Find Top 12 Methods To Fix “Invalid SIM Card” Error On Android Smartphone!
Summary: Are you getting the error message saying “Invalid SIM card – Network locked SIM card inserted”, “Activation not completed: Select to retry activation process“, “The card is not supported“, “No SIM card – Insert card” or “card not detected” on your Android phone. I know how irritating this is when you know that you have inserted the SIM card on your device but still you are receiving the error messages on your phone. But, you don’t need to worry, here are 12 easy methods on how to fix “Invalid SIM card” error on Android phone.
What Is The Meaning Of “Invalid SIM”?
Invalid SIM card error means that your device does not have any SIM card or the connection of your phone is not good or the card is not properly placed in its slot/lose. No matter why you are receiving this message as there is some connection between SIM card and its tray.
Now, let us look at a practical example.
Practical Example: A User Getting Invalid SIM Card On Android
My husband’s phone won’t even get any service. He’s not very happy he spent $50 and he can’t even make a call.”
Original Post Taken From: Androidcentral
There are lots of users who are also facing this invalid SIM card issue on their Android phone.
So, why does my SIM card keep saying invalid? Well, let’s know what are the possible causes behind it.
Additional Reading: Fix “Unfortunately, Phone Has Stopped” On Android
Why Does My SIM Card Keep Saying Invalid?
- Might be your card is not active.
- If your phone is damaged then it can also cause an “Invalid SIM card” error.
- Due to a damaged card tray.
- Defective SIM card.
- Bad applications can also result in this issue.
- Due to a poor network connection.
- Having some problems in the account of your network carrier.
- Software bugs can also cause an invalid card issue.
Solutions To Solve Invalid SIM Card On Android Phone
So, if your phone says no SIM card on Android then don’t worry, below I have discussed 17 easy methods to fix invalid SIM card error on Android. Just go through them and fix your issue right away.
Method 1: Restart Your Android Device
The easiest method to fix an invalid SIM card on Android is by restarting your Android phone. Restarting your device removes all bugs from your device and fix small errors. So, you should also restart your device to connect to the network again and then check the error is solved or not.
Additional Reading: [Quick Tips] How To Unlock Android SIM Card
Method 2: Re-insert SIM Card On Your Android Phone
If your SIM card is lose on your phone card tray or having a faulty connection then you should power off your device and put out the battery. Now, take out your SIM and then again put it back and check error is solved or not.
Method 3: Check SIM Card Tray
If your card tray is damaged then this can also cause the error on Android phone. So, you should also check that is your SIM card tray is damaged or not. If it is damaged then you can adjust it by using a piece of foam. To do this remove the device’s back cover and put the foam into the tray and then put the SIM and back cover at the same place.
Method 4: Update Your Android OS
When you update the mobile then it adds new features and also fix bug or glitches due to which you face this issue.
You need to connect your device to stable Wi-Fi connection or you can turn on cellular data.
Now, follow the below steps to update the OS to the latest version.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your phone.
Step 2: Then hit on About Phone or Software Update.
Step 3: After this, hit on check for update option.
Step 4: If the update is available then follow the on screen steps to install the latest update.
Method 5: Insert Valid SIM Card On Your Android Device
If your SIM is not valid then it will create the problem and stop to detect it on your device. So, you should switch off your phone and then look if there is any error. But it is good to insert a valid card and then see all is good or not. With the help of this, you can identify either the problem is with the SIM card or with its tray.
Additional Reading: Contacts Disappeared On Samsung Phone? Here How To Recover!
Method 6: Toggle Airplane Mode
If your SIM card is OK then you should toggle your phone in Airplane Mode. You need to just keep your phone in airplane mode for a few seconds and then turn it off and then see if the error is solved to not.
Follow the below steps to put your phone in airplane mode.
Step 1: Scroll down the notification panel from your device.
Step 2: After that search for Airplane Mode icon.
Step 3: Then toggle to turn on.
Step 4: Now, a warning message will appear on the screen, you need to hit on that message.
Step 5: You need to wait for 30 seconds and then toggle again to turn off Airplane mode.
Once the process gets completed, your device will again look for a network, and if your device detects a SIM card then the problem will get fixed.
Method 7: Check SIM Card Is Active
You need to confirm that your SIM card is active, for this you can check your carrier. If it is not active then you need to first recharge your phone number with that SIM card.
Method 8: Choose Right Network Operator
If the network operator selected on your phone is different from the phone’s settings then you can receive SIM card invalid error on Android phone.
