I would like to use this old iPhone as an iPod but it is saying "SIM Required." Is there a way for me to activate it so I can just use it as an iPod? I want to use my interval timer apps at the gym. This was working without a SIM until recently. Not sure what happened, but now it's asking for one. I've tried iTunes.
Thank you for any help.
iPhone 5s
From this support article: If you can‘t activate your iPhoneIf your iPhone uses a SIM card, make sure that the SIM card is in your iPhone. Even without an active contract, your iPhone might need the SIM card to activate.
Thank you. I read in some other places that this might be the case. It's kind of a bummer because I don't think my new phone has the same size SIM card as that old one. Is there any other way around this that you know of?
All iPhones since the iPhone 5 have used the same size sim card. A Nano sim card.
So unless the old iPhone is an iPhone 4s or earlier, your current sim card should fit, and should be able to be used to activate it.
Note that if the old iPhone is locked to a particular carrier the sim used to activate it must be form that carrier.
I have found in the past that it just needs a SIM card to Activate, it does not have to be a working SIM card or you can use the one that is currently in your working iPhone to Activate (if the same size) you did not mention the model and then once up and running switch it back to your main phone.
If you don't have a SIM card you can try to get one from your carrier. AT&T has been very helpful in the past when I needed to play with older iPhones. You can also pick up a SIM card from a drug store or dept store selling prepaid cards.
D-Soup wrote:
That'd be nice. Yeah, maybe I can get over to the ATT store with it.
Thank you.
A lot of SIM cards come in a "breakaway" format where it should be compatible with either, like this one with nano/micro/full SIM perforations, like this one:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/good2go-mobile-9-99-3-in-1-sim-card-kit/6138906.p?s kuId=6138906
There are also nano-SIM to micro-SIM adapters.
No. There is no way around it. A SIM is required to activate it.
I was afraid that was so. Thank you.
Unfortunately, I'm trying to use an iPhone 4s : /
That'd be nice. Yeah, maybe I can get over to the ATT store with it.
Thank you.
Ahh, I see.
AT&T may be able to loan you a micro sim card then just to complete activation. As said, it doesn't even have to have active service on it.
Interesting. Thank you for the link. If ATT can do it for free, that's probably what I'll try first.
Thanks again to everyone. I hope this thread helps other people too.
Activate old iPhone without a sim card
