Which SIM to use
As mentioned in the introductory part of this post, before I find out how to insert the SIM in a Huawei phone you need to inquire about the type of card supported by the device. The most popular SIM formats at the moment (and most used on Huawei terminals) are the Micro-SIM (3FF), which measures 15mm x 12mm x 0.76mm, and the Nano-SIM (4FF), which instead measures 12.3mm × 8.8mm × 0.67mm, but there are also Huawei smartphone models that use Mini-SIM (2FF) 25mm x 15mm x 0.76mm. To underline, then, the availability of some dual-SIM models that offer double slots: one for the Mini-SIM and one for the Micro-SIM.
To find out what kind of card your smartphone needs, do a simple online search. For example, by connecting to the GSMArena website and selecting your phone model from the page that opens, you can find a complete card of the device with, among other things, the indications relating to the SIM format (in the field SIMs.). Alternatively, you can contact a friend who knows a little more about technology than you or the shopkeeper who sold you the smartphone and ask them about the SIM format supported by the phone.
Insert the SIM into a Huawei smartphone
Once you have verified that you have the right SIM for your smartphone model, you can take action. How? I'll explain it to you right away. Don't be afraid, five minutes maximum and you will have done everything!
If your Huawei is recently made and has a metal body and / or edges (eg. Huawei P9 Lite, Huawei P8 Lite 2017 o Huawei P10), most likely involves one side door in which to insert the SIM. The flap (called slot) must be extracted from the body of the smartphone by exerting a slight pressure on the forum present on it. To exert this pressure, the metal paper clip available in the sales package of the mobile phone.
Therefore, retrieve the sales package of your smartphone, remove the upper "drawer" in which the phone was housed and find the metal paper clip necessary to extract the SIM slot: it is usually located in the box that includes the mobile phone instruction manual.
In the unfortunate event that you do not find the metal clip necessary to extract the slot, you can remedy the problem by taking a classic paper clip (the ones you need to hold multiple sheets together), open one end and use that to press into the slot hole.
At this point, therefore, you just have to identify it SIM slot in your Huawei smartphone (usually located at the top left, on the edge of the device) insert the paper clip in the hole located above the latter and press fully, until the flap "pops" out of the body of the phone.
Then extract the slot completely (using your hands) and insert your Micro-SIM or Nano-SIM in the appropriate slot, making sure to match the shape in the slot with the profile of the SIM (to facilitate the task, try to locate the side where the "cut" diagonally).
Perfect! Now you just have to reposition the SIM slot in its housing: you have to push it into the phone until you hear a "click" and feel that you can no longer extract it with your hands.
So wait a few seconds and, if everything went well, the phone will recognize the card, allowing you to make calls, exchange messages and browse online using your operator's data network. The correct functioning of the SIM will be signaled to you by the appearance from name of the telephone operator in the upper left corner of your smartphone screen.
Before the operator name appears, you may be asked to type the SIM unlock PIN: it is the code that you find on the card of the card, which you should have kept after purchasing the card.
If you have a cheaper and / or older Huawei smartphone with a plastic shell, to insert the SIM you simply have to lift the back cover (just make a slight pressure upwards after inserting your fingers or a screwdriver between the edges of the cover, where there is the "cut" that allows you to lift the cover) and insert the card in its housing, which usually located above the battery. To correctly insert the card into the slot, follow the drawing next to the slot itself.
In case of problems or doubts, you can take a "spin" on YouTube and look for videos on how to insert a Huawei SIM by typing the exact name of your smartphone, for example How to insert SIM Huawei P9 Lite (o How to insert SIM card to Huawei P9 Lite, to extend the search to international videos): in this way you will find many video tutorials in which to find out how to insert the SIM in your phone model.
Disable the PIN request for the SIM
If after inserting the SIM in your smartphone for the first time, you were asked to type an unlock PIN, this is normal. But the request may reiterate every time the phone is shut down and restarted, and this is quite annoying. To avoid this problem (if we want to define it so), you have to enter the phone settings and disable the SIM PIN request.
So open the app Settings, located on the smartphone home screen (the gear icon), go to Advanced Settings, select the items Safety e SIM lock settings from the menu that opens and moves up OFF the function lever SIM lock. To confirm, enter the SIM PIN again.
If you don't find the items I just suggested in your smartphone settings, try this other procedure: open the menu Settings pressing the gear icon located on the home screen, go up Security and privacy> Other settings> SIM lock settings and move up OFF the function lever SIM lock. Again, to confirm, you may be asked to re-enter the SIM PIN.
Adapt a SIM for Huawei smartphones
Have you noticed that the SIM card in your possession is not suitable for the Huawei smartphone you have purchased? Don't panic. Go to any center of your telephone operator and request the change of SIM format. The operation could cost between 10 and 15 euros (depending on the policies practiced by the operator), the activation of the new card should take about 24 hours. If you do not know which is the center of your operator closest to your home, consult the links below.
- Find TIM stores
- Find Vodafone stores
- Find Wind stores
- Find Three Stores
Are you in a hurry to try your new Huawei smartphone and, given the time, are all phone shops closed? Well, there would be workarounds you could take for make your SIM compatible with Huawei smartphone, but they are not very comfortable. I advise you to wait a few hours and request the SIM change from your operator but, if you really insist, here are the alternative solutions you can rely on.
- If you have a standard SIM or a Micro-SIM and you need one Nano-SIM, you can make the card compatible with your smartphone by simply cutting it out. This is only an apparently simple operation, as the cut must be done very precisely and the risk of damaging the circuitry (making the SIM unusable) is high. That said, if you want to continue down this road, you need to get a template with guidelines to cut out the SIM, print it on a common A4 sheet making sure to keep the zoom level of the print on 100% and place the SIM to be cut out in the most suitable field for it, eg. MicroSIM (3FF) to NanoSIM (4FF) to transform a Micro-SIM into a Nano-SIM. After that you have to use ruler and marker to trace the points in which to make the cutout (tracing them from the model you printed) and you need to cut out the SIM with scissors. Finally, use one nail file or a little bit of sandpaper to make the edges of the card smoother and everything should work fine.
- If you have a Nano-SIM and you need one Micro-SIM, then of a larger format card, you can solve your problems by purchasing a SIM adapter: it is a small plastic adapter that, once inserted into the SIM slot of the smartphone, allows you to use cards smaller than those natively supported by the phone. You can find many, with prices between 3 and 7 euros, on Amazon, in the centers of telephone operators and in various online and offline stores.
