• Difference between types of SIM cards. How to change SIM card size? How to cut a SIM card for a micro SIM at home

    Mobile device users often wonder how to make a micro-SIM from a SIM card. If you've opened the SIM slot on a new iPhone, you might have noticed that this slot is significantly smaller than the standard one. These tiny cards are known as Micro-SIMs. The new format is rapidly gaining popularity, but many mobile operators and mobile device manufacturers still use regular-sized SIM cards.

    Some data plans associated with regular SIMs are still very good value. It is not possible to insert a regular SIM card into the reduced slot, but a solution has already been provided for this problem. You can manually shrink a standard card, which will turn it into a microSIM.

    Preparing for work

    If you are interested in how to make a micro SIM card from a regular SIM card, then you need to keep in mind that this process is quite tedious and can take more than 10 minutes. In the case when you do not want to remake the card manually, you can buy a special set called Micro SIM Cutter & Converter, consisting of 2 special devices that make it easy to reduce the card to the desired format. You can order such a device from an online store (for example, Amazon).

    If you still decide to remake the card manually, you may need the following tools:

    • sharp scissors to cut the SIM card;
    • sharp knife for marking cutting boundaries;
    • a nail file to sand the edges of the card;
    • finished microsim as a sample;
    • a ruler, which may be needed if you do not have a micro SIM card for the sample.

    If a user wants to learn how to make a micro SIM card from a regular SIM card, then he does not have to use a full set of tools, since in many cases he can only get by with scissors and a nail file. In some cases, a ruler and pencil may be needed, but keep in mind that the components of different SIM cards may vary in size. The only thing that is the same on all SIM cards is the location of the metal contacts. It is recommended to use a ready-made Micro-SIM card as a sample, since it can be quite difficult to take accurate measurements.

    Conversion process

    Cut the edges of the SIM card so that its size matches the new standard. If you have a cut sample, the process will look like this:

    1. Cut out the excess plastic on the SIM card so that its dimensions are comparable to the Micro-SIM. When doing this, you need to be careful not to damage the metal area. On some older maps the edge of this area may have to be trimmed, but the scissors should not be allowed to extend beyond the first black line.
    2. The 3 contact points on the tip of the SIM card are the most important elements. On the converted SIM card they should be in the same position as on the factory Micro-SIM.
    3. Using a nail file, you need to sand the edges so that the card can be easily inserted into the Micro-SIM slot. It is important not to overdo it, since the card should fit tightly in the slot, and not loosely.
    4. Now you can insert the modified SIM card into iPhone 4, 4S or any other compatible phone model.

    Within 30 seconds, you will know if the conversion worked because your mobile device will immediately begin searching for the network and attempting to connect to it. Regardless of what phone model you use, the card should be activated. In the future, phone manufacturers and mobile operators will completely abandon regular SIM cards, so sooner or later you will still need to switch to the new standard.

    Each mobile device works with the network through a special card with a chip, which is popularly called “Simka”. The chipset contains information that is used to communicate with the operator and provide services, storing a small amount of data. Now they produce several SIM formats, which differ in size.

    What is a nano SIM card

    Each owner bought a package from MTS, Megafon or TELE2 to use communication services. All owners of an iPhone model older than 4 were the first to become familiar with what a nano SIM card means. The new smartphone used a completely different card format, which was called NanoSim. The innovation was due to the fact that the iPhone had become 20% thinner and the manufacturer was looking for ways to reduce the content. The standard connector was replaced with a narrower one, and nanoSIMs began to be used instead of MicroSIM.

    Residents of Moscow and other Russian cities were not ready, operators did not have time to issue new types of cards, so many needed to cut their SIM cards for a nano SIM. Old cards simply did not fit into SIM card slots (even MiniSIM and microSIM cards). All other smartphone manufacturers followed the giant's example and copied the new format to also reduce the thickness of the device.

