How to move contacts from SIM to phone
Import SIM-stored contacts using Android Contacts or iPhone Settings, then check the Contacts app to confirm they appear.
Before you start
Have the SIM card that contains the contacts and a phone that can read it. Contacts saved only on the old phone or in an online account will not be imported from the SIM. The available instructions do not identify a paid feature or price for these imports.
If possible, check on the old phone that the contacts are actually stored on the SIM. SIM contact details depend on how the previous phone saved them, and a SIM may contain only some of the details you expect.
Import SIM contacts on Android
These steps use the Google Contacts app. The menu path below is the one described in the supplied guide; labels may differ if you use a different contacts app.
Insert the SIM containing the contacts.
Open the Contacts app.
Tap Organise, then Manage SIM.
Select the contacts you want to import.
Choose the account or destination where they should be saved.
Tap Import.
The selected contacts should appear in the destination you chose. The supplied instructions do not specify other Android app versions or device-maker menu paths, so use your phone maker’s instructions if these options are not present.
Import SIM contacts on iPhone
Insert the previous SIM card that contains the contacts. Make sure it fits your iPhone.
Open Settings.
Tap Apps, then Contacts.
Tap Import SIM Contacts.
If prompted, choose where to import the contacts.
Wait for the import to finish, then open the Contacts app and check the results.
Apple notes that iPhone does not store contacts on the SIM. If you are moving contacts between iPhones, use iCloud or another mail account instead of expecting them to be stored on the SIM. For Apple’s instructions and device-specific help, see Import contacts from your SIM card to your iPhone.
Check that the import worked
Open Contacts and look for several names you know were on the SIM. If you selected a particular account or destination during import, check that location as well. The imported information can be limited by what the previous phone stored on the SIM, so compare names and numbers rather than assuming every detail transferred.
Troubleshooting
The import option is missing or no contacts appear
The SIM may not contain contacts, or the old phone may have saved them to its own storage or an online account instead. If you still have the old phone, put the SIM back in and check where the contacts are stored. On iPhone, importing is available only if the SIM supports it.
Only some contact details transferred
SIM contacts may not include all the information stored for a contact on the old phone. Apple says the imported information depends on how that phone stored contacts on the SIM. Check the old phone or its contact account for details that are missing.
The phone does not recognize the SIM
For iPhone, confirm that the SIM fits the device. If contacts still cannot be imported, Apple recommends checking the previous phone manufacturer’s guidance, its app store, or contacting your carrier for help with importing from a non-Apple phone.
