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Old IPhone SE No Sim Card - Sim Card Tray Damaged?

R

ronniejoe

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Original poster
Feb 23, 2020
196
7
Hi. I have an old iphone SE that i been using for many years. Earlier I dropped it on the floor without the case. The case I use is those back covering cases so it doesn't give much protection like those otterboxes but i never like those because those cover the whole iphone.


I then noticed it showed no sim on it. I do not have that thing to open the sim card slot and could not find a paper clip. But I did find one of those key rings that are made of like the same as those paper clips and basically just unrolled it... but when I did this, it was still circular. I then put it in the slot and turned it a bit and pressed on it and the sim card tray and sim card came out. I then tried to push it back into the slot... but I notice it would not go in fully. I watched an old
iphone se video on someone doing this and I didn't know why it didn't go in. I then noticed... the sim card tray... the other end of it looks bent. Its not suppose to be bent right? I assume i must have damaged it with that circular key ring that i used? Like when you look at the sim try from one end to the other... the other end is like bent downwards.


I then tried to just power on my iphone even though it didn't fully go in and it still shows no sim.


My questions are...


Is my sim card holder damaged? Its possible my sim card is damaged as well? I have dropped my phone few times and don't recall the no sim showing up.


I could buy a replacement of the sim tray easily even though its an old iphone se?


Is that iphone SE tray even necessary or could i just take the sim card and push it into the slot and use it as is?



Im planning to buy a new iphone sometime in the next few months anyways. But im also out of the country so i cannot buy a new iphone till i get back to the US.
 
IMG_4190.JPG





Here is how the sim tray looks. From looking at it compared to what i see online, its bent right? Its on the other end of it where its where you put it in the hole area. It doesn't seem to be straight so i must have damaged it when pulling it out?


But could i just put the sim card in without needing the sim tray?
 
IMG_4194.JPG


Here is another picture of it. So I damaged the sim tray when taking it out?


Again the earlier issue was i dropped my iphone on floor and it showed no sim. So i shut down phone and powered it on and same issue. Then i took the sim card tray/card out but i had used like this circular pin i had to take it out. I didn't have the correct tool to pull it out so i used that.


But now i cannot even push the sim card tray fully in.
 
I assume your talking about the bent ear where the tray seals against the side of the phone? Try and bend the sim tray flat, even if the small end of the ear snaps off, the SE doesn't have any water resistance rating so it won't matter much considering you plan on replacing it in a couple of months anyway
 
BugeyeSTI said:
I assume your talking about the bent ear where the tray seals against the side of the phone? Try and bend the sim tray flat, even if the small end of the ear snaps off, the SE doesn't have any water resistance rating so it won't matter much considering you plan on replacing it in a couple of months anyway
Click to expand...
Hey. Well yea you see that area that is bent? Is it suppose to be like that? Or did i bent it when pulling it out earlier?
 
Okay but I do need to get a replacement sim tray then? Could i just put the sim card in and that would work or it won't? I read online it might but the sim card would then fall out if I do that?


The thing is im out of the US at the moment, so I'm not going to buy a new iphone until im back in the US. So im still using this old iphone SE here for now and then this happens.


But i need to buy a replacement tray right in order to continue to use it?
 
BugeyeSTI said:
You'll need to use something to facilitate the bending, your fingers wont do it
Click to expand...
Do you know what I could use?


Again I had used this key chain and that was circular and i basically uncircled it so it was like a round paper clip so to speak... and then used it to take out the sim tray... which caused this mess.
 
ronniejoe said:
Okay but I do need to get a replacement sim tray then? Could i just put the sim card in and that would work or it won't? I read online it might but the sim card would then fall out if I do that?


The thing is im out of the US at the moment, so I'm not going to buy a new iphone until im back in the US. So im still using this old iphone SE here for now and then this happens.


But i need to buy a replacement tray right in order to continue to use it?
Click to expand...

See that little nick on the other end? That is what holds the tray in. Also turn it over, that is your iPhone serial number. Nice place to put it, but...

I wouldn't worry about it. Straighten it, and if it snaps off, well, it's still going to work...
 
ronniejoe said:
Do you know what I could use?