    Micro SIM and nano SIM - the difference

    The most important difference between a nano SIM and a micro SIM is the size and thickness. The chip also works well, there are no innovations in communication or data transmission technology, just smaller parameters made it possible to make the iPhone even thinner. Problems arose only among users who decided to switch to a new smartphone from Apple, and among operators, because the main complaints regarding the size of the SIM card were addressed to Beeline, MTS and Megafon. However, this complexity did not stop people for long, because the difference in parameters is small, for example, a micro-SIM is 12x15 mm, and a nano-SIM is 9x12 mm.

    How to cut a SIM card for a nano SIM

    Those who had just purchased a brand new iPhone really didn’t want to wait and a pressing question arose: how to cut a micro SIM card for a nano SIM? The chip size of the SIM cards is the same, and the main problem was the amount of plastic around the edges. To reduce to nano format, you can do the following:

    • perform circumcision yourself;
    • take it to a workshop where the necessary tools are available;
    • send it to a mobile phone store and request a replacement card.

    How to make a nano sim from a micro sim

    If you don’t want to travel or go anywhere, you can try to reduce the size of the SIM card yourself. There is a proven way to cut a micro SIM card under a nano SIM if you have a printer, scissors and double-sided adhesive paper. It should be remembered that during trimming there is a possibility of getting a non-working SIM card from a working SIM card. You perform all actions at your own peril and risk. You will need:

    • double-sided tape (you can use glue, but this option is worse;
    • micro or standard SIM card;
    • printer and paper;
    • ruler;
    • pencil;
    • scissors (or nail clippers);
    • sandpaper.

    The rules for pruning will not differ depending on the gadget, for an Apple phone or tablet. In order not to cut off extra millimeters and not damage the circuit, you will need a nano format SIM card template, which can be easily downloaded. Next you need to do the following.

    1. Print the downloaded template; there is no need to change the scale or location of the drawing. You don't need color printing, regular black and white will suffice. It is important that the drawing is simply clear.
    2. Using scissors, cut the template to the size that fits your card. Inside the picture, the parameters for the nano-SIM card will be indicated.
    3. Glue it with tape/glue to the side of the SIM card on which the operator’s logo is written (the chip should not be exposed to any impact). Focus on the cut corner of the drawing, which will prevent you from making a mistake with the correct sides.
    4. Wait for the glue to dry (not required in the case of tape), and carefully cut off the excess plastic along the lines of the template. If the scissors are not sharp enough, use nail clippers.
    5. Remove the glued paper from the SIM card.

    Don’t worry that the cut lines will run in close proximity to the chip; this will not affect the performance of the micro-SIM in any way unless you deliberately touch it. Use sandpaper to round the edges and sand down any rough edges on the plastic. If the card is difficult to fit on one side, sharpen it a little more with sandpaper.

    How to make a nano sim from a regular one

    The exact same method that was described above is suitable if you have a question about how to make a nano SIM from a regular SIM card. Please note that older card models have a larger chip, so you will have to remove almost all the plastic around the circuit. Residues should be removed carefully with sandpaper or a nail file. Another subtlety of old SIM card models is thickness. The new format has become not only small, but also thin, so in addition to the four sides, you will have to sharpen the back side, where you have Megafon or MTS written on it.

    Another option is to buy a special device from an online store that cuts the card to the required size. Outwardly it looks like a stapler, a regular SIM is placed inside, the handles are carefully pressed and all excess is cut off in one click. The tool can cut Micro or Nano format. Exactly the same devices are used in the communications and mobile departments. The tool is inexpensive, but there is no point in buying it just to reduce 1 card.

    Adapter for nano SIM card

    This standard size is used only in new smartphones and gadgets from Apple. If at some point you took an older model phone, then you will need an adapter for a nano SIM card. This is a special adapter in which the card is placed and it is tightly fixed in it, enlarging it. The cost of such an adapter is very low. Then you simply insert the adapter into your phone and use it.

    Where to change a regular SIM card to a nano one

    If you don’t risk cutting your standard SIM, it’s better to exchange it for free for a new option from your operator. This is the only sure way to get a nano SIM with your number. Operators offer you to change to another card. All you need to do is come to the post office and take with you:

    • passport;
    • contract;
    • old map.

