Size Doesn't Matter, Does it? Guide to SIM Card Sizes

Yes, size matters. At least when it comes to SIM card sizes.

People often ask where can you buy a sim that fits any phone or tablet?

Are all sim cards the same size, and do sim cards come in different sizes? 

Well, the answer is simple.

Today, almost every new SIM card sold comes bundled in all three different SIM card sizes sizes. This so called multi-SIM (trio SIM, or combi-SIM) will easily fit into any mobile device sim tray.

You only need to snap the card and take out the size you need.

Every mobile device has a sim card slot designed to accept only one specific sim card size: mini sim, micro sim, or nano sim card.

If you own a retro mobile phone like Motorola MicroTac from 1989 you will need the FULL SIZE SIM card. Believe it or not, it has the exact size of a credit card!

If you need a sim card for a network device, such as 5G Wifi Router or 4G Wi-Fi access point, you will most probably need a standard sim card size, also called the mini sim card or regular SIM.

Router is a bulky device, so that is why manufacturers usually tuck in a large sim card tray.

If you are bringing your own phone (BYOD) to a new operator, they will need to know what size of SIM you need. We've provided the list of the most popular phones below.

First, let's see what types of SIM cards exist, and do all of them come in different sizes.

Let's dive right in.

What Are The Different Types of SIM Cards?

There are two SIM card types:

• Physical SIM card (that comes in a certain size).
• eSIM or embedded SIM card which comes in electronic form only. With eSIM you do not need to worry about the SIM size.

Dual SIM phones usually support 2 physical SIM cards, but there are dual SIM devices, like iPhone, that support only one physical card and one (or more) eSIM.

Read also: what does SIM not provisioned mean and how to fix the error.

What Are The Different SIM Card Sizes?

SIM cards come in three sizes: standard (also called mini SIM card), smaller micro SIM card, and the smallest one - nano SIM card.

What is the most common size sim card?

Well, the name speaks for itself - standard or mini SIM is the most common.

What other differences exist between standard sim, micro sim and nano sim?

There are no differences whatsoever, the chip and the contacts are the same. The only difference is in the format - the physical size.

What Size SIM Card Do You Need for Your Phone?

To help you avoid situation where sim card doesn't fit, we have created a list of the sim card sizes used by the most popular phone models.

Samsung, iPhone, Motorola, Huawei and many more are covered here. To find the answer, simply look for your smartphone model in the table below.

For example, you can find an iPhone sim card size:

What's iPhone 11 sim card size?

iPhone 11 sim card size is nano SIM

What's iPhone 12 sim card size?

iPhone 12 sim card size is nano SIM

What size sim card for iPhone 12 mini?

iPhone 12 mini sim card size is nano SIM

...and so on. Here is the complete list of phones and sim sizes.

See also: How to tell what kind of iPhone do I have?

Can a SIM Card be Transferred From One Phone to Another?

Absolutely yes, you can take a sim card out of one phone and put it into another, as long as the SIM card size fits and the second phone is not carrier locked.

Most often, you will need to put a sim card that was in an old cell phone, into a new phone you just bought.

Read also: What does 'SIM not provisioned for voice' mean and how to fix it?

If the size doesn't fit though, you can stil make it work by utilizing the steps mentioned in the next chapter.

How Do You Make Your Sim Card Bigger or Smaller?

Sim cards come in different sizes, but what if your sim card has the wrong size for your phone?

Actually it is quite simple:

• If you have a bigger SIM card and need a smaller sim size, use the SIM card cutting tool to downsize the SIM. Any dual or nano sim cutter will do the job.
• If you have smaller SIM size and need a bigger one, buy a sim card adapter and pop in your small SIM inside. Sim adapter is a cheap solution for smaller sim card.
• Contact the mobile network and ask if they can replace your SIM with the new combo SIM, in all 3 sizes. Depending on your phone plan, SIM replacement is usually free of charge.

I hope this post helped you to solve the mystery around different SIM card sizes.