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Everyone knows how to open a SIM tray using a regular paper clip. But this is not the only “tool” suitable for opening the SIM tray. Below is a list of items that can be used to remove the SIM card tray of your smartphone.
Note!
If you ever use these methods to open the SIM tray, be careful. Think about what and how you do! Also, make sure you are inserting into the correct hole and not into the microphone hole.
Method #1: Using a paperclip, pin or push pin
Using a paperclip, pin, or push pin
For those who don't have a SIM card ejector on hand, a paper clip is the best substitute. Just bend one of its ends and you're done! But, make sure to use a paperclip that is thin enough to fit into the hole in the tray. Press gently to avoid damaging your smartphone.
An alternative is to use thumbtacks, but they are generally too thick to fit into most SIM trays. I was able to open the iPhone XS, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Honor View 20 failed.
Why is my mobile phone's SIM card tray stuck?
The first thing we should know is the reasons why the SIM card remains embedded and there is no way to remove it, this can give us the key to achieve this situation and get a better solution. The main reasons are as follows:
- SIM card tray or cards not inserted correctly.
- Some materials get stuck in the tray.
- The tray is deformed by the impact.
- SIM or MicroSD has been moved.
Based on all the situations that we have seen that caused damage to our mobile phone, we also have to add another option which is random. We cannot control or detect this last possibility, and it is perhaps the one that complicates our existence the most, since there is no easy way to solve it.
Parts, tools and consumables
The procedure itself is not that complicated, but it requires tools and materials.
SIM connectors
They are not inferior to USB connectors in terms of variety. In addition, some of them are located in the same housing with SD card slots. Usually sellers in radio stores sell such spare parts individually, but you can buy a whole set on AliExpress.
There are never any extra parts, and besides, there will be spare parts in case of repeated malfunction.
Tools and tweezers
You definitely need at least simple tweezers. We will use it to remove the broken connector from the board. To resolder the connector reliably and efficiently, you need a soldering station or soldering iron and a hair dryer with temperature control.
Consumables
You will need aluminum tape, paste-like flux, and solder. If there are difficulties in replacement, Rose's alloy will also come in handy. To clean the board after soldering work, you will need isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) or Galosh.
Contact an electronics store for help.
If you are in the city, then you are probably surrounded by electronics stores.
There may also be phones sold there, the sellers of which are equipped with various tools for installing a SIM card, gluing glass/film to the screen, and so on. Contact them for help, ask for a paperclip to remove the tray from the device. Perhaps you have some other solution in mind. If so, then please share it with us.
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How to open the SIM card tray in Xiaomi using an eject clip
Despite not understanding how to remove the Xiaomi SIM card slot for the first time, there is nothing complicated in the procedure. Carefully insert the tail of the paper clip into the hole.
There is no need to move from side to side, nor do you need to pick.
You need to carefully insert the paperclip until it clicks. This tail should be perpendicular to the side surface of the phone.
The tray came out after inserting the key
After a click is heard, the SIM card plate will pop out a short distance away. You need to pull it towards yourself with your fingers until it is fully extended.
Note! The plate is very thin and extends all the way. She pulls herself completely out of the phone. You can’t lose it, since it’s not easy to buy such a part.
We take out the stuck SIM card from the smartphone
Remove the SIM card from the slot of the Xiaomi Redmi 4 smartphone, what could be easier?
We recently showed a tablet where we managed to put as many as 3 cards and a HYUNDAI DVD player into the microSD slot, which became a changer at the behest of the children :)
Today we also have a non-standard situation, the owner did not deal with slots for micro and nanosim cards and, without noticing that the SIM card tray had already been removed, inserted a full-fledged SIM card from an old smartphone into the slot.
The card successfully entered the slot and upon further attempts to get it out, it fell even further. Meet the new Xiaomi Redmi 4 32Gb Gold:
In passing, I’ll note that the phone is much nicer than the previous Xiaomi Redmi 3, the screen has even thinner frames, a different resolution and colors, but the smartphone itself is still plump, and due to its square shape, it seems large.
Now we look through the slot and see a SIM card that is so close, but so far away. The problem is that modern smartphones cannot be easily disassembled, but require the glass to be peeled off.
The SIM card has fallen deep into the card reader and is fixed by the microSD contacts:
TURN OFF THE DEVICE.
At first I imagined myself as a Chinese and tried to work with toothpicks like chopsticks, but this did not give any results, the card can be moved left/right, but no more.
It is not possible to remove a stuck SIM card in the tray:
Then we decided to resort to a special tool that we would make ourselves.
To make a SIM card removal tool, we need a metal paper clip, pliers and needle files.
We need one of the staples from the paper clip, squeeze it and remove it from the plate itself:
The diameter of the staple wire must be such that it fits into the slot of the card reader, or is very close to these dimensions.
Using pliers, we give the bracket a “U” shape:
Now use files to give the shape of a hook on both ends of the staple:
And also, if necessary, we reduce the diameter or make its profile square, this makes it easier to install our device in the card receiver.
Now, using toothpicks, we position the stuck SIM card in the center of the card reader so that there is room on the sides for the hooks to enter the special tool.
We carefully insert our improvised tweezers; it should go in without effort and not push the SIM card:
We don’t insert it deeply, it’s enough for the hooks of our device to go a few millimeters further than the nearest visible part of the stuck card:
Lightly squeeze our tweezers and pull back:
After spending 30 minutes making this device, we took out the stuck SIM card in 10 seconds:
P.S. In this smartphone, it is not entirely clear how to install the tray with cards, facing you or down. To do this, there is a laser marking on the tray, although it is hard to see - FACE TO SCREEN, i.e. This part needs to be oriented towards the screen.