    Where to cut a SIM card

    If you decide that you don’t want to do anything yourself to avoid damage, then there are two options for cutting the SIM card. You can come to a communication store, they will offer you either to completely replace the plastic, get a new SIM, which has several layers and can be squeezed out of the shell to the required format. Or the employee will use the “stapler” described above. The second option is to go to your nearest phone repair shop. Each of these departments also has a stapler; for a nominal price (and in some places even free) they will cut off the excess plastic for you.

    Nano SIM card price

    If you contact a mobile phone store, the exchange will be carried out absolutely free of charge. Now this takes just a few minutes. And within a day, your old plastic will stop functioning completely. If you go to a workshop or hardware store, you should know how much it costs to cut a SIM card. As a rule, the cost of the service ranges in large cities from 100 to 300 rubles. The price may be lower, and some kind craftsmen do it for free.

    Video: how to cut a SIM card for nano

    Time does not stand still, especially in the world of electronics. And you won’t surprise anyone with a micro prefix... now it’s up to nano technologies

    Now many operators are selling new nano standard SIM cards, or rather three in one - standard, micro and nano.

    But often the problem arises of replacing your old SIM or micro-SIM with an Apply one, and running to a communication store for a new Apply one is not entirely convenient.

    But it’s expensive to buy a Cutter trimming device just once.

    This is where the following one comes in handy instructions for cutting out a nano SIM card.

    We have already talked about how to turn a standard SIM card into a MicroSIM on our website in how to make a microsim. Today we will talk about how to do nano sim map.
    To do this you will need the following:
    standard or MicroSIM card;
    printer;
    A4 sheet of paper;
    double-sided tape or glue;
    pencil;
    ruler;
    scissors;
    sandpaper.

    Once everything is ready, take the next steps.
    Print on the printer a template for cutting in . It must be printed on an A4 sheet at 100% scale. It is not at all necessary to use a color printer to print. Any black and white will do.

    After the template is printed glue with glue or double-sided thin tape SIM-card into the appropriate template. If you are cutting a standard SIM card, then it will be a medium MiniSIM (2FF) to NanoSIM (4FF) template. If a MicroSIM card is to be cut, it must be secured in the lower template with the inscription MicroSIM (3FF) to NanoSIM (4FF). The cut corner of the SIM card will allow you not to make a mistake and position it in the only correct way.
    Wait a while for the glue to dry and draw lines according to the template along which the card will be cut. As a writing medium, you can use a thin simple pencil or marker.
    Separate the glued card from the template and use scissors (preferably thin, manicure ones) to carefully cut the SIM card along marked lines.

    When cutting a regular SIM card, it will have to be cut on contact plates. This is not the case It's OK, and this will not affect the functionality of the card, since the chip itself occupies a significantly smaller area and will not be damaged. In case of reduction, there is no need to cut the contact plates, since the cutting lines will pass close to their limits.
    This is what all three card sizes look like: MiniSIM, MicroSIM and NanoSIM.


    Slightly round the formed right angles using sandpaper or trim them carefully with scissors.
    According to the specifications type of cards NanoSIM is thinner SIM cards of other types by 0.09 mm. In practice, this difference is almost unnoticeable. But if you encounter the fact that a cropped SIM card fits tight into the slot on the phone, you can try to remove the extra microns using the same sandpaper.
    Please note that when cutting a SIM card, there is always a risk of getting a non-working SIM card from a working SIM card. Therefore, if it is unacceptable for you to remain without communication for a while, then it is better not to carry out such an operation.
    But in general, everything goes quite successfully and making a nano SIM card is very easy.

    By spending a few minutes of time, you will become the owner of a smartphone that works online without visiting your telecom operator.

    p.s. Using this instruction you can also understand how to cut microsim to nanosim.