So, to fix this issue follow the below steps.
Step 1: Open “Settings” and then tap on “More Networks”.
Step 2: After that tap on “Mobile Network” and then on “Network Operator”.
Step 3: Finally hit on “Search Networks”.
After completing the above steps your phone will search for networks and when the searching process gets completed then a carrier list will display on the device’s screen. You need to tap on your carrier this will ensure that your phone is properly connected.
Additional Reading: How Do I Unlock My Android Phone If I Forgot My PIN?
Method 9: Clear Cache Of Your Android Device
Clearing cache from your device can help you to resolve the phone says invalid sim card error on Android.
To clear the app’s cache you need to follow the below steps.
Step 1: Open “Settings” on your phone.
Step 2: Then tap on “Storage” and then on “Internal Storage”.
Step 3: After that tap on the “Cached data” option.
Once this process gets completed you will get a popup message saying that this will clear cache from all apps installed on your device. You need to tap on “Delete” button to clear all app’s cache.
Method 10: Reset Network Settings
You can reset the network settings as this will help to fix connectivity issue but you can also use it is solve the invalid SIM card issue.
This will only reset cellular network, Wi-Fi, and Virtual Private Network (VPN) to its default settings.
If you can’t remember all these settings password then you can make a note of these settings name with their password.
Here, follow the steps to do so:
- On your phone, open the Settings app.
- After this, click on “General Management”.
- Next, hit on Reset and then on “Reset network settings”.
- Now, you will see the list of services that will be reset, confirm it by tapping on “Reset Network Settings”.
If the above steps do not work on your phone then you can go to Settings > System > Advanced > Reset Options. Then under it, you need to select Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth option.
Method 11: Set Network Mode To Auto
If your device has selected the wrong network mode then this can also cause your phone to say invalid SIM card on Android. And here your device fails to choose the correct network. So, to fix this card error on Android phone you need to set your network mode to auto.
Follow the below steps to set the network mode to auto.
Step 1: Open Settings and then under connections find more networks and tap on it.
Step 2: Next tap on “Mobile Networks” and then tap on “Network Mode”.
Step 3: Now a popup screen will appear with different options.
Step 4: But from there you have to select “LTE/WCDMA/GSM (auto connect)” which you will find at the first option.
Additional Reading: How To Fix “Unfortunately, Facebook Has Stopped” On Android In 2020
Method 12: Manually Enter APN Settings
There is a chance that your SIM card is fully lost in touch with the network that is supposed to be with. If this is the case then you need to manually enter the APN settings.
Below, learn how to do this:
- On your mobile, open the Settings
- Then tap on Network & Internet.
- Next, tap on Mobile network > Advanced.
- After this, hit on Access point name and then on “+” icon at the top right corner.
Now, contact the network provider to get the APN settings. This will let you enter them from here or even you can check them online.
Alternatively, you can save your APN settings to use it in future and solve this type of issue easily.
Method 13: Enter Your Android Phone In Safe Mode
Every user installs apps on their phone but sometimes they don’t know that the apps which they have installed contain bugs and that’s why you can receive error “No SIM Card” on your Android phone.
So, you can put your Android phone is a safe mode to check if there is some conflict in your installed apps. Safe mode helps to make stop working any third-party apps and if this does not show an invalid SIM card error on Android then you should check the apps which contain bugs and uninstall those apps to solve error on Android.
Follow the below steps to enter in safe mode.
Step 1: Press and hold your device’s Power button until you see the popup screen to turn off your phone.
Step 2: Then tap and hold the Power OFF button until your device confirms from you to enter in safe mode.
Step 3: Finally, tap on OK button to put your device in safe mode.
Now, see if your card is detected and working fine on your device or not. If it works properly then you should find and uninstall the app that you have recently installed to fix the issue.
Method 14: Insert The SIM Card On Another Phone
You should insert the SIM card with another device. If it is working fine on another phone then it means that there is no problem in your card, it is your phone which is causing the issue.
Method 15: Factory Reset Your Android Device
If the above methods are not helping you to fix “Invalid SIM card” error on Android then you should factory reset your phone. Make sure you have created a backup of all your device’s data as factory reset will wipe all data from your Android phone.
Here, follow the steps to factory reset your Android phone.
Step 1: Open “Settings” app and go to System and then choose “Reset” option.
Step 2: Now, find “Erase All data (Factory reset)” option and tap on it.
