Where to reduce the SIM card for a smartphone. How to cut a SIM card for Nano-SIM? The process of transforming an old SIM card

Today we will look at how SIM cards are designed and find out why some SIM cards can be cut to a standard size, while others cannot. To enlarge the picture, click on it with the mouse. Above is a typical old SIM card. Some of these SIM cards can be cut, but some cannot. It all depends on the design of the chip.

In the picture above, on the left is a new type of SIM card, in the middle is the working part of a new type of SIM card, and on the right is a typical old type SIM card. Let's figure out how they work.

Let's take a SIM card of the old and new type:

And we'll sort them out. Let's separate the working part from the plastic.

And let's turn them over to look at the chips themselves.

On the left in the previous picture you can see the insides of a “very old type” SIM card. This is a large chip. The problem is that it is so large that it will not be possible to cut the SIM card in the right places before NanoSim - cutting the chip is very difficult, it is hard and fragile like glass or porcelain. Perhaps it can be carefully sawed off with a Dremel or some very precise tool, but I have not tried.

Now let's look at the SIM card, which also seems to be of an old type. She's big too. But it is “not a very old type”, since it has a more modern chip installed. You will see it later, but for now pay attention to the “scuffs” on the copper part of the SIM card - we clearly see 6 points of contact. This is exactly what needs to be left. The bottom left and bottom right rectangles are not used, but the middle bottom rectangle is connected to the center and the top right - so it can be cut off. In total, we will need to cut it along the line of the two lower rectangles.

Here's how its chip works:

As you can see, it is small and filled with some kind of polymer. From this card, despite the fact that it looks the same old, you can easily cut out a nano sim.

A new SIM card, a cropped old SIM card and a chip from a very old SIM card:

And they are the same from the front side. ATTENTION - the left one is the one with the large chip (it was broken out of the SIM card in the photo above), so it is NOT CUT INCORRECTLY! Because the chip was in the way. This is an illustration of how the chip prevents the SIM card from being cut. In the middle is a cut out SIM card of the new type, and on the right is a correctly cut SIM card of the old type. Please note that the contacts on it now match the new type of SIM cards ( Bottom part cut off).

And it’s even easier not to cut the SIM card, but for ~80 rubles to exchange the old SIM card for a new type of SIM card.

You purchased a new phone or simply decided to change your gadget, but its SIM slot turned out to be of a different format. Now you need to cut the SIM card for microsim . This procedure is carried out in any mobile phone store. Fit SIM card You can do it yourself to the size you need. Let's talk about the last option in more detail.

Instructions

The SIM card is assembled from two components. Contacts in the form of a chip are applied to a plastic base. Each contact is responsible for a specific function: power supply, information storage, data input/output, grounding. It is enough to damage any of them and the card becomes inoperative. This risk is especially relevant for old-style SIM cards with a large chip.

Incorrect cutting of the plastic itself will immediately affect the performance of the SIM. After manipulating it, the card may not fit into the slot or, conversely, may dangle loosely in the slot and not fit tightly to the contacts, or may move in the slot, and one contact on the chip will connect to a contact in the phone that does not correspond to it.

Decided to trim yourself? Then stock up on tools:

• sandpaper or nail file from a manicure set;
• stationery knife or sharp scissors;
• ruler;
• pen or pencil.

First step. Measure on the old one SIM card its future dimensions: 15 mm in width and 12 mm in length. Ideally, there should be a narrow strip of plastic between the chip and the cutting line.

Second step - cutting SIM along the intended lines. The main thing in this matter is to be careful not to damage the contacts. It is best to cut in one motion along the entire length, this way there are no nicks left on the plastic. Don't forget to cut off the upper left corner when looking at the SIM card from the chip side.

Third step - fitting the SIM card to the slot. This is where a saw will come into play. If the SIM card does not fit into the slot, instead of making additional cuts, file it down.

Remember! In case of an unsuccessful attempt to cut the SIM card yourself, you need to contact the salon to replace it mobile operator. The replacement service is free of charge, but you will be asked to top up your account. The amount depends on the operator.

Sample

To properly trim the card (with less risk) for micro-Sim , Download a sample stencil or make one yourself.

