Swapping phone numbers between iPhones with different Apple Accounts

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Level 1

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Swapping phone numbers between iPhones with different Apple Accounts

We have an iPhone XR and an iPhone 6 (yeah, yeah, we're going to upgrade both soon :)). The XR is associated with me and my MacBook Air. The 6 is a standalone user with no other Apple devices. The phone number currently associated with the XR needs to be assigned to the 6, and the 6 phone number to the XR.

Each phone has it's own Apple id and those should remain with the physical phone they are currently associated with. The reason for the change is that the phone number currently on the XR is associated with a job role that is going to the other person so they need that phone number, but I need the associated stuff in my Apple ID to still work. This phone number has been in use and advertised amongst our core constituencies for decades. It is for our emergency response work, so we are not going to change phone numbers.

Can I just swap the SIM cards? Or are there more steps to accomplish what we need to do?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone XR, iOS 18

Posted on Feb 2, 2025 3:43 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

SravanKrA

Level 10

433,256 points

Feb 2, 2025 10:25 PM in response to CSNSNH

Swapping a SIM card between an iPhone XR and iPhone 6 is a straightforward process. All you need to do is power off both devices, remove the SIM card from one phone using the SIM ejector tool (or a paperclip if necessary), and then insert it into the other device’s SIM slot. Once the SIM card is securely in place, you can power on the second phone, and it should work as expected.

This process is not linked to your Apple ID. The Apple ID and associated services, like iCloud and the App Store, remain independent of the SIM card. Therefore, swapping the SIM doesn’t affect your Apple ID or any of your Apple services.

Additionally, it’s important to note that contacts are not stored on the SIM card by default. The SIM card mainly handles basic functions like your phone number, cellular network information, and SMS messages. So, swapping the SIM card won’t affect or transfer your contacts

Unlike some Android devices, contacts are neither stored locally on an iPhone nor in SIM. They are synced to an email account that you have Google, iCloud, AOL, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo or any Other

If you have a corporate email account added through a profile on your device, please check with your organization's system administrator.

Is this your corporate/organization/enterprise/School Management iPhone? Then please contact the system administrator of your corporate//organisation/enterprise/School Management
If it is your device, in that case, do you have any profile installed by your corporate/organization/enterprise/School Management?
1. Erase the profile added by you If you have installed a profile on your own --> Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone - Apple ...
2. Please contact the system administrator of the organization who provided the profile to you

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Answer 2

CSNSNH Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 2, 2025 10:36 PM in response to SravanKrA

Thank you!

The phones are both owned by the organization, and they are on the same cell phone account with AT&T, but we do not have an IT department to manage things and no profiles are installed.

One thing I'm not sure I follow - if we swap the SIMs, the phones will have new phone numbers. But is the Apple ID not tied to the phone number? Do I need to sign into the Apple ID and change that somewhere? I'm thinking about things like 2FA for things I'm doing on my phone and the code being sent to the phone's previous phone number.

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Answer 3

CSNSNH Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 2, 2025 10:51 PM in response to CSNSNH

Thank you!

The phones are both owned by the organization, and they are on the same cell phone account with AT&T, but we do not have an IT department to manage things and no profiles are installed.

One thing I'm not sure I follow - if we swap the SIMs, the phones will have new phone numbers. But is the Apple ID not tied to the phone number? Do I need to sign into the Apple ID and change that somewhere? I'm thinking about things like 2FA for things I'm doing on my phone and the code being sent to the phone's previous phone number.

Will we need to have AT&T set up the voicemail again? (Is that a question for the carrier?)

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Answer 4

CSNSNH Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 5, 2025 8:29 AM in response to CSNSNH

Successful transfer was done last night! Both phones are working correctly, and text messages and calls are going where they are supposed to. I was able to find all the weird little places that the old phone number was used as authentication, etc. within apps on the phone. Still navigating websites and other sites where I've given the old number for authentication purposes.

Thank you for your help, SravanKrA

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Swapping phone numbers between iPhones with different Apple Accounts

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