It's easy to forget what size SIM card your iPhone takes. Most of us pop it in the phone when we first get it and never think about it again. If you're switching providers, or getting a new SIM card then you'll need to know your SIM card size. No worries we’ve got you covered.
In this guide:
- iPhone SIM card sizes
- iPad SIM card sizes
- How to get your SIM card out of your iPhone
- A note on eSIM
iPhone SIM card sizes
| iPhone | SIM size | eSIM compatible |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone 12 mini | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone 12 | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone SE (2nd generation) | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone 11 Pro | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone XS Max | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone XS | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone XR | Nano SIM | Yes |
| iPhone X | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 8 Plus | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 8 | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 7 Plus | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 7 | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 6s Plus | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 6s | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 6 Plus | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 6 | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone SE (1st generation) | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 5c | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 5s | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 5 | Nano SIM | No |
| iPhone 4s | Micro SIM | No |
| iPhone 4 | Micro SIM | No |
| iPhone 3GS | SIM | No |
| iPhone 3G | SIM | No |
| iPhone | SIM | No |
On the look out for a solid SIM deal? Below are our most popular SIM-Only plans with at least 10GB of data.
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#1
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SpinTel 
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#2
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Boost Mobile 
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#3
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Dodo 
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#4
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TPG 
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#5
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Yomojo 
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#6
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Tangerine Telecom 
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#7
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Pivotel 
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#8
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Swoop 
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#9
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Vodafone 
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#10
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felix mobile 
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iPad SIM card sizes
When it comes to iPads there are a few extra options. Some are WiFi only and won't take a SIM card at all, others may have an Apple SIM, and some allow for eSIM as well. You've got some choice.
What's the difference between eSIM and Apple SIM?
Back in 2015 Apple quietly launched Apple SIM in Australia as a multi-carrier capable SIM issued by the manufacturer. These SIM cards are still, in fact physical SIMs the size of a nano-SIM but are made by Apple and enabled to work across multiple carrier partners both locally and internationally. Of course, there are some exceptions and three iPads came with the Apple SIM embedded, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd gen), the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
Powered by GigSky, the cards allow users to easily switch between long and short term data plans in a range of countries with local carriers. You can access this through the cellular data option in your iPad settings.
On the other hand, eSIM is an electronic embedded SIM which is rewritable and can not be removed from the device. To use eSIM you'll need to find a provider that offers this option with it's mobile broadband plans, but more on eSIM later on.
iPad SIM card sizes
| iPad | SIM size | Apple SIM | eSIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPad (5th generation and later) | Nano SIM | Yes | 7th and 8th generations |
| iPad Pro (all models) | Nano SIM | Yes | 11-inch (1st and 2nd generations) 12.9-inch (3rd and 4th generations) |
| iPad Air (all models) | Nano SIM | iPad Air 2 only | 3rd and 4th generations |
| iPad mini (all models) | Nano SIM | iPad mini 3 and later | 5th generation |
| iPad (4th generation) | Micro SIM | No | No |
| iPad (3rd generation) | Micro SIM | No | No |
| iPad 2 | Micro SIM | No | No |
| iPad | Micro SIM | No | 7th and 8th generations |
| iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) WiFi+LTE | Nano SIM | Yes | No |
| iPad Pro 10.5-inch WiFi+LTE | Nano SIM | Yes | No |
| iPad Pro 9.7-inch WiFi+LTE | Nano SIM | Yes | No |
| iPad mini (5th generation) | Nano SIM | Yes | Yes |
| iPad Air (3rd generation) | Nano SIM | No | Yes |
Searching for data for your tablet? These are the most popular data SIM plans available right now.
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#1
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ALDI mobile 
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#2
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amaysim 
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#3
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Belong 
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#4
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Telstra 
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#5
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SpinTel
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#6
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Tangerine Telecom
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#7
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Vodafone
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#8
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Lebara Mobile 
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#9
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Aussie Broadband 
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#10
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More 
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How to get your SIM card out of your iPhone
Most of the time when you get your phone you'll pop your SIM card in and entirely forget about it. However if you've switched providers or got a new SIM card for any other reason you might get a bit stuck on how to get the old one out of your phone.
The safest way to remove and replace and old SIM is to use the SIM ejector tool that comes with your iPhone. Many providers also give branded ejector tools with new SIM cards, but this won't always be the case. We've tried and tested a range of SIM ejector tool alternatives. You can read about it here or watch the video below.
A note on eSIM
eSIM is an electronic SIM card or an embedded SIM which is built into your device. Practically it means that you wouldn't have to pry open your phone to switch your provider, you could simply override the current data on the SIM by scanning a QR code or something similar.
In Australia eSIM is still emerging technology and has not yet been widely adopted. At the release of the iPhone 12 range Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone all supported eSIM but smaller providers were yet to have the capacity to offer the option.
Since then Telstra introduced new Upfront Plans which don't currently support eSIM, but the provider says this will return at some stage. Select wholesale operators on the Telstra network have also been trialing eSIM although it is still not commercially available for the moment. Existing Telstra customers not on an Upfront plan can still swap to eSIM, however.
At the time of writing neither Vodafone nor Optus have extended eSIM to MVNOs.
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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