Bottom line
This article discussed in detail how you can change the SIM connector yourself and at home. The main thing is not to rush while soldering. and carefully remove the connectors so as not to destroy small SMD parts. Practice on donor boards before performing repairs on a faulty device.
Replacing the SD card slot is similar to replacing the SIM connector.
Also, replacing parts on a smartphone is not much different from tablets. The main difference is the dimensions and layout of the devices.
How much does the work cost?
Generally. the price starts from 600 rubles, and depends on the complexity of replacing and disassembling the device. The price is also affected by the availability of parts and the warranty provided by the service center.
Where could the slot be?
Before inserting or removing a SIM card from Honor, figure out the installation location of this element. Most often, information is provided in the instructions from the manufacturer. If it is not there, focus on two options:
- Installation in the side slot. In most modern devices, you can insert a card into a special slot located at the end of the mobile device. A paperclip is used to remove it, and detailed instructions are discussed above.
- Installation behind the battery. Using the side slot, you can insert a SIM card into Honor 10 and other modern models. In older versions, Honor SIM is installed behind the battery. This feature requires removing the cover and the battery that is located under it.
If your Honor phone has a side slot, pay attention to the number of connectors. Some models allow you to insert a SIM and a memory card. Some nests may even be hybrid. This means that you can insert a SIM card or Micro SD into them.
Using a paperclip to remove
Manufacturers have taken care of customers and, in addition to phones, produce paper clips for extraction. They should be with every smartphone that has a unibody body.
Each box containing a Xiaomi smartphone comes with a special paperclip, which is the key to the slot. It is made of thin metal wire and resembles an oval or circle with a long tail.
Tray release clip
When buying a smartphone in a specialized store, the seller is obliged to show how to get a SIM card slot in Xiaomi.
The tray is usually located on the left side of the phone, but in some models it may be on the right. In appearance, the tray resembles a small oval with a hole next to it.
A few items you can use if you don't have a paper clip
Since you can open the SIM card slot in Xiaomi or Honor smartphones and many others using any suitable objects, let’s look at some of them.
You can open the connector easily and quickly using a needle, pin or pin. These are simply ideal items for this purpose - comfortable and of suitable thickness.
You can also pull out the slot using a stapler bracket if you straighten it. Not a very convenient thing due to its small size, but it does the job quite well.
A mechanical pencil is not suitable for everyone - only one that has a sufficiently long metal tube protruding at the end for the rod. This is what you can try to insert into the hole. You should not use a graphite rod for this - it can easily break off and completely block the hole.
An ordinary toothpick will also work - its pointed end is quite thin over a long length and can easily be inserted instead of a key. Of course, thin wooden things must be handled carefully so as not to accidentally break them.
How to remove the tray and remove the SIM card if there is nothing like that? Look around more carefully. In any home or office you can find something suitable, as long as it fits into the hole and is strong enough.
Removing the SIM card using improvised objects
Which ones are suitable?
Most Huawei smartphones support microSD installation. Previously, the 2SIM + microSD combination was common, but modern models often have two slots available: one for a SIM card, the other for a flash drive.
- MicroSD - up to 4 GB inclusive, supported on older models.
- MicroSDHC - up to 32 GB, this type is used by all modern Huawei smartphones.
- MicroSDXC - up to 2 TB. The most common option is 64 GB, supported mainly by Huawei flagships.
Installing a second SIM or memory card
Some models, such as Redmi 6A or Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A, have a separate slot for a memory card. That is, they have three slots. Two for SIM cards and one for a memory card.
But there are Xiaomi smartphones for which there is one slot for a micro SIM card and a memory card. For example, Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite. Users of such phones need to choose: either they use two SIM cards, or they have enough memory.
Inserting a Memory Card
Installing a second SIM card or memory card is no different from installing the first. There are models in which all three slots are on one plate.
There are those that have two plates installed. The indentations for all three cards are different, so it is difficult to confuse them, but the manufacturer carefully placed the appropriate inscriptions.
Is this covered by the warranty?
The question that comes to mind is once we are able to remove the locked SIM tray will it be covered under warranty. Manufacturers don't say one way or the other about this, although if the reason it stuck is because we misused the tray ourselves, it's obviously not covered under warranty. We'll have to contact technical service and check our situation so that they can send us to a specialized center or come pick up the device.
What to do if there are microcircuits nearby
There are several solution methods. Either install radiators on the chips and protect them with metal tape, or use bottom heating up to 200 ℃. This problem is relevant for those devices that have a high layout of radio components on the board. For example, Samsung or iPhone flagships. On the iPhone there is usually a modem nearby, which is made in the form of a BGA chip. You can also accidentally heat up the processor, which you will get tired of rolling.
Therefore, evaluate your strength before replacing connectors yourself. There is also a more radical option - mechanical removal of the old connector. But this method is very dangerous because you can hit the tracks or unintentionally cut off other parts.
Types of SIM cards
- mini-SIM - such SIM cards are considered “standard”: they are large in size and are now used only in outdated models;
- micro-SIM - smaller cards that have some improvements compared to “standard” SIM cards. This type is actively used in mobile phones and budget smartphones;
- nano-SIM is the latest generation of cards that are very small in size. They are used in almost all modern devices of the middle and high price categories.
If you accidentally insert a card into the tray slot
To remove the SIM card from the slot yourself, you will need a discount or old bank card and super glue.
Cut a strip about 1 cm wide from the card. Apply a small amount of glue to the end of the cut strip so that the glue does not get on the sides.
Then insert the cut piece into the SIM card slot and push it all the way. Leave the strip in this position for a few minutes so that the glue has time to set. After this, carefully pull the plate along with the SIM card out of the slot.
