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Among the challenges that appear on a day-to-day basis related to your mobiles, the problems with sim cards are the ones that would bother you the most. You may not always want to take out your sim card tray, but when you do, there is a high chance you will find it jammed.
Since the card tray and the actual card are small and sensitive, you can’t just pull them out without breaking both apart. And once broken, replacing the tray and getting a new sim is another story!
So, one needs to be careful and steady while removing the sim card. Also, you don’t have to spend money to get through your jammed card, as there are ways that you can clear the tricky task by yourself.
Read on to know how you can get the jammed sim card out.
Ways to Open the Jammed Sim Card Tray
You often find yourself in situations where you cannot pull your sim card out. Here are a few ways to ensure your card is out without causing any damage.
1. Use the ejection tool
First, you should use the ejection tool that comes with your phone to free your jammed sim card. Now you may have simply used this tool by pushing it into the hole and trying to pull the tray out. Of course, it didn’t work.
So, it would help if you tried to use the ejection tool differently. Turn your phone upside down, insert the tool, and press the ejection button several times. The extra force might lead the tray to loosen and open.
2. Make use of a small paperclip
Not all phones feature sim ejector holes of the exact sizes, but most times, the edge of a small uncurled paper clip is all you need to remove the blockage.
You should pick a smaller clip to ensure that it fits into the ejection hole without the need to use a lot of force. Use one without any PVC coating, as it can come off in tight spaces, giving you another problem to deal with.
Uncurl your paper clip and point the long end into the ejection hole. Use a little force but keep your hand steady, and your sim card will come out.
3. Safety pins and earrings are also a good choice
If you don’t have a paper clip at your place, make use of safety pins or even earrings.
Safety pins are also available in various sizes and circumferences. To make sure it fits well, find a pin small in size; it will blend easily. Make sure you use gentle force when pushing it into the ejection hole.
When it comes to earrings, make use of the basic stainless-steel ones. Take off their back and try pushing them into the hole. Avoid ones with unalloyed silver or gold as it would bend when you press them into the whole, spoiling your earrings without delivering results.
4. Use sticky adhesives
Adhesives are a feasible choice and effective in taking out a jammed sim card. However, you are not supposed to use an actual adhesive like glue to take out your sim card.
Instead, go for double-sided tape or a sticky mountain adhesive that is typically used on posters and pictures.
First, you should cut the tape into a thin strip. The trick here is only to apply adhesive on your sim tray. If it sticks to your phone or another area, it will peel off the solid surface rather than what it is supposed to pull off.
Now pull off the protective layer of your tape and paste it to the opening area of the tray. Press and hold the ejection button while pulling the adhesive at the same time. Ideally, this will take out the tray and free your jammed card. However, if it does not work, continue some more attempts until it works.
It could be possible that the tray opens partially and remains relatively stuck; in this case, use tweezers to grip the tray and free your jammed card cautiously.
5. An advanced choice
If nothing works and your sim card tray is still stuck, the last choice you have is to open your device up. It is effective but risky simultaneously because it could seriously mess with other parts of your phone, such as the screen. However, if you believe that you could pull it off, you can go ahead.
You would have to open the backside of your device using suitable screwdrivers or perhaps tweezers.
Things to Keep in Mind While Taking Your Sim Card Out
When you plan to take out your jammed sim card using any of the methods listed above, it is best if you take care of certain things beforehand.
- First, you should save every essential data from your card to your smartphone. It is important to ensure that none of your essential information is lost if you damage the sim card by mistake.
- Second, turn off your phone while using different tricks to free your jammed card.
- Third, before working on your jammed card, check the warranty of your device. At times, damage while removing the jammed sim is not covered by your warranty. So, you have to be extra vigilant while taking care of the blocked card so as to not cause any significant harm to your phone that will lead to financial loss. It is best to take time to understand each trick before you actually utilize them to take your card out.
- Fourth, clean the tray from the outside before trying out any method. Though there is no specific reason for your sim tray to become jammed, it could be because of a collection of dirt or debris. So, use a wet wipe or even a damp cloth and clean around the tray area. Perhaps, it will do the trick.
The Bottom Line
Maybe your phone is not able to make calls or receive calls. Or perhaps you want to insert or change SIM. Whatever could be the reason, it happens most times that you have to take a sim tray out.
Dealing with a jammed sim card is not as simple a matter as it may seem. It is a delicate and challenging process that can break or damage the phone. So, please be careful and considerate when you are working on freeing your sim card.
Work on it with a clear mind and steady hand to avoid bigger problems.
