How-to

How to open the SIM tray and insert a SIM card (iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel)

Push the SIM tool straight into the small hole beside the tray and the tray pops out. Put the nano-SIM in with its cut corner matching the tray, then push the tray back flush. Many new iPhones sold in the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico and the Gulf have no tray.

By Abu Bakar Saadat · Publisher: Saadat Rafiq · 3 min read · Published 27 October 2026

Tool: The SIM tool from the box, or a straightened paper clip (Apple)
iPhone tray: Left side on iPhone 12 and later, where a tray exists
No tray: iPhone 17e and 18 Pro in 13 countries incl. US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Gulf; iPhone 14 Pro in the US
Advice from: Apple, Samsung and Google pages, read 27 October 2026
Applies to: iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, Galaxy S26, Galaxy A57, Pixel 10a
Checked: October 2026

Illustration of an iPhone with its SIM tray pulled out of the left side and a SIM tool beside it — Illustration

Step 0: does your phone have a SIM tray?

Phone	Has a tray?	Where
iPhone 17e	No tray in the US, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and US Virgin Islands. Yes everywhere else.	Left side
iPhone 18 Pro	No tray in the same 13 countries; yes everywhere else	Left side
iPhone 14 Pro	No tray in the US only	Left side
Pixel 10a	Yes: one nano-SIM plus eSIM, and Google puts a SIM tool in the box	Look for a thin slot outline with a pinhole on the edges
Galaxy S26, Galaxy A57	Yes on ours	Look for a thin slot outline with a pinhole on the edges

iPhone: check the model number. Go to Settings, General, About and tap Model Number until it shows a number starting with A. On the iPhone 17e, A3575 has no tray, A3634 has one, and A3635 (China mainland) works with a nano-SIM or an eSIM. On the iPhone 18 Pro, A3472 and A3713 have no tray, A3714 has one, and A3715 is the China mainland model. These numbers are from Apple's model list.

No tray? Your phone is eSIM-only. Ask your carrier for an eSIM, or move the eSIM from your old phone.

Step 1: find the pinhole

The pinhole sits at one end of the tray, inside or right next to its thin outline. Samsung warns not to push the pin into a microphone hole by mistake, so make sure the hole you choose is part of the tray outline.

Step 2: push the tool straight in

Illustration of a SIM tool pushed straight into the pinhole of the SIM tray on the left side of an iPhone, below the volume buttons — Illustration

Use the SIM tool from the box, or a straightened paper clip (Apple names both). Hold it straight, not at an angle: Samsung says an angled pin can damage the phone. Push towards the phone until the tray pops out a little. If it won't move, don't force it: take it to your carrier or an Apple Store, as Apple advises.

Step 3: pull the tray out

Illustration of fingertips pulling a SIM tray with a nano-SIM in it out of the side of a phone — Illustration

Pull the tray straight out with your fingertips. Note which way up it came out: it only goes back the same way.

Step 4: put the SIM in

Illustration of fingers placing a nano-SIM into a tray with the cut corner of the card lined up with the cut corner of the tray — Illustration

Match the SIM's cut corner to the cut corner of the tray. It fits only one way. Samsung says gold contacts face down. Press it in gently so it sits flat.

Step 5: push the tray back until it's flush

Illustration of a fingertip pushing a SIM tray back into the side of a phone until it sits flush — Illustration

Slide it in the same way round, then push until it sits level with the frame. Samsung says the tray must be completely dry and fully closed, otherwise water can get in.

If this doesn't work

"No SIM" after inserting: take the tray out, check the SIM is flat and the right way round, put it back and restart the phone.
The tray won't go back in: it's upside down, or the SIM is sitting proud. Never push hard.
You lost the tray: Apple says to use only the tray that came with your phone; a tray from another model won't fit.
The tray is stuck: don't use oil, a needle or a knife. Go to your carrier or a repair shop.

Wet phone: what to do (don't open the tray until the phone is dry) · How to clean your iPhone · Charging port not working

Questions readers ask

Can I use an earring or a needle?

Apple names a SIM-eject tool or a paper clip. Thin needles and earring posts can snap off inside the hole.

Do I need to turn the phone off?

Apple's and Samsung's SIM steps don't say so. Turning it off first does no harm.

Can I put two SIM cards in?

Not on our phones: each tray takes one nano-SIM and the second line is an eSIM. Apple notes that some iPhone models sold in Hong Kong and Macao take two nano-SIMs.

My iPhone 17e from the US has no tray. Can I add one?

No. Those models are eSIM-only. Ask your carrier for an eSIM instead.

Sources

This article is based on the sources above. We have not tested these products ourselves. Prices and availability change; check the maker's website before you buy.