There may be times when you cannot use your SIM card and can’t find the reception either. Most of the time, this is mainly because of the lack of proper network connection or incorrect network settings on your phone.
However, there may be times when you receive the “No SIM Card” error on your phone as well. There could be several reasons for this to happen. Additionally, there are a few ways to resolve this issue as well.
Before understanding how to resolve this issue, you might also want to know why and how this is happening on your Android.
Why does my phone says No SIM Card Error on Android?
One of the main reasons why your SIM card can’t be read by your phone is mainly because it is either damaged or there are some software problems within the phone itself. Moreover, if there is debris or dirt on the SIM tray, your phone might not be able to read it either.
However, fixing your network settings or software or checking the hardware is the easiest solution. However, in case none of these methods is working for you either, you can directly contact the carrier or get it replaced.
How to fix when phone says “No SIM card” on Android
- Restart your Phone
- Update your Android
- Adjust your SIM card
- Remove the battery
- Inspect the SIM tray
- Perform a factory reset
- Clear cache and other data
- Reset your network settings
- Re-insert your SIM card
- Select carrier manually
- Uninstall applications
- Switch Airplane mode on and off
- Contact customer service
1. Restart your phone
This is one of the first and quickest solutions to fix your phone that says “No SIM card.” You will have to switch off your phone and ensure it is not plugged into any other power source.
However, while pressing the power button, you can switch it off or restart it. If your Android phone has a removable battery, you can switch it off for a few minutes and remove it.
After a few minutes, you can put it back and switch on your phone again. Restarting your phone will generally help you reset your device and also help you get a stable network connection.
This might lead you to resolve the No SIM card detected error on your Android. However, you will also have to ensure that your place has good reception so you can easily access a stable network connection.
2. Update your Android
Updating your device time and again is necessary as it helps eliminate several glitches and bugs. Sometimes certain usual settings also seem to glitch or not work due to bugs in the device.
Hence, you can download updates and switch on the Download Updates Automatically option. Navigate to Settings on your Android and search for Software Updates. You will be able to see whether there is a new update available for you.
Apart from that, you can also toggle the Download Updates Automatically option, so you don’t have to install it manually.
3. Adjust your SIM Card
Apart from the software issues your phone might likely be having, you might also want to check the possible hardware defects. So make sure that your SIM card is placed in the right place on your phone so that you can connect to a stable network.
A slight misaligning of your SIM card may lead to this problem. Hence, you can resolve this issue by installing the card correctly or adjusting it. You can also take out the SIM card and put it back in.
Make sure that it fits correctly in the slot itself, either with the help of tape or paper, which will help you fix the issue. After you do this, you can restart your phone and check whether or not the issue has been resolved.
4. Remove the battery
This method generally relies on your phone model. Even though several new Android models with batteries can’t be taken out, if your model has that feature, you can try it to resolve the issue.
You can switch off your phone for a few minutes and take out your battery. You will also have to ensure that your phone is not plugged into a power source. You can wait for a few seconds and then put it back in.
Once you do that, turn on your phone and check whether the problem persists. One of the main reasons this method works best is that it can eliminate errors and power cycle your device.
5. Inspect the SIM Tray
Sometimes the issue might stem from the SIM tray and not the SIM per se. That could also be one of the main reasons your phone constantly has the “No SIM card” error. However, you can easily fix this issue by adjusting your SIM card and the tray.
You can easily adjust the SIM tray with the help of some pressure or by applying the foam. Removing the back cover and applying it to your SIM card area is easier.
As mentioned in the method above, you can also use paper or some other pressure force to adjust the tray and the SIM.
6. Perform a Factory Reset
Before you perform a factory reset, you need to back up all your pictures, videos, contacts, and other data. All the default settings will be restored, meaning all your data will be wiped out.
You will easily be able to reset your phone through Settings. You can follow these steps to perform a full factory reset to resolve the issue.
- Go to Settings.
- Search for Backup and Reset.
- Click on Factory data reset.
