• Around The HomeToggle Menu

    • Entertainment
    • Productivity
    • Smart Home
  • FamilyToggle Menu

    • Parenting
    • Toys
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • Product ReviewsToggle Menu

    • Phones
    • Tablets
    • Laptops
    • Desktops
    • Wearables
    • Audio
    • Cameras
    • Headphones
    • Printers
    • Smart Home
    • TVs
    • Gaming and Video
  • One Cool ThingToggle Menu

    • Frugal Tech
    • Kickstarters
    • Videos
Techwalla
  1. Home
  2. Around The Home
  3. Entertainment
  4. How to Transfer SIM Card Data

How to Transfer SIM Card Data

March 31, 2015
By: James Crider
  • Share
  • Share on Facebook

Every GSM cell phone uses a SIM card to identify itself to the cellular provider. For years now, these cards have also had a useful secondary function: there's enough data storage on the small plastic card to hold hundreds of names, numbers and addresses. This is especially useful when switching to a new phone, since you can copy the saved data from the old phone to the new one. This can save hours of tedious data entry on small keys, and is therefore a useful skill to acquire.

Video of the Day

...
A SIM card identifies your phone to a cellular provider, and can hold a small amount of data.

Step

Turn on your old phone--the one that you're transferring the data from. Select the address book (depending upon your phone, this may be labeled as "address book," "contacts," "numbers," etc.).

Step

Select the first contact or phone number that you wish to save. Activate the sub-menu by clicking the "menu" button, opening the contact, selecting "edit" or long-pressing the contact entry (depending on your phone.) Select "Copy to SIM card" and press "Enter," "OK" or the center of your phone's directional pad (again, depending upon your specific phone).

Step

Repeat Step 2 with all desired contacts. If your phone has a "Copy all to SIM card" feature built into the address book, activate it via the sub-menu to save time.

Step

Turn off your old phone, remove the battery cover and the battery and slide the SIM card out of its slot. Remove the battery cover and battery of the new phone, insert the SIM card into the slot and replace the battery and battery cover. Turn on the new phone.

Step

Open the address book in the new phone. You will see all of the contacts you saved from Step 2. If you want to make a second backup or you need to use a new SIM card, copy the contacts to the memory of the new phone in the same fashion, selecting "save to phone memory" in the sub-menu.

Show Comments

Related Articles

How to Clone a SIM Card

How to Clone a SIM Card

Around The Home
Entertainment
By: Techwalla Contributor
Can a SIM Card Cause Bad Cellphone Reception?

Can a SIM Card Cause Bad Cellphone Reception?

Around The Home
Entertainment
By: Lou Martin
How to Replace a Verizon SIM Card

How to Replace a Verizon SIM Card

Around The Home
Entertainment
By: April Khan
64 K SIM Card Vs. 128 K SIM

64 K SIM Card Vs. 128 K SIM

Around The Home
Entertainment
By: Laurie Brenner
How to Find Out What Is on a SIM Card

How to Find Out What Is on a SIM Card

Around The Home
Entertainment
By: Emilio Alvarez
How to Deactivate a SIM Card

How to Deactivate a SIM Card

Around The Home
Entertainment
By: Michaele Curtis
  • HOW WE SCORE
  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • TERMS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COPYRIGHT POLICY
  • Advertise

An error occurred. Try again later.

Thanks for signing up!
© 2018 Leaf Group Ltd. Leaf Group Media

Get great tech advice delivered to your inbox.

Keep your family productive, connected, entertained, and safe.

Please enter a valid email.