    When buying a new phone or smartphone, we first look at the moments that matter most to ourselves. For some it is design, while others pay attention to technical characteristics. However, almost no one is ever interested in what slots a new gadget has for SIM cards. At this stage, you may encounter the problem of how to cut a SIM card into a micro-SIM using improvised means, because you already want to use the device, but the card simply won’t fit into it. In this article we will look at several methods on how you can trim your card without damaging it.

    Using a ready-made micro-SIM as a template

    The easiest option would be to find a friend who already has a ready-made card of the size we need. With modern trends in reducing the size of everything and anything related to technology, this will be quite easy to do. This will simplify the first method of solving the problem of how to cut a SIM card for a micro-SIM.

    After this, you will need to combine your card with the cropped one so that the cut control corners and chips completely coincide, and trace the outline. To cut plastic, you can use any available means, be it a knife, scissors, or even a needle heated over a lighter. When cutting, try to match the outlined outline as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to cut, because you won’t be able to catch the chip, and therefore the card will remain intact in any case.

    This was the first way to cut a SIM card under a micro-SIM with your own hands. But what to do if no one has a ready-made card of the required size? The second method will come to the rescue, for which you will need a computer and a printer.

    Printing the template

    If there is no template for cutting a SIM card to fit a micro-SIM, the template can be found on the Internet, downloaded and printed. This method requires having a computer and printer on hand. In addition to them, you will need a blank sheet of paper and good glue or double-sided tape.

    The downloaded template should be printed so as to maintain the dimensions and proportions. The template will indicate exactly where all the lines should go. Using glue or double-sided tape, glue the cut-out paper printout evenly onto your card and trim it along the lines indicated on the template.

    After performing this procedure, it is advisable to remove the glued paper from the card so that it does not accidentally remain in the slot when the SIM card is removed and spoil it. Now you already have two ways in your arsenal on how to cut a SIM card under a micro-SIM yourself. However, this is not all, because there is a third and simplest method, which, however, will require small financial costs, but has its advantages.

    Using a special cutter (hole punch)

    If you know that this card to be cut is definitely not the last, and in the near future you will have to carry out this manipulation with several more cards, then you should think about buying a cutter. It is a small press containing knives that cut the card strictly to the required size.

    With it you won’t have to spend a long time transferring sizes, looking for templates, etc. Often, such cutters, or hole punchers as they are called, have the ability to cut cards to any modern size. In addition, after trimming, the plastic frame remains intact, into which, if necessary, the trimmed SIM card can be glued back. The cost of this device is quite low, and you can find it in almost any mobile accessories store. Its purchase will allow you to save not only money on cuttings in service centers, but also your own time, because the process itself takes no more than 5 seconds. This is the third and easiest method on how to cut a SIM card for a micro-SIM. But there is another one that can rightfully be called strange, but deserves the right to exist.

    Trimming with a heated mold

    The Chinese, when developing cutting devices, went even further and made a budget version of the cutter. It is a metal mold on a knitting needle, which should be heated on gas or a lighter, then carefully applied to the card and melted the desired part.

    Quite sophisticated, but still practical and fast way. It is perfect for those who do not want to overpay for a cutter, but at the same time would not mind speeding up and making the cutting process easier. Now, faced with the question of how to cut a SIM card for a micro-SIM, you will know at least four options. And you can choose among them the most suitable one for you.

    Conclusion

    Don't be afraid to make some manipulations with your equipment. In almost any outcome, your card will continue to work unless you touch the chip itself. Knowing how to cut a SIM card under a micro-SIM with your own hands, you will save a small part of the family budget, as well as your time, which can be spent on going to a service center.

    If you are unlucky, your hand trembles and the card turns out to be damaged, then you shouldn’t worry too much either. In the official store of your operator you will be given a duplicate. Some operators do this for free. In addition, modern cards are already pre-cut to all necessary standards, so all that remains is to break out the one suitable for your smartphone from the mount.

    So, today we will talk to you about how to make a micro SIM card. The point is that there are several quite interesting approaches here. All of them will help you avoid unnecessary troubles when buying a new gadget. Let's see what can serve us well.

    What is it?

