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Why do you transfer your sim card from your old phone into your new phone?

Just got a new iPhone 11Pro - and not all of my contacts nor messages nor apps transferred. So, can I restore from my iTunes backup of my iPhone 7 red? And do you need to transfer the sim card from the 7 to the 11 Pro?


iPhone 11 Pro

Posted on Oct 1, 2019 7:25 AM

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Posted on Oct 1, 2019 9:31 AM

They both use nano-SIMs. If you’re simply getting rid of the old iPhone 7 and replacing it with the 11Pro, transferring the SIM is the simplest way to get your new phone onto your existing cellular telephone service.


A SIM on an iPhone stores no personal data at all. You would restore your iPhone 7 backup to the 11 Pro to transfer content - see - Transfer data from your previous iOS device to your new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

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Oct 1, 2019 9:31 AM in response to ZenShoe

They both use nano-SIMs. If you’re simply getting rid of the old iPhone 7 and replacing it with the 11Pro, transferring the SIM is the simplest way to get your new phone onto your existing cellular telephone service.


A SIM on an iPhone stores no personal data at all. You would restore your iPhone 7 backup to the 11 Pro to transfer content - see - Transfer data from your previous iOS device to your new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Oct 1, 2019 7:33 AM in response to ZenShoe

Remove or switch the SIM card in your iPhone or iPad - https://support.apple.com/HT201337


Transferring SIM probably has nothing to do with your contacts, etc. Make sure you have activated those features in iCloud settings.


Change your iCloud feature settings [iOS and Mac] - https://support.apple.com/HT207689 - "'When you turn off an iCloud feature on a device, information stored only in iCloud for that feature is no longer available on the device. If you turn off Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Notes, Reminders, or iCloud Photos on just one device, you can still view and change your information on iCloud.com and on another device you set up for that feature."


Set up iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208681?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Oct 1, 2019 11:35 AM in response to ZenShoe

As I said in my very first post, some things like photos, contacts, etc. are not on the SIM card. In fact they aren't even in a backup really. Restoring either gets them to transfer from iCloud to your device, or from your computer, not from the backup file itself. If you want a list, read this:


About backups for iOS devices - https://support.apple.com/HT204136 - inclhttps://support.apple.com/HT204136


Thanks Phil0124 for explaining what the document I linked said. I guess I rely too much upon people carefully reading the links.



Oct 1, 2019 9:15 AM in response to Limnos

I'm getting conflicting advice regarding the sim card. The link you sent me to (which I've already seen, but thanks) says not to put a different devices sim card in like a 7 to an 11 Pro. So AM I supposed to switch the sim card? And why doesn't it say to do that anywhere in the directions if so.


So far, hating the 11 Pro just sayin'.

Oct 1, 2019 9:36 AM in response to ZenShoe

The Sim "Card" and the Sim "Tray" are 2 different things.


The Sim Card holds your cellular number and carrier settings.


The Sim Tray is the piece of plastic that holds the sim card and inserts into the phone


The link provided by Limnos, emphasizes not using the sim tray from one phone in a different type of iphone because it won't actually fit correctly. The slots and by extensions the trays can be slightly different sizes and shapes.


The sim card is identical between all models of iPhone starting with the iPhone 5.


The Sim card does not contain any contacts, photos or other data.

Why do you transfer your sim card from your old phone into your new phone?

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