How to cut a SIM card

17/11/2018 - Updated: 11/12/2018

How to cut a SIM card

This wikiHow will teach you how to convert a standard SIM or micro SIM card into a nano SIM. Although SIM cards can vary in size, the part of the card that actually stores the information is the same size on all three types of cards. Keep in mind that cutting the SIM card incorrectly can render it useless or beyond repair, so proceed at your own risk.

Steps

1
Gather the materials. You will need to get the following things to cut the SIM card:
- a pair of straight, sharp scissors.
- a nano SIM card for comparison
- a pencil
- a file (or sandpaper)
- a rule
2
Be aware of what to avoid. When cutting a SIM card, you should not cut the metal part of the card, as doing so will render it useless (and irreparable). The best way to make sure you don't accidentally cut the metal is to cut wider than necessary and then use the file or sandpaper to polish the card to the size you need.
3
Take the card out of your old phone. If you have not yet removed the SIM card from your old phone, take it out before proceeding.
4
Determines the current SIM card size. Using a ruler, figure out which of the following cards to cut:^[1]
- Micro SIMdimensions 12 mm by 15 mm
- Standard SIMdimensions 15 mm by 25 mm
5
Cut off the excess of a standard SIM card. If you are trying to cut a standard SIM card, start by cutting along the line formed by the cutout sections on the left side of the card. This should leave a couple of millimeters of space between the left edge and the metal part of the SIM card.
- The left side of the standard SIM card is the side that does not have an angled corner cut.
- Skip this step if you have a micro SIM card.
6
Place the nano SIM on the other card. You cannot properly measure the amount of space to cut without using a nano SIM as a guide. To make sure you do this as correctly as possible, do the following:^[2]
- Place the standard or micro card on a flat surface.
- Make sure that the angled corner of the SIM card is in the upper right corner of the card when you look at it.
- Place the nano SIM on the card.
- Make sure that the angled corner of the nano SIM card is in the upper right corner of the card when you look at it.
- Make sure that most of the lower left corner of the nano SIM card is aligned with the lower left corner of the SIM card to be cut.
7
Mark the nano SIM on the card below. With a pencil, mark a line along the edges of the nano SIM card. This will help guide how much to cut.
8
Cut along what you marked. It is better to err on the side of caution, so don't worry if you cut a little wider than the lines you marked.
9
Try to place the SIM card in the tray. It probably won't fit, but this will give you an idea of how much more you need to cut the card.
- Some Android phones do not have a SIM tray. If this is the case with your phone, try inserting the SIM card into its slot.
10
File off the excess plastic. Using a file or sandpaper, remove most of the plastic edge from the bottom and sides of the SIM card.
- Retain most of the plastic intact on the top of the SIM until after you have tested the fit of the card.
- Note that a nano SIM card has about a millimeter of plastic around its perimeter, so do not remove all of the plastic.
- Use your existing nano SIM card as a reference for this step.
11
Try to place the SIM card in the tray again. If it goes in, it means that you have successfully cut the nano SIM-sized card; at this point, you can test it in your phone by inserting it and turning on the phone.