How to make a template at home :

• Take a piece of paper, attach your mini SIM card to it and trace it so that the beveled corner is at the bottom right.
• Step back from the left edge in width 2 (1.85) mm, from the right 11 mm, from the top and bottom edges in length 1.4 mm and draw lines. You will get a rectangle measuring 15 by 12 mm.
• To form a beveled corner, step back from the original top line of 3.9 mm or from the new 2.5 mm, and place a dot. From the left initial edge, measure 14 mm and place a dot. Connect two points with a line.

The template is ready, cut it out, attach it to your SIM card, trace and trim the card.

Popular phones for microsim

Initially, all phones were produced with slots for mini-SIM cards. But time imposed strict conditions on the devices, and engineers began to save space, including for SIM. The first phone to introduce the micro-SIM format was the iPhone 4/4s. Following Apple, they first switched to the new standard Nokia phones Lumia, and then Samsung caught up, starting with the Galaxy S III series and HTC in the One series.

Phones released before 2011 only have slots for mini-SIM cards. They are still popular now, when you need a simple dialer with large buttons or tourist models with a large battery. These devices do not have the functionality of smartphones; inside the case there is enough space for a large format - and not one, but two or even three SIM cards.

Experienced communication store consultants still remember the time when customers were perplexed by the fact that there were SIMs of non-standard sizes. Nowadays, having several types of SIM cards is commonplace. Manufacturers are giving preference to increasingly smaller cards, because this saves space inside the device body. Standard-sized SIM cards, bulky by modern standards, are about to “sink into oblivion.”

In this article we will talk about all types of SIM and teach you how to turn a large card into a small one.

Nano-SIM

Nano-SIM– the newest and smallest card for the phone. Its dimensions are only 12x5 millimeters. Visually, the card is a chip with a minimum of plastic edging.

Apple is again the innovator. Exactly Nano-SIM users had to insert the 5th modification into the iPhone. Later, other well-known manufacturers began to produce devices with Nano-SIM slots - for example, Samsung And .

The following illustration will help you understand the differences between the three types of SIM cards:

How to change the SIM card size for your phone?

The most obvious way to change the SIM card size is replace it in the operator's cabin. This procedure is completely free, takes only a couple of minutes, and the phone number does not change subsequently. However, this method still has a number of disadvantages:

• The new SIM card will not contain the numbers stored in the memory of the old one. Of course, a similar problem easy to solve: in the article “” we talk about several export methods at once telephone numbers. But, alas, many users consider their time too valuable to waste it on mastering third-party software and methods for creating backup copies.
• You have the right to replace your SIM card in the office only its designer and only according to the passport. If the card was given to the user, for example, by his parents, he himself will not be able to replace it. Sometimes this becomes a real problem.

If a consultant changes a SIM card to a person who is not its issuer, this is fraud! For such an operation, the consultant will, at a minimum, be deprived of his bonus, and at maximum, he will be fired in disgrace. Therefore, demanding to “make an exception” is meaningless; no one wants to find themselves unemployed with unflattering wording in their work book.

There are several ways to change the dimensions of a SIM card without resorting to replacement. For example, a user can purchase adapter(aka - adapter). The adapters look like this:

It’s better to order adapters for SIM on Chinese websites - there they cost a mere trifle. For example, a set of adapters from Noosy along with a needle for iPhone will cost only 17 rubles. When purchasing in a salon, the user may be charged up to 250 rubles - the difference is more than noticeable!

The set usually includes adapters of 3 types: Nano-SIM to SIM, Micro-SIM to SIM And Nano-SIM to Micro-SIM. Since SIM cards of reduced sizes continue to be associated with Apple, manufacturers do not forget to include needles in the kits to remove the SIM card slot. Adapters are easy to use: a small SIM card is inserted into a suitable adapter, then the adapter itself with the card inside is placed in the slot of the mobile device.

Adapters help when you need to increase the size of a SIM card, but what should the user do if, on the contrary, the card needs to be reduced? The owner of the gadget should think about the fact that such a need may arise even at the stage of purchasing a SIM card - and insist on issuing him a so-called Combi-SIM. Combi-SIM is a standard-sized card from which you can make a micro-SIM card in a split second.