    But before we make a micro-SIM card, we should generally understand what we have to deal with. After all, it is always important to know what kind of object is in front of us. Especially when it comes to phones, smartphones and other gadgets.

    The thing is that a micro-SIM card is nothing more than a little “sister” of a normal, familiar and old “SIM card”. It has a microchip several times smaller, and it looks smaller. This was done, as they say, for the convenience of users - after all, most smartphones decided to make micro connectors in their gadgets.

    It turns out to be a very “fun” situation when you buy a phone, and there is a connector for micro-sim. In this case, you have to think about how to make a micro SIM card. You see, you don’t really want to change your mobile phone number, right? Let's understand this difficult matter.

    My own master

    So, the first solution is to cut the SIM card to “micro” yourself. So to speak, at home. To be honest, this idea is not the best choice.

    However, sometimes this is what will help you. To start, take your old SIM card and then get your scissors ready. Use them to trim the edges of your “old lady”. The side edges are 15 mm, the top with the spout is 2.5 mm. After this, you can safely use your previous number. If you have a sample (for example, a friend already has a smaller copy), you can simply attach it to your card, outline the ends with a marker, and then carefully cut along the outline. That's all the problems. Now you know what to do in this situation. True, there are a number of other options.

    To the store

    You can also cut your SIM card to “micro” in specialized salons. As a rule, all mobile operators have this opportunity. Choose a place to contact (preferably a representative of your mobile operator), take your passport and old SIM card with you, and then get down to business.

    Come to a mobile phone store and tell them that you would like to know how to make a micro-SIM card from your old one. Further, if the previous number was registered in your name, you will be provided with this service. As a rule, it is simply cut using a special device. Nothing difficult.

    In cases where the number was registered to one of the relatives, you can forget about this option. At best, you will be advised to come with relatives who own a SIM card. So let's now see what else can be done in this situation.

    New number

    And here is another solution to the problem. If you are thinking about how to make a micro-SIM card from your old SIM card, then you don’t have to worry and buy yourself a new number. Yes, it is not always convenient, but it is fast and safe. It is not always possible to change a SIM card to a micro one.

    For a modern person, staying in touch is very important. You and I have the opportunity to connect a new number and notify all contacts about the changes. Take your passport with you and go to the nearest mobile phone store. There, tell us what type of card you want and then go through the short application process.

    After this, all that remains is to select a phone number and “squeeze” the SIM card out of the hole. Now there are 2 in 1 options on sale. That is, if necessary, you can get the old version, or you can get the new one. You will see outlines for extrusion. So replacing a SIM card with a micro one is not so difficult. If, of course, you know what to do and in what order.

    Reasons for refusal

    True, everything is not always as good as it seems at first glance. The point is that if you are thinking about where to get a micro-SIM card, then you should be prepared to refuse this service.

    The first option is to have another owner registered. As mentioned earlier, if you come to a cell phone store to exchange it, you will have to prove that you are the true owner of the number. You will be denied the exchange service, for example, if the SIM card belongs to your parents. There is no need to be surprised or angry here - everything is completely legal.

    The second point is that you may encounter a refusal to cut your old card, in particular if your SIM card was purchased a long time ago. The chips on it are several times larger than on those options where you can trim with scissors or a special device. In this situation, you will only have to buy a new number and register it in your name. This will ease your pain in the future. So now you know how to make a micro SIM card from a regular one.

    So that there are no surprises

    Now it’s worth talking to you a little about those situations that force users to frantically search for an answer to the question posed today. These are the mistakes when buying a cell phone.

    In order to prevent unnecessary panic, always ask the seller what SIM card slot is available in a particular gadget. It is worth considering the fact that all modern and new models, as a rule, already include a “micro-sim”. So worry about replacing your old number in advance.

    It is best to select a smartphone model using the Internet. There you can always read which cards this or that gadget works with. In addition, here you can see reviews of the work. Maybe the model you chose is not particularly good, and will even bring you a lot of trouble replacing the SIM card with a micro-sim. Then it’s worth taking a closer look at something else, better quality and that doesn’t require changing the number.

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