How do you set up a spare iPhone with no sim

[vexorg]

I've got a spare iPhone5, and need to use it for non-phone stuff, mix of serious apps, music and some games.

The phone was wiped to take off personal data. When I plug the phone into iTunes it says it must have a sim card before I can continue. I don't want to use any of the phone side, only the apps on it. How do I do this?

 

[tulpenhaus]

You only need the SIM for the initial setup.

 

[Sirious]

I've got a spare iPhone5, and need to use it for non-phone stuff, mix of serious apps, music and some games.

The phone was wiped to take off personal data. When I plug the phone into iTunes it says it must have a sim card before I can continue. I don't want to use any of the phone side, only the apps on it. How do I do this?

You need to "activate" the iPhone and you can only do that with a valid SIM card inside. After activation, you can remove the SIM.

 

[vexorg]

So, any sim will do? or does it tie the sim/number to that phone somehow?

And will any future connecting to iTunes be ok for copying apps or data from it?

What's the logic in needing a sim for setting up via iTunes?

 

[JT2002TJ]

I set up an iPad 4 that I gave to my parents with a used SIM. If you go to any of those cell phone repair shops, they will have tons of garbage SIM (Already used), and will likely give you one for free (they gave me one). You can even just leave it there until you want to activate it with a new sim.

 

[Sirious]

So, any sim will do? or does it tie the sim/number to that phone somehow?

And will any future connecting to iTunes be ok for copying apps or data from it?

What's the logic in needing a sim for setting up via iTunes?

Yes, "any SIM" will do, as long as the iPhone is unlocked to accept any SIM.
The logic is that it's an iPhone (a phone) that needs to be activated on a network before it can be used.

Essentially, at the end of the day its a phone so these companies expect you to use it like one so having a SIM card in it during the initial setup, helps that condition stay true. I don't know any more than that

In the future, you won't need to insert any SIM card in the phone when connecting it to iTunes. It will probably just remind you that you have no SIM card installed, and you can dismiss that message.

 

[vexorg]

The logic is that it's an iPhone (a phone) that needs to be activated on a network before it can be used.

They've kind of gone beyond a phone now. With wifi, and apps, there is a lot you can use it for without needing a phone network. Who actually phones nowadays, and in the office/home there's no need for mobile data. Even iMessage works.


And I have a plug in module that needs an iPhone5 / 5S (flir thermal camera). And I can't justify a new one because my phone was upgraded.

 

[XTheLancerX]

So, any sim will do? or does it tie the sim/number to that phone somehow?

And will any future connecting to iTunes be ok for copying apps or data from it?

What's the logic in needing a sim for setting up via iTunes?

You can use any SIM. I think the "activating..." thing on the setup screen is sort of misleading. It isn't activating the SIM, it isn't pairing the SIM to that phone or anything. The only thing that gives a phone its phone number is the SIM card, and you can switch SIMs in and out all the time to use different plans or numbers, so nothing is really tied to the phone or SIM.

Don't worry about weird stuff happening from the "activation", I was worried about the same thing awhile back with a spare iPhone 5 I was wanting to activate. It still had the old SIM but it wasn't being used anymore. I thought that "Activation" meant activating the SIM with a plan and everything which sort of made me nervous but turns out that's not the case at all. Just used the old inactive SIM and it worked fine. SIM is still inactive, it let me past the setup screen, it's all good.