Other You can activate an iPhone with no SIM card now

[zorinlynx]

I don't know if this is a fluke, but I reset my mother's old iPhone 5C (on iOS 10.3.3) and went through the activation sequence. It told me I required a SIM card, but ended up letting me complete activation with no SIM card installed.

Is this new? I remember needing a SIM (any SIM, even a deactivated one) to activate iPhones in the past. If so, this change must be server side on Apple's end, because this is a 5C running an older iOS.

This change is convenient for people who have old iPhones kicking around, who want to use them as iPod Touches without having to dig up a SIM.

Anyway, just figured ya'll would think this is a cool development.

 

[noobinator]

Not sure how new but I haven’t had to use a sim for awhile. I think it changed last year sometime.

 

[Shadowbech]

I believe this is a feature since iOS 12 (not sure about iOS 11), you are no longer required to have a sim card to set up the device and you can simply go through set up with out one. I've done this with my sim-free model iPhone XS Max. But that's interesting that even with iOS 10.3.3, you weren't required one.

 

[zorinlynx]

I believe this is a feature since iOS 12 (not sure about iOS 11), you are no longer required to have a sim card to set up the device and you can simply go through set up with out one. I've done this with my sim-free model iPhone XS Max. But that's interesting that even with iOS 10.3.3, you weren't required one.

Yeah, I kind of expected last year's iPhones wouldn't need a SIM card to activate since they have internal eSIMs, but I didn't know that applied to older phones too.

 

[DeanL]

I believe this is a feature since iOS 12 (not sure about iOS 11), you are no longer required to have a sim card to set up the device and you can simply go through set up with out one. I've done this with my sim-free model iPhone XS Max. But that's interesting that even with iOS 10.3.3, you weren't required one.

Yeah, I kind of expected last year's iPhones wouldn't need a SIM card to activate since they have internal eSIMs, but I didn't know that applied to older phones too.

That goes back to at least 2016 in some situations.
Using the WaybackMachine on this page https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201407, in 2015, the first instruction to activate an iPhone or Celluar iPad was to put at SIM in. In 2016, it was updated to say that a SIM might be required for activation.
Finally, in 2018, the activation no longer requires a SIM in any situation.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't know if this is a fluke, but I reset my mother's old iPhone 5C (on iOS 10.3.3) and went through the activation sequence. It told me I required a SIM card, but ended up letting me complete activation with no SIM card installed.

Is this new? I remember needing a SIM (any SIM, even a deactivated one) to activate iPhones in the past. If so, this change must be server side on Apple's end, because this is a 5C running an older iOS.

This change is convenient for people who have old iPhones kicking around, who want to use them as iPod Touches without having to dig up a SIM.

Anyway, just figured ya'll would think this is a cool development.

I recently reset the same device on the same iOS, and it required a SIM. I tried multiples times without one and it would never go through.

 

[dukebound85]

good deal. this was such an annoyance when resetting old phones for use as an iPod or whatnot

 

[McRumour]

I reset my mother's old iPhone 5C (on iOS 10.3.3) and went through the activation sequence. It told me I required a SIM card, but ended up letting me complete activation with no SIM card installed.

This change is convenient for people who have old iPhones kicking around, who want to use them as iPod Touches without having to dig up a SIM.

Do you happen to recall whether, without a SIM, the Phone app in Settings became greyed out - making app itself, inaccessible?

I've just opened separate forum thread regarding fact that having switched my NANO SIM from an iPhone 5S to a new XR, I can't open Phone App now

Had hoped to continue to be able to do wi-fi calling. Or more precisely - to at least receive wifi calls (on my XR) but at least also hear phone ring (and even answer) on either device.

Was her Phone app still active without the SIM?

 

[zorinlynx]

Do you happen to recall whether, without a SIM, the Phone app in Settings became greyed out - making app itself, inaccessible?

I've just opened separate forum thread regarding fact that having switched my NANO SIM from an iPhone 5S to a new XR, I can't open Phone App now

Had hoped to continue to be able to do wi-fi calling. Or more precisely - to at least receive wifi calls (on my XR) but at least also hear phone ring (and even answer) on either device.

Was her Phone app still active without the SIM?

