• Combined SIM memory card slot. How to put two SIM cards and microSD in one slot

    In this article we will tell you how to correctly insert a SIM card into your phone yourself. New modern models are coming out with convenient slots in which cards the right size inserted without problems.

    And all popular mobile operators produce unique constructors - SIM cards in three popular sizes: nano, micro and standard.

    SIM cards are a subscriber identification module of a telecom operator. Several decades have passed since their launch until the start of mass sales, and during this time their shape and size have improved. This process was forced. First, smartphones appeared on the mobile markets, and there was simply not enough space under the back cover for parts. Technologies have improved, user demands have increased, batteries are larger, phones are thinner, and there is less space.

    This evolution of cards allowed them to be reduced by almost half, and modern retractable slots significantly freed up space for other parts.

    Let's look at what types of sim there are, what is their peculiarity, and how to insert a sim:

    • Full-size (which many people didn’t even know was available) is the largest in the line, along the perimeter as bank card. Appeared in 1991 with the first wave of popularity cellular communication among ordinary residents. IN modern phones not used, sometimes you can find cars with similar “innovations” a la the 90s.
    • Mini-SIM - still used for devices manufactured from the 2000s to the early 2010s, supports 2G and 3G.
    • Micro-SIM - appeared in 2003, but on at the moment considered the most used generation of communication modules. Supported by all manufacturers modern gadgets with 3G and LTE.
    • The smallest is the Nano-SIM, which looks like its predecessor, but without the plastic edges. It appeared five years ago and is used in all models of the Apple brand and some other premium segment manufacturers.

    All types of SIM cards are inserted the same way - into the designated slots in a smartphone or tablet. It is impossible to say exactly where the stand is located, since manufacturers reserve the right to place them anywhere, according to their design concept. Sometimes new phones have a sticker with step by step instructions, it can also be found in the User's Guide.

    Installing a SIM card

    Traditionally, manufacturers place card holders on the right side of the case (if the cover is not removable), or directly under the battery, if it is removable. The following instructions suitable for owners of the latest type of gadgets:

    1. Check if your phone is turned off.
    2. Detach the back panel.
    3. Locate the small indentation between the case and the battery.
    4. Remove the battery.
    5. There you will see SIM card slots. They happen different types: separate and two-story. The side you want to hold up when inserting will be shown next to the holder. As a rule, it is inserted with the gold contacts facing down.
    6. Carefully insert the battery back. Check that it fits snugly.
    7. Return the lid until you hear a characteristic click. They will mean that the lid is in place.

    In the video you can see how to deal with modern models, for which the cover cannot be removed:

    Here's another video with a useful life hack:

    Settings

    Modern smartphones and SIM cards do not require manual connection. When starting for the first time on a new device from mobile operator the package will arrive free settings for all types of cellular services.

    For dual-SIM mobile devices, the controls can be a little difficult for a beginner. You can choose a SIM for certain actions by default, or choose it yourself for every call and message.

    Will a regular SIM card fit into the micro-sim slot?

    You can cut a regular size card to micro-sim dimensions if the card is old. However, it is much easier and safer to contact service center where they will give you new sim in transformer form - all popular sizes.

    If the module urgently needs to be replaced with a smaller one, you can cut it manually with ordinary sharp scissors.

    What to do with a poorly cut SIM card

    However, such experiments do not always end successfully. If the SIM card was cut incorrectly and was damaged in the process, you need to contact the customer service points of your mobile operator. Replacing the card with another SIM while maintaining the balance, tariff plan and, directly, the numbers do not take long.

    It is not recommended to insert a SIM that has mechanical damage.

    SIM card malfunctions

    Users guess about their malfunction when the OS does not see the module and does not indicate it with the corresponding icon. The reasons may be:

    • The SIM has expired and is not intended for further use.
    • It has mechanical damage - scratches, chips and breaks.
    • Failed trimming. We mentioned it above.
    • The phone's firmware is tailored for a specific buyer.
    • Problems with the slot.
    • Crashes in operating system and software.
    • The contacts were damaged during installation.
    • Dirt got on the card holder.

    In most cases, the card needs to be replaced, or the phone needs to be sent to a technician for diagnostics, as these can be either hardware or system problems.

    Conclusion

    Mobile communications and the Internet are available throughout the day thanks to smartphones and small card modules issued by cellular providers. That is why they need to be treated with care, monitored for their condition and serviceability. The more gadgets come out, the easier it becomes to use SIMs - their sizes decrease, and their capabilities increase. We hope you found this article helpful and provided easy-to-understand instructions on how to handle them in different situations.

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    The more features a smartphone has, the more convenient it is for the user. Manufacturers of these devices usually take care of filling their products with maximum functionality. But often you can do it yourself, without special costs take the time and effort to make small improvements that will provide additional benefits.

