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iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro "No SIM Installed" Can't I just use the eSIM?

richard13

richard13

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 1, 2008
1,053
821
Odessa, FL
Hey guys,

I just got my iPhone 13 Pro today and went through the device transfer process from my iPhone X. Everything seemed to go ok but now my new phone is saying "No SIM Installed". I should mention that I had to buy this new iPhone with the "Connect on your own later" option because AT&T has a P.O. Box for my address. I know my old phone has a SIM installed. But can't I just use the eSIM in my new phone? I really don't want to go find some inappropriate tool to dig my SIM out of my old phone if possible.

Thanks for your help!
 
You’ve got to contact AT&T to activate the eSIM.

Just use your old SIM card from your old phone. Any paper clip that fits in the little SIM tray release hole can be used. Just press it in straight and firmly and the SIM tray will slide out.
Its really easy.
 
now i see it said:
You’ve got to contact AT&T to activate the eSIM.

Just use your old SIM card from your old phone. Any paper clip that fits in the little SIM tray release hole can be used. Just press it in straight and firmly and the SIM tray will slide out.
Its really easy.
Click to expand...
Well, I relented and finally went searching for the "any paper clip". Apparently it's harder to find than the "any" key on a keyboard! I went through boxes of ancient paperwork, all stapled. The only paper clip I found was too thick. Looked through several more stacks of papers and was able to one slim enough to liberate my old SIM. But now I'm also bleeding. May have been easier to just call AT&T. It'll be interesting to see if they charge me a fee for this anyway. LOL. Thanks!
 
richard13 said:
Well, I relented and finally went searching for the "any paper clip". Apparently it's harder to find than the "any" key on a keyboard! I went through boxes of ancient paperwork, all stapled. The only paper clip I found was too thick. Looked through several more stacks of papers and was able to one slim enough to liberate my old SIM. But now I'm also bleeding. May have been easier to just call AT&T. It'll be interesting to see if they charge me a fee for this anyway. LOL. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I hate to be the one to break it to you now, but your new phone came with a SIM removal tool. If you look in the little packet of papers that says “designed by apple in california“ you’ll find the tool.
 
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Also, to continue the bad news, since you came from an iPhone X your existing SIM may be too old to support 5G. You will probably still need to contact ATT to switch to the eSIM or to get a new physical SIM that supports 5G.
 
BrettDS said:
I hate to be the one to break it to you now, but your new phone came with a SIM removal tool. If you look in the little packet of papers that says “designed by apple in california“ you’ll find the tool.
Click to expand...
LOL... I can't believe I didn't look 😭😭😭. But then again, none of my earlier phones came with one so I wouldn't there would be one. Again, no excuse. You are correct. I just wasted about an hour of my time and a few drops of blood. I'll fess up to AT&T in the morning. :rolleyes:
 
richard13 said:
Hey guys,

I just got my iPhone 13 Pro today and went through the device transfer process from my iPhone X. Everything seemed to go ok but now my new phone is saying "No SIM Installed". I should mention that I had to buy this new iPhone with the "Connect on your own later" option because AT&T has a P.O. Box for my address. I know my old phone has a SIM installed. But can't I just use the eSIM in my new phone? I really don't want to go find some inappropriate tool to dig my SIM out of my old phone if possible.

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
The sim tray removal tool should have come with the phone in that small square envelope…
 
richard13 said:
LOL... I can't believe I didn't look 😭😭😭. But then again, none of my earlier phones came with one so I wouldn't there would be one. Again, no excuse. You are correct. I just wasted about an hour of my time and a few drops of blood. I'll fess up to AT&T in the morning. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Every recent iPhone has come with a sim removal tool… Including the X lol
 
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BrettDS said:
Also, to continue the bad news, since you came from an iPhone X your existing SIM may be too old to support 5G. You will probably still need to contact ATT to switch to the eSIM or to get a new physical SIM that supports 5G.
Click to expand...
I came from an iPhone X and popped the old SIM card into my iPhone 13 Pro. No problem with 5G.
 
I just did this with Verizon. You have to call or message AT&T so they can do whatever they need to do on their end. Unfortunately your mileage may vary when it comes to getting someone that knows how to do it. The first person I talked to at Verizon was completely unknowledgeable to put it politely. She said I had to use the physical SIM to activate the eSIM. I finally got someone on text chat that knew how to do it. They’re going to need your IMEI number and IMEI2 number. If they ask for your ICCID number they don’t know what they’re talking about because you don’t have one yet with your eSIM so you probably need to find another representative
 
ThaDoggg said:
I came from an iPhone X and popped the old SIM card into my iPhone 13 Pro. No problem with 5G.
Click to expand...
I believe it also came with my iPhone 7 but I think many carriers just keep them after installing the SIM because they don’t want people messing with it and breaking something.
 
