the firmware package is downloaded, hit on ‘click on ‘Fix Now’ and the iPhone problem will be repaired in a short time.

FAQs About SIM Not Supported on iPhone

1. Does it mean my SIM card is faulty when iPhone says SIM not supported?

If you're experiencing the "SIM not supported" error on your iPhone, it may not necessarily be a problem with the SIM. It could be a problem with the software, so try to use the SIM card on another device to see if the same error pops up. If the SIM card works on another device, then follow the steps in this detailed guide to resolve the issue on your iPhone.

2. Can I use Dual SIM on iPhone 15?

For those wondering about dual SIM support on iPhone 15, all models in the series offer dual SIM support, with one SIM supporting physical cards and the other supporting eSIM, depending on the region. However, in the US, iPhone 14 devices only support eSIM.

3. Is it possible to use an iPhone without a SIM Card?

While you don’t ultimately need to insert a SIM card to use an iPhone, your device will need to connect to a WiFi network to complete activation for the first time.

Write In The End

iPhone SIM not supported issue is really annoying, which prevent you from accessing and using your device. Luckily, with the solutions mentioned above, you can easily fix the SIM not supported error on your iPhone and use the device with any carrier.

Sometimes, you may get a second-iPhone and don't realize its iCloud locked. In such case, we recommend you using iMyFone iBypasser to remove the iCloud lock with ease.