    Certain South Korean and Chinese manufacturers equip their smartphones with slots in which either one SIM card and a memory card can be installed to increase the capacity of the permanent storage device, or two SIM cards. But the user does not need to make such a difficult choice, since it is possible to insert two SIM cards and a microSD flash drive into the smartphone at the same time. To do this, you need to carry out several simple manipulations that will take literally a few minutes.

    How to fit three devices into two smartphone slots

    Ability to effectively use a hybrid SIM card and card micro memory SD exists because the two original elements are structured differently. Their contact groups are offset from each other by a sufficient distance to combine two devices into one.

    To complete the work you will need a set simple tools and accessories:

    • scissors;
    • tweezers or small pliers;
    • lighter or candle;
    • hot melt glue or other suitable adhesive;
    • SIM card, microSD and the smartphone slot intended for them.

    In order to make a hybrid device, you need to perform a certain set of operations one by one.

    1. The memory card may be a little thicker than necessary, so you should process it a little on the back side, removing a small layer.

    2. Attention, before performing this operation, practice on an unnecessary SIM card.

    The SIM card must be very carefully heated with a lighter or a candle flame on the opposite side from the place where the chip is glued. The glue will become liquid. This way the chip can be carefully removed using tweezers or small pliers.

    3. The chip should be cut around the edges to the required size, with the expectation that it will fit on a flash memory card. When doing this, be careful not to remove important areas of the device.

    4. Glue the chip onto the memory card, observing the required orientation of the sides. Apply a little glue so that the volume of the hybrid is not too large.

    5. Insert the resulting hybrid device into the slot, then into the smartphone and check its functionality.

    If all operations are performed correctly and accurately, three devices will work simultaneously in two slots, without interfering with each other at all.

    Comments

    How to insert a SIM card and a micro SD flash drive into one slot?

    1. We thought and thought what to do and the phone's memory is running out and two SIM cards are needed in the phone? The question of questions would be said by one hero from the series, but I am not a hero and not from the series. And I’ll say this about this, let’s insert both a SIM card and a memory card into one slot at once. So you will have two SIM cards and one micro flash drive in two slots. This can be done very simply, and besides, there are paid options that cost pennies, but they are not entirely convenient. And there is a convenient and free option, so of course you will have to splurge on a micro flash drive and SIM card if you don’t have the old ones. To begin with, as always, I’ll start with paid options solutions to this problem and not very convenient ones, why I will describe below, we read:
      2. How to insert a memory card and a SIM card into the same phone slot?
    2. Many online stores, including the Chinese AliExpress store, sell adapters for connecting two card options into one phone slot, a SIM and a memory card. It looks like this: an adapter is inserted into the slot, from which a cable extends. The cable is attached to another slot into which you insert the SIM card. Actually, a micro memory is inserted into one slot and an adapter is inserted on top of the memory, from which a cable for a SIM card extends. Below is a slot for two cards, this is SIM+SIM or SIM+microsd, can’t be connected anymore. But with an adapter you can add another SIM. Actually, you get 2 SIM cards and a memory card in one slot, which was originally made for two cards.

    3. To connect the adapter you do not need any special knowledge; the adapter itself consists of a flat cable at the ends of which there are jacks necessary for connection, I’ll call them that. At one end of the cable, there are contacts for connecting to the phone slot, which will be located under the memory card, so it turns out that the memory card is inserted and the adapter is connected. The other end of the cable contains a slot, like in a phone, for a SIM card, into which you insert a second SIM card. The adapter itself looks like this:

    4. Actually, connecting this whole option is very simple, connecting the adapter to a slot in the phone, I’ll tell you again to make it clearer. First, connect the adapter itself to the slot slide in the phone, into the slot where the memory card should be. Then insert the memory card on top, on top of the inserted adapter. Close the slot by inserting the slide back into the phone. You are left with the tail of the adapter, into which you insert the SIM card itself into the SIM card slot. In the picture above you can see a slot for a SIM card, exactly the same as in a phone. Well, the whole structure itself looks like this, viewed from both sides:

    5. It’s convenient that there are adapters that can alleviate such difficulties with our gadgets. Not like that in a cunning way We solved the problem of connecting two SIM cards and memory cards, and most importantly, we didn’t have to sacrifice anything, the choice between what to leave or what was more necessary also disappeared by itself.
    6. It’s convenient, I don’t argue, but not quite, what should you do with the tail of the adapter sticking out of your phone? Of course, the most advanced ones will say that you can put it under the phone case by bending it towards the back of the phone. The option is working but also not very convenient, you have to bend something and then it won’t fit under every case this option. See for yourself what it looks like:

    7. Convenient but not quite, I want to suggest going further and making a truly suitable and convenient option in all cases. By the way, I don’t wear covers and this option doesn’t suit me!
      8. DIY combo adapter!
    8. Don’t be scared and don’t think that the version from the store will work better option made by ourselves. Well, first of all, doing it yourself is already much more pleasant, although I don’t know, maybe it’s not so for some. Then the do-it-yourself option will be much more convenient and, most importantly, it will look visually nicer, believe me. Even if you don't have a lot of hands, just follow these instructions step by step:
    9. To make such an adapter and what not to call it, it will be an adapter, as an option with a magazine. It won't take much manual work. To do this, you need to prepare a piece of sandpaper, preferably zero grade. We take a memory card (micro sd) that needs to be connected and lightly process it with sandpaper along the plane from the side of the contacts. Just don’t catch the contacts, remove a little and roughen the flat surface of the micro sd. We remove a layer of approximately no more than a millimeter; in the picture below, the area to be treated is highlighted with a red square:

    10. Next, take a scalpel or blade; if you don’t have one, come up with something similar or buy it in a store, or you can order it online. Now we turn all our attention to the SIM card and, using a previously prepared scalpel, remove and cut off the chip itself from the plane of the SIM card. That is, we separate the SIM card chip from the plastic on which it is located. Yes, exactly the square with contacts on the SIM card, it needs to be separated from the rest of the plastic, picture below:

    11. You probably already guessed how everything will happen next? The cut SIM card chip, or rather cut from the main plastic, will look like in the picture below; we sand it a little, but not along the contacts. We process it by removing burrs from the sides and from the side where it was glued to the plastic. Align the flat surface on the back side of the SIM chip.

    12. The more carefully you do this, the nicer and better quality your combo adapter will be, although in this case it will still not be visible. But I wanted the performance quality of this combo adapter to remain at top level. Now we become even more attentive, because now we will be assembling and the quality depends on the assembly, remember this. We take a micro sd that has been treated with sandpaper and apply glue to the treated surface. Also, do not touch the contacts of the memory card, spread it evenly over the surface, let it dry a little and stick on the cut SIM card chip. We stick it directly onto the memory card itself. Having first retreated a millimeter from the contacts themselves:

    13. Press and wait until completely dry.
    14. If you have a question, maybe it didn’t appear at all, which can also be good, if the option is that you have already thought about it without my advice. The question is: how to glue the SIM card chip itself, how should it be located on the memory card, where is the top and bottom or left to right of this chip? The answer to this question is simple and you can see how a SIM card is inserted into the phone's slide and glued to the memory card in the same arrangement. Another option is to visually compare the drawing of the chip with the pictures where it is already glued, which is quite enough for correct location on the adhesive surface of the memory card. Actually, that’s all that came out of this, a do-it-yourself invention no worse than in a store, with the loud name of a combo adapter. Below is a picture of the already assembled combo adapter in the phone sled:

    15. As we understand from reading the material on this page, a do-it-yourself combo adapter will be much more convenient than a store-bought one. There will be no cable sticking out of your phone, no need to put it in the phone case by bending it towards back cover SIM card input. Well, if we talk about purchased options, then there are enough of them, I’m not talking about the visual option, but about what cards can be connected.
      16. What adapters are there for which cards?
    16. Adapters, or adapters as they are called, can be different, say, as an option for two SIM cards and connected to one input of the SIM card in the phone. Also the SIM cards are also different nano sim, micro sim, sim, three types.

    17. I think I’ll end the article here and if anyone has any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them in the comments.

    Increasingly, manufacturers of many smartphones have begun to use a hybrid slot. You can insert a SIM card with microSD into it or just two SIM cards. But what if you need to use both SIMs together with a flash drive, because sometimes the built-in memory is not enough? Let's look at what a SIM flash drive is and how you can improve the hybrid slot using the Meizu m2 mini as an example.

    What is a SIM flash drive and how does it work?

    Initially, hybrid slots began to be produced by Huawei and they took root in almost all Asian countries. Naturally, users were not at all happy with the fact that they had to give up a second SIM card or additional memory, so someone took a chance and got a SIM flash drive.

    This is a completely homemade method with which we will get 2 working SIM cards and a flash drive at the same time. The result is certainly worth it, especially for those who don't want to carry a lot of phones in their pockets. I recommend practicing on an old SIM card, because there is a high probability of damaging it.

    You perform all actions at your own peril and risk!

    What you will need: 2 SIM cards and a flash drive, and what else?

    • Hybrid slot
    • 2 Nano-SIM
    • MicroSD memory card
    • Marker
    • Stationery knife
    • Sharp scissors
    • Tweezers
    • Superglue gel or double-sided tape
    • Small container with boiling water\fire (candle)
    • Sandpaper

    How to make a flash drive from a SIM card?

    1. We try the SIM card on the tray and make marks with a marker (or knife) so that it is clear where the contacts of the SIM receiver are. We mark on the contact group of the SIM card where the cut corner is located.