Inside a SIM card, standard in size, Micro-Sim is already cut along the contour, so it is easy for the user to press with a finger and break off a piece of plastic.

There is no need to rush to throw away the frame– she is still capable of doing a good service. If you need to reinsert the card into the slot under Mini-SIM the frame can be used as an adapter.

Usage Combi-SIM- one of the ways to change the size of the SIM card downwards. Cards Combi are provided to users mobile communications for free- of course, if they are available in the operator’s office.

If the user already owns a standard SIM card and wants to turn it into Micro, without losing contacts, he has no other choice but to cut the SIM card. Pruning is usually carried out using a special device called stapler for Sim(aka - Sim cutter, it’s the same - Sim-Cutter).

Make from a standard card Micro-SIM If you have such a stapler, it’s a second procedure. However, expect that the sales office or workshop will carry out this procedure for free, not worth it. The salon employees will demand 149 rubles for trimming and will even knock out a check for providing a paid service. Repair shops will also ask for money, or even send the user to deal with the operator.

Cutting a SIM card is associated with some risk - if the person performing the procedure is in a hurry or is inattentive, he will damage the chip and, as a result, the SIM card will not function. Hence the high cost of pruning services - no one wants to take risks “for nothing.”

How to cut a SIM card with your own hands?

Not all cellular communication stores have SIM staplers - some consultants continue to cut cards with their own hands and with ordinary scissors. The reader may be surprised to learn that no one trains consultants to do this. They hone this skill on their own, and many are able to successfully cut a SIM card the first time.

No wonder - in fact, the procedure is extremely primitive! Usually the main difficulty is finding a template. Consultants, as a rule, have their entire table littered with SIM cards of various sizes that work and have served their useful life - they use them as samples. The average user can only dream of such abundance - however, if he still managed to borrow a SIM card of the required size to serve as a template, he can safely try trimming it himself. If not, he should resort to using a printer and a template print(here is the relevant link).

To cut a SIM card, you don’t need felt-tip pens, rulers or pencils - if you follow these instructions:

• Take the large SIM in your hand with the chip facing up.
• Place the sample card on top so that it completely covers the chip, press it tightly with your thumb and do not let go. If desired, the template can be attached to a large SIM using double-sided tape, but experts do not recommend doing this - you can damage the chip.
• Carefully trim the sides of the plastic. Try not to have too much, otherwise the SIM card in the slot will “dangle” and the signal will be lost.
• Cut the card according to the template across. Here you can act less scrupulously; The main thing is not to touch the chip.
• Remove the corner and slightly round the edges - otherwise the SIM card will not fit into the slot.

Next, put the template aside and try to install the cut card into the phone to check its functionality. If the SIM card does not fit into the slot, carefully trim the plastic and try again. If the card slot is just the right size and can be read by the phone, rejoice - you just cut a SIM card with your own hands!

note that not just any card can be “cut” to the desired size. Easiest to redo Mini-SIM V Micro SIM – Such pruning should not cause any difficulties for the user at all. Trim under Nano-SIM always more difficult; plastic around the chip on the card Nano almost none, so the risk of snagging the chip with the blades of the scissors is quite high.

Old-style SIM cards with large chips are still in use:

Cutting such SIMs is a real nightmare! With some luck, from such a card you can make Micro-SIM, but turn it into Nano It definitely won't work.

Conclusion

The fact that smartphone manufacturers began to produce gadgets that support different types of SIM cards, salon sellers have become quite rich. Of course, not all paid services pass through the cash register - in many cases, the money for trimming is sent to the consultants' pockets. Cutting SIM cards for sellers is a “bread and butter” business, which means free there is nothing to count on for help from consultants.

Therefore, a user who does not want to “feed” salon employees is better off mastering pruning skills himself. This procedure is quite simple and does not require “surgical precision”.

Most modern portable devices come with slots for SIM cards of various sizes, although previously they all had the same size. The first changes occurred at the time of the appearance of smartphones in which the socket was designed specifically for the micro-sim format. But today, the most advanced device models are equipped with a slot for an even more cropped version of the SIM card.