Again I had used this key chain and that was circular and i basically uncircled it so it was like a round paper clip so to speak... and then used it to take out the sim tray... which caused this mess.
Click to expand...

Ah. Next time, try a hammer. Yeah, you foobared that, but if you can get it straight (or gone), and maybe find something else to pop trays in the future...

Oh, tweezers? Finger nail cutters? Wire cutters? A sharp edged metal spot?
 
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If you can get a replacement tray that would be great. The tray has to be used, you can't just stick the card in the opening. I wound lay the bent end facing down on the flat part of a table (hard surface or the table may get marred) or vice and use a small hammer to tap gently until the ear is flat
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
See that little nick on the other end? That is what holds the tray in. Also turn it over, that is your iPhone serial number. Nice place to put it, but...

I wouldn't worry about it. Straighten it, and if it snaps off, well, it's still going to work...
Click to expand...

Well i know the other end is what holds it together. But when i saw the bent... i thought... i don't think that is how its suppose to look... so i thought i damaged it.


What do you mean my iphone serial number?


I cannot straighten it.
 
ronniejoe said:
Well i know the other end is what holds it together. But when i saw the bent... i thought... i don't think that is how its suppose to look... so i thought i damaged it.


What do you mean my iphone serial number?


I cannot straighten it.
Click to expand...

Apple Store? Maybe a (insert your carrier's name) store?

I don't imagine the little piece would survive being bent back, but it will still work, stay in. Just be gentle...
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
Ah. Next time, try a hammer. Yeah, you foobared that, but if you can get it straight (or gone), and maybe find something else to pop trays in the future...

Oh, tweezers? Finger nail cutters? Wire cutters? A sharp edged metal spot?
Click to expand...

I had some tweezers but didn't use it. I was looking for a paper clip pin and couldn't find any so i used that.


I think my neighbor has a hammer. I don't have tools with me at the moment.


But just to confirm... you are saying as long as i make that bent flat or even break that part... then it would work?
 
BugeyeSTI said:
If you can get a replacement tray that would be great. The tray has to be used, you can't just stick the card in the opening. I wound lay the bent end facing down on the flat part of a table (hard surface or the table may get marred) or vice and use a small hammer to tap gently until the ear is flat
Click to expand...

Im not sure if i would be able to get a replacement tray here but i will look. I dont think there is even an apple store here which is another issue.

But that ear part... as long as i flatten it with a hammer, then it would work?
 
ronniejoe said:
I had some tweezers but didn't use it. I was looking for a paper clip pin and couldn't find any so i used that.


I think my neighbor has a hammer. I don't have tools with me at the moment.


But just to confirm... you are saying as long as i make that bent flat or even break that part... then it would work?
Click to expand...

Use a hammer was sarcasm for next time use that to open the SIM tray.

You need something to bend, or break that part of the tab off. Do you have a hardware, or home store nearby? Go there. Ask for help...
 
ronniejoe said:
Im not sure if i would be able to get a replacement tray here but i will look. I dont think there is even an apple store here which is another issue.

But that ear part... as long as i flatten it with a hammer, then it would work?
Click to expand...
Yes the tray will work again if the ear is flat..
 
Wait so will a hammer work then? If so, Im going to ask my neighbor for one and start banging on it. Just want to make sure that is what you want me to do as i wasn't sure if its a joke or not.


There are some hardware store nearby but isn't the tool going to cost more than the sim tray if i could find that here?


Also why do you call it the ear? Is that whats its called or you call it an ear because i had it bent so it looks like an ear?
 
Okay so to confirm... use a hammer and bang on it gently to get it flat. But any other tools that would be good if a hammer doesn't work? My neighbor has a bunch of tools in his toolbox so i can go ask him for it.


Also even if i break it while using a hammer, well there is no harm right since well its already bent and no use? Just want to make sure before i go and ask him for a hammer.



Thanks.
 
Gently, gently tap with the smallest hammer you can find or use pliers. Something like this if a small hammer isn't available
F5B4D5A7-5B2B-40E4-B602-B83778EE7AC3.jpeg

Ear, tab, flange many different names used to describe that area of the tray
 
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