    2. Now you can place the SIM card in a previously prepared container and pour boiling water over it. We wait a while until the plastic on the SIM card becomes soft. We take out the hot SIM card with tweezers and carefully, slowly, separate the contact group with the chip from the plastic. You can also take the SIM card with tweezers and hold the card over the fire for a few seconds until the plastic softens. Then we very carefully separate the contact group with the chip from the plastic. We do everything very carefully so as not to damage the chip.

    3. If possible, we check the integrity of the separated SIM card on the old phone, so as not to stick it to the memory card in vain and then not get upset. If everything works, we move on.

    4. Place the memory card in the SIM tray and try on the divided SIM card according to the pre-marked marks. We check whether the card fits well in the place it needs. To achieve desired result It is allowed to trim the contact group of the SIM card by 1-2 mm, no more.

    5. Check again!

    6. Apply a little glue and glue the SIM card to the memory card according to the marks.

    7. Check the operation on the smartphone.

    Remember: The more difficult it is to put the tray in place, the higher the likelihood that it will not be accessible.

    Answers to frequently asked questions

    The tray either fits in hard or does not fit into place at all

    Your design is too thick. You need to sand down the flash drive a little or abandon the idea.

    SIM card not detected

    The chip is damaged. Try to install it without this design or have it repaired by the operator.

    The smartphone asks to format the memory card or does not see it

    Contacts are missing / card is damaged. To check, peel off the SIM card and insert a flash drive. If you still can’t see it, you most likely damaged it when you ground it down. The plastic is very thin, so the flash drive can be easily damaged beyond repair.

    Samsung decided to listen to the opinions of its fans and returned Galaxy devices S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge support memory cards. However, she did this using a hybrid slot, as has become fashionable in lately. This means that the user must choose whether to use 2 SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card in the smartphone. Fortunately, there were craftsmen who discovered that the contacts of the second SIM and the contacts of the memory card are in different places and managed to combine business with pleasure and organize the simultaneous operation of two SIM and microSD cards. And if you have decided to become the owner of a new device (or have already become the owner), despite all its minor disadvantages, then this article is for you. We are publishing a translation of instructions with detailed comments on installing two SIM cards and a memory card in the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.


    Disclaimer:     You do all the manipulations listed below only at your own peril and risk. Neither the author nor anyone else is responsible for your actions or for any damage caused. There is a high probability of damaging the microchip of the SIM card, and to a lesser extent, the microSD memory card. Also, when the smartphone heats up, there is a danger of this design coming unstuck, and in this case problems may arise when removing the tray. It is quite possible that you will have to contact a service center to get it. In this case, the device is removed from warranty.

    So, if you understand all of the risks listed, then to continue you will need the following devices:

    • SIM card in Nano format (because it is easier to cut and “disassemble”)
    • Memory card microSD format
    • Lighter
    • Scissors, blade or any other sharp object
    • Thin double-sided tape (preferred) or super glue
    • A little free time, patience, a head on your shoulders and straight arms

    To install two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time in Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge requires:

    • Determine the correct position of the SIM card
      First, you will need to determine the correct position of the SIM card in the tray. Cards different operators may have different contact configurations. Author original instructions carried out operations on SIM cards of U Mobile and Maxis operators (Malaysia). Typically, all SIM cards have a special key on one side (cut corner).
    • Detach the SIM card chip from the base
      Any SIM card consists of a plastic base and a microchip with a contact pad glued to it. Gently heat the SIM card from the opposite side (where the plastic is). This may take from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then carefully separate the chip with the contact pad from the base. It is recommended to use a sharp object (scissors, knife, blade, etc.) as an auxiliary tool. After this, the chip must be cleaned of any remaining glue or plastic.
      If everything went smoothly and you did not have to change the SIM card, then you can consider half the journey completed.

    • Trim the SIM card microchip
      Now you need to carefully cut the contact pad of the SIM card to fit on the memory card. Usually you need to shorten it by 1-2 mm on each side (as in the photo).

    • Secure SIM card to microSD
      This can be done using double-sided tape (in which case the memory card can be easily (more or less) “freed”) or super glue (this option is less preferable, since if you damage the SIM card chip, then separate it from the memory card will be quite difficult or even impossible). The first step was provided for correct placement. In addition, make sure that the corner of the SIM card microchip is aligned as shown in the image (circled in red).

    • Place the finished structure in the tray
      Now all that remains is to place the genetically modified microSD card into the tray, and the tray itself into the smartphone.

    Finally, you need to check that all actions have been performed correctly. If everything is done correctly, the Galaxy S7 will “see” two SIM cards and a microSD memory card. It will look something like this:

    It is also worth noting that the method described above is suitable for all smartphones with the same hybrid SIM card tray. In particular, the owners have similar experience Meizu Pro 5.

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