I converted the physical sim on my 12 Pro to esim yesterday. Settings/cellular/convert to esim

I’m on iOS 15, and AT&T. Worked seamlessly with no problems. 5g access was maintained
 
russell_314 said:
I just did this with Verizon. You have to call or message AT&T so they can do whatever they need to do on their end. Unfortunately your mileage may vary when it comes to getting someone that knows how to do it. The first person I talked to at Verizon was completely unknowledgeable to put it politely. She said I had to use the physical SIM to activate the eSIM. I finally got someone on text chat that knew how to do it. They’re going to need your IMEI number and IMEI2 number. If they ask for your ICCID number they don’t know what they’re talking about because you don’t have one yet with your eSIM so you probably need to find another representative
Click to expand...
I have AT&T and didn’t have to call them. I used Apple’s QuickStart. When I got my new phone delivered to my door direct from Apple, unlocked, I just put my new iPhone next to my old iPhone 12 Pro and let QuickStart do the rest. I needed to select transfer eSIM and QuickStart worked its’ magic. 20 minutes later my new phone was set up with all my old phone apps and settings, iCloud, photos, contacts, etc. My new phone was active and working. My old phone was deactivated and reset to factory. Couldn’t have been easier. I checked my AT&T account just a few minutes ago out of curiousity and my account shows my new iPhone 13 pro on my account just fine. Apple’s Quick start makes it easy to transfer your physical SIM to an eSIM, so. No phone company goofballs trying to upsell you to some crazy deals or trying to transfer alll your contacts over with their special equipment.
 
Last edited:
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Rigby said:
You may be able to convert the physical SIM to an eSIM without calling AT&T. See:

support.apple.com

About eSIM on iPhone - Apple Support

Learn what an eSIM is, how to set up an eSIM on your iPhone, and how to transfer a physical SIM to an eSIM.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
Click to expand...

Thank you. I used these instructions to convert my physical SIM to the eSIM. The phone then said I could remove the physical SIM and it's seems to be working (getting a signal), I'll have to make a call tomorrow.
 
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CMoore515 said:
Every recent iPhone has come with a sim removal tool… Including the X lol
Click to expand...
Nah. I just looked in my iPhone X box (yes, I still have it) and there's no SIM tool included. Perhaps you are from Europe? I know those always included this tool.
 
richard13 said:
Nah. I just looked in my iPhone X box (yes, I still have it) and there's no SIM tool included. Perhaps you are from Europe? I know those always included this tool.
Click to expand...

I think their policy of including the SIM tool has changed over the years. For a while you got one with every phone no matter what.

Then they switched and if you ordered a phone that was attached to a carrier that came with a SIM card installed you didn’t get the tool, but if you ordered an unlocked phone that didn’t come with a SIM you did get the tool.

And lately they seem to have decided to include the tool with every phone again.
 
Jemani said:
I have AT&T and didn’t have to call them. I used Apple’s QuickStart. When I got my new phone delivered to my door direct from Apple, unlocked, I just put my new iPhone next to my old iPhone 12 Pro and let QuickStart do the rest. I needed to select transfer eSIM and QuickStart worked its’ magic. 20 minutes later my new phone was set up with all my old phone apps and settings, iCloud, photos, contacts, etc. My new phone was active and working. My old phone was deactivated and reset to factory. Couldn’t have been easier. I checked my AT&T account just a few minutes ago out of curiousity and my account shows my new iPhone 13 pro on my account just fine. Apple’s Quick start makes it easy to transfer your physical SIM to an eSIM, so. No phone company goofballs trying to upsell you to some crazy deals or trying to transfer alll your contacts over with their special equipment.
Click to expand...
Yes, I expected to be asked during the QuickStart process but that never happened. It copied over my Apple Pay cards (with me having to confirm every single security code), my apps and data (but it seemed like it was still doing this when it was done), but never asked about the SIM (or cellular service). Other things seem broken but that is likely due to the new phone. Maybe because I didn't use the iCloud (but the device to device option)?
 
richard13 said:
Nah. I just looked in my iPhone X box (yes, I still have it) and there's no SIM tool included. Perhaps you are from Europe? I know those always included this tool.
Click to expand...
If you buy an iPhone from your phone company there will be no SIM tool. You need to buy from Apple unlocked, and there will be a SIM removal tool.
 
richard13 said:
Yes, I expected to be asked during the QuickStart process but that never happened. It copied over my Apple Pay cards (with me having to confirm every single security code), my apps and data (but it seemed like it was still doing this when it was done), but never asked about the SIM (or cellular service). Other things seem broken but that is likely due to the new phone. Maybe because I didn't use the iCloud (but the device to device option)?
Click to expand...
I believe your old phone needs to be an iPhone XS nor newer And on the latest iOS.
 
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