The phone has been wiped and I don't have access to it at the moment, so I can't answer your question.

However, from my personal experience, you need to have a SIM card installed to do WiFi calling since the SIM is part of the registration on the provider's network. My experience is with AT&T, I don't know if the other providers do things differently.

 

[McRumour]

The phone has been wiped and I don't have access to it at the moment, so I can't answer your question.

However, from my personal experience, you need to have a SIM card installed to do WiFi calling since the SIM is part of the registration on the provider's network. My experience is with AT&T, I don't know if the other providers do things differently.

Yes, you're correct (unfortunately). Spent hours on phone with Apple Senior Advisor and Screen Share.
He was certain it was possible.
However - turns out it's definitely not. Alas...

Thanks for your reply though.

 

[msp3]

This is a lifesaver. We upgraded from XS to 11 Pro at a US national retailer (w/ US retailer flex activation policy). The store cell phone rep activated the phone and made a test call each, which locked the phones to our carrier. When we went home and reset the phone for iCloud backup restore, it glitched (shipped with early version of iOS 13) and got stuck on the activation screen giving the SIM not supported error even though it’s locked to our carrier using their SIM! Same problem on Mac in Finder.

Turns out the simple solution was to just let it activate with no SIM, update iOS to resolve any problems, *then* restore from iCloud backup. Drove me absolutely insane for a good few hours... Is this a new feature to the iPhone 11s, or an iOS 13 thing?

 

[Azathoth123]

Here’s a maybe relevant story, iPhone 4s on Verizon, 2014. I go to Framce, put an Orange SIM in my unlocked phone and put the Verizon SIM in my luggage. That piece of luggage, and my SIM got stolen. Upon return to the US, I went to the Verizon store and told them what happened and I’d like a new SIM. They told me I didn’t need one, they pulled the Orange SIM out and et voilá it worked just fine with no physical SIM in it.

So it’s worth a try.

 

[pirarre]

This is a lifesaver. We upgraded from XS to 11 Pro at a US national retailer (w/ US retailer flex activation policy). The store cell phone rep activated the phone and made a test call each, which locked the phones to our carrier. When we went home and reset the phone for iCloud backup restore, it glitched (shipped with early version of iOS 13) and got stuck on the activation screen giving the SIM not supported error even though it’s locked to our carrier using their SIM! Same problem on Mac in Finder.

Turns out the simple solution was to just let it activate with no SIM, update iOS to resolve any problems, *then* restore from iCloud backup. Drove me absolutely insane for a good few hours... Is this a new feature to the iPhone 11s, or an iOS 13 thing?

Was yours still locked to your carrier afterwards?

 

[msp3]

Here’s a maybe relevant story, iPhone 4s on Verizon, 2014. I go to Framce, put an Orange SIM in my unlocked phone and put the Verizon SIM in my luggage. That piece of luggage, and my SIM got stolen. Upon return to the US, I went to the Verizon store and told them what happened and I’d like a new SIM. They told me I didn’t need one, they pulled the Orange SIM out and et voilá it worked just fine with no physical SIM in it.

I had the same experience on the Sprint iPhone 4s, but that was because the Verizon/Sprint model used EvDO (3G) way back when. As of 4G (not ATT/T-Mobile's fake "4G" HSPA) LTE, SIM cards are mandatory for 4G functions (data, VoLTE, etc) to function unless you've gone eSIM.

Was yours still locked to your carrier afterwards?

Yes, but passes activation fine now. It's supposed to be locked to my carrier this part I understand very clearly, the glitch was apparently the early version of iOS 13 that wouldn't activate it with Apple's servers. Taking out the SIM and activating without it passes activation, and when the SIM is put back after wards it makes phone calls/gets data fine. Finally, an iOS update resolved the problem and can now reset for iCloud restore purposes and it passes activation (locked to carrier, with carrier SIM)

 

[brucemr]

Nothing new. Started up new 6s years ago with no SIM card. Didn’t even have apple ID. Played with it on WiFi for hours.

 

[Smoovejayy]

I setup my 11 Pro Max with Verizon without a SIM card. After some back and forth with the Verizon tech via Messages, they got it working.