Step 3: Then tap on “Reset phone” option to confirm the process.
Once the factory reset process gets completed your phone will restart and now you can set your phone from the beginning.
Note: If your phone’s data have deleted then you are highly recommended to use Android Data Recovery software to get them back to your Android phone.
Additional Reading: How To Recover Deleted Or Lost Photos From Android Phone
Method 16: Buy A New SIM Card
If after inserting SIM card to your device, you are getting the same error then you should check that if your card is damaged or not.
To properly check this you can purchase a new SIM and then insert it into your Android device and check whether your phone is detecting the new card or not.
If a new SIM card gets detected then it is clear that your older SIM is damaged. So, now you should use the new one. But if the new one also does not get detected then there is some problem with your device.
Method 17: Contact Your Device Carrier
If the problem with the SIM card is not solved after resetting your Android phone then you can say that this is happening due to hardware problems. So, you should contact your device carrier and they will repair your smartphone.
If your phone is in warranty period then you can exchange your phone and get a new one without that problem.
Extra Tip: Take Care Of Your SIM Card
You can take care of your SIM card so that you can avoid invalid SIM card issue in future again. Here are some of the care tips:
Don’t Cut The SIM Card
You should not cut the SIM by yourself to reduce the size as it is difficult to cut it perfectly without the correct tool. If you accidentally cut it where you shouldn’t, then this will damage it. Hence, it is suggested that you must go to the mobile shop to cut it.
Don’t Frequently Swap
You should avoid frequently swapping your SIM as it can scratch it. If you don’t know the correct method to insert and remove the SIM card then you should follow the manual guide.
It is a good option to keep two SIM cards on the same mobile so that you don’t need to change iot.
Clean The SIM Card Carefully
If you need to clean the SIM then gently do it. Firstly, put the SIM card on a dry and clean surface, then blow off the dust and wipe it with the help of cotton cloth, Q-tips, or cotton balls.
Also, you can rub the card lightly using a cleaning pen. Don’t use toothpaste, chemicals, water, or soap for it.
Don’t Touch The Chip
You should avoid touching the chip or gold contact that contains the files. If you touch it regularly then this will trigger it to expose sweat.
Moisture may lead to corrosion, and this will not allow the SIM to work properly and cause problem in detecting by the device.
Keep It Properly When You Don’t Use
If for any reason you remove the SIM from your smartphone then you need to keep it safely. Get it away from liquid, magnets, and extreme temperatures.
Liquid and heat will rust it and the strong magnet can harm the files. Also, you should keep it in a place from where you will not lose it.
People Also Ask
1. How Do You Know Your SIM Card Is faulty?
You can know this very easily. There are two ways to check it.
Way 1:
Remove the SIM card from your phone and check that there is not big scratches and crack on it. Small scratches don’t cause much effect but the big one will not read it.
Way 2:
You can insert SIM card on another phone, if it is working fine then it means that it doesn’t has any problem. But if it also do not work on another phone then you can buy a new card with the same number.
1. How To Activate An Invalid SIM Card?
To do this, you need to remove the SIM card from the phone then note down the numbers of your SIM, call your wireless provider to enable it. Tell them your IMEI number and your SIM number.
After this insert the SIM card again on your phone to check if it is activated or not.
Is It Possible To Reset A SIM Card?
Yes, it is possible to reset it.
For this, go through your phone and erase all the details. A SIM card, or subscriber identity module, saves all data that passes through your device. You can clear the memory of your SIM card with the help of SIM card reader.
Does The SIM Card Expire, If You Don’t Use It?
The card for your phone, email, call, and internet credit that you purchase expires after a specific time period as explained by the mobile carrier once you activate SIM card as a prepaid subscriber identity module.
You should know that a SIM card never expires because its sole purpose is to enable your device to detect a cellular network.
Conclusion
I hope the methods which I have discussed were helpful for you to fix “Invalid SIM card” on Android phone. So, in the future, if you come across this problem then you can easily handle it from the above 12 methods.
While doing factory reset if you lose data from your Android phone then you are advised to try Android Data Recovery software to retrieve deleted/erased data from your Android phone.
Wan to know About Me. Well, I have experince of almost 11 years in writing topics related to Android and other tech. Previously, I used to write Blogs for the company where I was working earlier. Now, I love to write tips, tricks, fixes for errors, data recovery solutions, and more related to Android for my own Website. Besides that, I love to travel and explore places, watch movies and play online games.
