How to Remove a Stuck SIM Card Tray From Your Phone

Published 2026-10-16 · Marion Phone Repair

You insert the SIM eject tool into the pinhole on the side of your phone, press firmly, and the tray does not pop out. The tool goes in but nothing happens, or the tray moves slightly and then jams. A stuck SIM card tray prevents you from switching carriers, replacing a damaged SIM, inserting a new eSIM card, or removing the SIM when selling the phone. SIM tray jams are caused by a bent tray, a misaligned SIM card inside the tray, debris in the eject mechanism, or a SIM card that has expanded slightly from heat exposure.

Use the correct eject tool

The SIM eject tool that came with your phone is the correct diameter for the eject hole. If you lost it, use a straightened paperclip — standard paperclips have approximately the right diameter. Push the paperclip straight into the hole, not at an angle
Do not use a sewing needle, thumbtack, or push pin. These are too thin and may not engage the eject mechanism properly, or too sharp and can damage the internal spring mechanism. A toothpick is too thick for most phones and can break off inside the hole
Do not use a knife tip, razor blade, or any flat tool to try to pry the tray out from the edge. This will scratch the phone frame and can permanently damage the tray slot

Apply firm, straight pressure

Hold the phone firmly in one hand with the SIM tray side facing you
Insert the eject tool straight into the pinhole. The tool should go in about 5 to 8 millimeters before you feel resistance from the spring
Push firmly and steadily. You need more force than you might expect — the eject mechanism is a spring-loaded pin, and it requires deliberate pressure to release the tray. Do not jab it — use consistent, increasing pressure
If the tool goes in but the tray does not pop out, the mechanism may be jammed. Try pushing the tool in while simultaneously pressing gently on the tray from the outside edge with your thumbnail

Check for a misaligned SIM card

The most common cause of a stuck tray is a SIM card that has shifted inside the tray and is catching on the slot walls:

Look at the gap between the tray and the phone frame. If you can see the tray has moved out even slightly (1 to 2 millimeters), grip the exposed edge with your fingernails and pull gently while wiggling the tray side to side very slightly. The wiggling motion can free a SIM card that is catching on the inside of the slot
If you recently cut a SIM card to a smaller size (standard to micro, micro to nano), the rough-cut edges may be catching inside the tray slot. Cut SIM cards often have slightly uneven edges that snag on the tray guides
If you used a SIM adapter (nano to micro or micro to standard), the adapter itself may have come loose from the SIM card and is now wedged inside the slot independently of the tray

Clean the eject hole

Pocket lint and dust can pack into the eject pinhole over time, preventing the tool from reaching the spring mechanism. Use compressed air to blow into the hole before inserting the tool
If compressed air does not clear it, use the eject tool or paperclip to gently probe the hole. You may feel soft resistance from lint before hitting the harder spring. Push through the lint to reach the mechanism
On phones with bottom-mounted SIM trays, the proximity to the charging port means more lint accumulates in the area. Clean both the eject hole and the surrounding area

Use gentle heat

A SIM card or tray that was exposed to excessive heat (left in a hot car, near a heat source) can expand slightly and bind in the slot. The plastic SIM card and metal tray expand at different rates, creating friction
Use a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting, held about 15 centimeters from the SIM tray area, for 20 to 30 seconds. This gently warms the metal frame and can release the friction. Then immediately try the eject tool while the area is still warm
Do not use high heat or a heat gun. Excessive heat damages the display adhesive, battery, and internal components. The goal is gentle warming, not making the phone hot

Tape pull method

If the tray is partially ejected but you cannot grip it with your fingers:

Tear off a small piece of strong adhesive tape (duct tape or packing tape works well)
Press the tape firmly onto the exposed edge of the SIM tray
Pull the tape outward, applying steady traction on the tray. The tape gives you a grip surface on the thin tray edge that your fingertips cannot grasp
Combine the tape pull with the eject tool — push the tool in while pulling the tape simultaneously

What not to do

Do not use pliers or tweezers on the tray. Metal tools will crush the thin SIM tray and scratch the phone frame. A deformed tray becomes permanently stuck
Do not force it by pushing harder on the eject tool. If the tool is meeting solid resistance beyond the normal spring feel, something is mechanically blocked. Pushing harder will bend the internal eject pin or push the SIM card deeper into the slot
Do not try to remove the SIM from the other side. Some people attempt to push something through the charging port or speaker holes to reach the SIM. These openings do not connect to the SIM slot and you risk damaging other components
Do not disassemble the phone. While removing the back panel would give access to the SIM slot from inside, modern phones with non-removable backs require special tools and adhesive removal. The risk of screen or cable damage is not worth it for a stuck SIM tray

When the tray is damaged

If the SIM tray is visibly bent or deformed (you can see it is not straight when looking at the edge), it needs professional removal. A bent tray will not slide out straight and forcing it damages the slot
If the eject pin hole feels empty or the tool goes in much deeper than usual with no spring resistance, the eject mechanism may be broken. The spring or pin inside has failed and the tray can only be removed by opening the phone
If you previously tried to force the tray and now it is more stuck than before, stop. Additional force at this point risks bending the SIM slot frame inside the phone, which is a motherboard-level repair

SIM tray removal and repair in Marion

If your SIM card tray is stuck and the methods above did not safely remove it, Marion Phone Repair can extract the jammed tray without damaging the phone, replace a bent or broken SIM tray, repair a damaged eject mechanism, and ensure the SIM slot works properly for future card changes.