Once you do this, your default settings will get restored, which would also mean your network setting will be restored. However, if you do not have to reset your entire device, you can reset your network settings.
7. Clear cache and other data
Sometimes, issues may crop up on your device due to less storage space. This would mainly mean an accumulation of unwanted residual data or cache. This might also take more time to clear, but at the same time, it is an integral method, especially if there are any glitches.
Clearing cache and data will also help you free up more space in your phone, and you might also have to log in to certain applications again. However, this has often helped resolve several issues; you can follow these steps to clear data and cache from your Android.
- Go to Settings and navigate to Storage.
- Click on Internal Storage.
- Select Cached data.
- Click on Clear after that.
Once you do this, all your applications or general cache stored on your device will be removed. You can then check whether your SIM is functioning or not. If it hasn’t worked, you can try restarting your device and check if the issue has been resolved.
8. Reset your Network Settings
As mentioned earlier, you can just reset your network settings if you do not want to perform a complete factory reset. This will prevent you from backing up the data that you have and restoring the entire default settings on your device as well.
Resetting your network settings would mean that you are directly trying to resolve the issue of the “No SIM Card” error. You can follow these steps to do so
- Go to Settings and click on Backup and Reset.
- Select Network Settings reset.
After you tap that, your network settings will return to default, and you might also be able to resolve the SIM card issue. This works best, especially if you have recently changed your SIM or misaligned it on the SIM tray.
9. Re-insert your SIM card
Before taking out your SIM card, ensure your device is turned off. This is integral as your device may get damaged if you take off your SIM card without switching off the device.
For most of the latest models, the SIM card tray is next to the power or volume buttons. In this case, it is much easier to take it off. However, for the older versions of Android, you will have to switch off your device and remove the battery first to take out your SIM card.
Once you remove the SIM card, you can wait for a few seconds and then re-insert it. After you do this, switch on your device and check whether you can connect to a stable network.
10. Select carrier manually
Due to certain software updates, some settings on your device might get altered. Due to this reason, you must also check that while trying to resolve the issue. When certain settings are changed, you may also be unable to connect to the network.
This is one of the main reasons why manually selecting the carrier or the network operator might help you resolve your phone’s “No SIM card” error.
You can manually select the carrier through these steps
- Go to Settings on your phone.
- Navigate to the Wireless and Networks settings.
- Click on Mobile Networks.
- Select Network Operators and manually search for the networks.
Once you select the carrier or the network operator you want to connect to, you will also be able to fix the error of “No SIM card detected.”
11. Uninstall Applications
Sometimes due to certain third-party applications, you may encounter the issue of your SIM card not getting detected. Hence, you can run safe mode on your device, which will help you resolve any issue with the third-party applications on your phone.
Most importantly, you can uninstall the application, which may take up more space on your phone. If you resolve this issue, you can also determine whether those third-party applications were the root cause of your No SIM Card error.
12. Switch Airplane mode on and off
Enabling and disabling your phone’s flight mode may also help you reconnect to the reception. Once you enable your flight mode, the entire cell reception and the broadcasts get disabled as well.
You can easily access the Settings option through the notification center once you swipe down from the top of the screen. After a few seconds, you can then turn it back on.
13. Contact customer service
While trying to resolve the issue of No SIM card detected, you should also ensure proper reception. Sometimes, you may encounter the issue because your SIM cannot connect to a properly stable network.
However, if the network is completely fine for other devices or SIM cards, then you can directly contact the customer service of the SIM carrier and check what is causing this problem. You can also change your SIM card in case there is physical damage.
Conclusion
While trying to resolve the issue of your phone saying “No SIM card” detected, there may be several reasons for that. Hence you need to check those first. Once you understand the root cause of this issue, you can easily fix it.
You may have to check your third-party applications or software updates to resolve the issue. However, most of the time, you may have to inspect your SIM card and the tray. One of the main reasons for this is that physical damage to the SIM is the top reason for these issues to crop up.