You can prepare a SIM card for a new type of phone either yourself or by contacting your mobile operator. In addition, some cards are already prepared for certain gadgets and are released immediately in a state prepared for reduction. Due to the fact that the plastic has several divisions, you can easily squeeze out a micro or nano version of the SIM card. But what to do if you have had the card for a long time and there are no necessary divisions on it, and how to cut the SIM card for a nano-SIM in this case?

The easiest way

The easiest way to get a card of the required size is to contact a salon mobile operator. Specialists can perform the procedure of replacing a regular card with an option of the required size or make it small themselves. At the same time, you can replace the card absolutely free of charge, but if you choose a method in which the salon employees themselves will reduce it, a slight additional payment will be required. In addition, they can show you how to cut a SIM card to the desired size, and then you will complete the process yourself.

Those who work in a mobile communications operator's salon do not need instructions, since for cutting they use a special device that looks like a stapler. The advantage of using such a device is that there is no need to use a cutting template.

Thus, in addition to the nano-SIM from the micro-SIM, you also receive a special adapter from which the card was extruded. Using this adapter, you can later use the SIM card on devices with other card sizes. If you wish, you can purchase such a device for cutting plastic at the salon.

Scheme for cutting a card at home

It is quite possible to cut a SIM card and make Nano-sim yourself. However, in order to do everything correctly at home, you first need to practice a little on old cards - this will allow you not to spoil the working version. Converting a micro device into a nano card is especially simple, since to do this you need to cut off everything unnecessary except the chip itself. But if you use only this rule at home, you can trim the desired edges, so you should stick to a certain pattern. First of all, you need to familiarize yourself with the sizes of the cards:

1. Large card – 25 mm high and 15 mm wide.
2. Micro – 15 mm high and 12 mm wide.
3. Nano – 12.3 mm high and 8.8 mm wide.

You should do the pruning yourself according to the following scheme:

• you need to print out the template that is needed to cut out a small version from a regular card. If this is not possible, mark the plastic using a ruler with small divisions. When completed, the nano sim should have 0.5 and 1 mm on the sides around the chip, the other sides should be flush. Remember to also trim the corner;
• For the procedure, take scissors or a sharpened cutter. Plastic is cut very easily, almost like cardboard;
• try inserting the resulting product into a portable device - this version should be suitable for most gadgets;
• If you originally used the larger version, the application may be too thick, causing it to not fit into the slot. To slightly reduce its thickness, you can file one side of the card, usually with a file, but it is important not to touch the chip located on the other side. The required card thickness is 0.67 mm.

Thus, you can easily make the card necessary for the device yourself. After you insert it into the gadget, be sure to make sure that the SIM card works and receives the signal well. If you still have an adapter, keep it, as you may need it in the future when installing the card in another device.

If you don’t want to cut anything, you can simply order a SIM card of the required size on our website along with a beautiful number. You can view the list number in the “” section.

Today, smartphone manufacturers have begun to massively produce devices designed to use Nano SIM. How to cut a SIM card to this size?

Change your regular card You can make it to the Nano size with your own hands or by using the services in the showrooms of mobile operators. To cut a SIM card yourself, you will need the following tools: a sharp knife or scissors, a marker or pencil, a ruler and sandpaper.

Before cutting the card, you need to mark the size of the NanoSim. To do this, use a marker or pencil, as well as a ruler. The size of the Nano SIM is 12.3 x 8.8 mm. It is very important to avoid mistakes when applying dimensions. To do this with maximum accuracy, you can use ready-made templates that are easy to find on the Internet. Next, using scissors or a sharp knife, you need to trim without touching the contact chip.

The thickness of the Nano SIM is 0.67 mm, which is 0.10 mm less than the standard thickness of conventional cards. Therefore, it is best to remove excess plastic using sandpaper or a file. The action must be performed as carefully as possible so as not to damage the SIM card chip.

It should be remembered that when trimming at home, you risk damaging the SIM card. If damaged, it will need to be replaced with a new one.

Trimming through the operator's cabin

Salon specialists can trim a SIM card to Nano size mobile network, which have a special tool for this. If you don't want to bother yourself with the nuances of cutting a SIM card, then you can fill out an application and get a new NanoSim. At the same time, your number, balance and all existing options will be transferred to the new card.