Normally, before you activate a new iPhone, you need to insert a SIM card to sign up from the service carries and connect to their network. If not, a “No SIM Card” or “SIM Required” prompt will pop up. Since Apple is careful much about the iPhone security, they usually don’t allow people to activate iPhone without a SIM card. Otherwise, without activating iPhone, users can’t do anything but make emergency calls. However, in some cases, like you don’t have a SIM card, or just want to activate the iPhone as a spare phone, you may need to activate your iPhone without a SIM card. It seems an impossible mission, but believe it or not, today’s tutorial will introduce 4 methods on how to activate iPhone without SIM card.


Part 1: How to Activate iPhone Without SIM Card Using iTunes?

iTunes is often used as a tool for iOS data transfer and backup. Actually, it also integrates features to troubleshoot problems of iOS devices. For example, in today’s case, iTunes can be used to activate iPhone without SIM card. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.

  • Step 1: Launch iTunes and connect your iPhone to computer with a USB cable.
  • Step 2: iTunes will automatically detect your iPhone and show a “Welcome to Your New iPhone” screen. Check the option of Set up as a new iPhone and click Continue button to move on.
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  • Step 3: On the “Sync with iTunes” screen, click Get Started > Sync to start the process.
  • Step 4: After that, you can continue setting up your iPhone like password, Apple ID, location, and so on.
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Part 2: How to Activate iPhone Without SIM Card by Emergency Call Feature?

This is actually a method like a bug. When your iPhone warns you with a “No SIM Card” or “SIM Required” prompt, you can easily use the Emergency Call feature to bypass SIM card restriction and activate iPhone without SIM card and without connecting to iTunes.

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Steps:

  1. When you see a prompt asking for a SIM card to activate, press the Home key to enter the lock screen. Then, tap the option to make an emergency call.
  2. Dial 112 or 999, and tap the Cancel button before it is picked up. Then, in the pop-up notification, tap Disconnect Call.
  3. Finally, your iPhone will be activated and enter then Home screen.

Part 3: How to Activate iPhone Without SIM Card Using R-SIM/X-SIM?

As we all know, iPhone has an unlocked version for all network carriers. With an R-SIM or X-SIM, you can then activate iPhone without SIM card, without connecting to iTunes and without connecting to Wi-Fi.

  • Step 1: Insert the R-SIM or X-SIM in iPhone SIM tray, and you will see a list of network carriers.
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  • Step 2: Freely select on to move on. If the carrier you want to select is not listed, tap input imsi.
  • Step 3: Find the imsi codes on Mobile Phone Network Unlock Codes and enter the corresponding one on your iPhone.
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  • Step 4: Select your iPhone model and choose the most suitable method to activate.
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  • Step 5: After completing all processes, reboot your iPhone and it will be activated without SIM card.

Part 4: How to Activate iPhone Without SIM Card by Jailbreaking?

If all above methods fail to activate your iPhone without SIM card, you can then try to jailbreak your iPhone. But this method should be the final method and deliberated, because it will make your iPhone out of warranty. However, if your iPhone that is carrier-locked, then this might be the only way to get it working again. To jailbreak your iPhone, see: How to Jailbreak iPhone?

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Part 5: How to Fix iPhone Stuck on Startup Screen?

When you perform the above steps, if your iPhone is stuck on the startup screen and not responding, you can try to use Leawo iOSFix to troubleshoot the issue. This software can fix 50+ iOS/tvOS issues, such as stuck on Apple logo, black screen of death, keeps restarting, etc. With 2 repair modes provided, you can fix your iPhone without data loss or more thoroughly. The following steps will show you how to fix iPhone stuck on startup screen issue.

Step 1: Download Leawo iOSFix

Click either buttons below according to your computer system to download and install this software on your computer for free.

  • iosfix
  • Leawo iOSFix

    - Fix 50+ iOS/tvOS issues on iPhone, iPad, iPod or Apple TV
    - 2 repair modes for data lossless fixing
    - Fix all iOS and tvOS versions in clicks
    - Multiple iOS/tvOS system fixing pathse
    - One-click to upgrade to the latest iOS/tvOS version
    - One-click to enter/exit Recovery Mode
    - Troubleshoot iOS/tvOS not recognized issues in detail

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to computer

Launch iOSFix after installation, and connect your iPhone to computer with a USB cable. This software will recognize your iPhone immediately.

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Step 3: Select a repair mode

Click the Start button from the main interface. There are two modes are provided in the repair mode selection interface – Standard Mode to fix general iOS system errors without erasing data, and Advanced Mode to fix iOS system issues more thoroughly with all data erased. It is suggested to try the Standard Mode first.

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Step 4: Download the iOS firmware

After choosing a repair mode, confirm your iPhone model and system version. Then, click the Download Now button to download the corresponding firmware to fix iPhone stuck on startup screen issue.

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Step 5: Start to fix iPhone stuck on startup screen issue

Click the Fix Now button to solve the iPhone stuck on startup screen issue immediately.

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Part 6: How to Recover Contacts to iPhone?

If you store contacts on your SIM card, and now you activate your iPhone without SIM card, then how to get your contacts back to iPhone? Luckily, if you have ever backed up your iPhone with iTunes or iCloud, you can use Leawo iOS Data Recovery to extract contacts from iTunes or iCloud to iPhone to recover. In addition to contacts, this software can also recover up to 14 kinds of lost iOS data from iTunes, iCloud or iOS device itself, including photos, videos, ringtones, WhatsApp messages, voice memos, etc. Follow the steps below to recover contacts after activating iPhone without SIM card.

Step 1: Download Leawo iOS Data Recovery

Click the download button below to install Leawo iOS Data Recovery on your computer.

  • ios-data-recovery
  • Leawo iOS Data Recovery

    - Recover lost or deleted data from iOS devices, iTunes backup and iCloud backup
    - Retrieve files from iTunes and iCloud backup even for lost or broken iOS devices
    - Restore 12 types of data, including photos, videos, SMS & MMS messages, contacts, call history, notes, calendar, etc.
    - Fully support all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models
    - 100% safe, accurate and speedy recovery
    - User-friendly interface and simple operations

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to computer

Launch the software after installation, and connect your iPhone to computer with a USB cable. The software will detect your iPhone immediately. Then, on the main interface, there are 3 modes provided - Recover from iOS Device, Recover from iTunes Backup and Recover from iCloud Backup. Choose one to scan and recover.

  • If you don't have a backup on iTunes nor iCloud, choose Recover from iOS Device to restore iPhone from iOS device directly.
  • If you choose Recover from iTunes Backup, the software will scan and extract iTunes backup to several parts, and you can selectively to restore iPhone from iTunes backup.
  • If you choose Recover from iCloud Backup, you are required to enter your Apple ID and password. The software will then download a backup from iCloud to restore iPhone from iCloud backup.
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Step 3: Choose contacts to recover

By scanning, all iPhone data or files would be displayed in different categories. Go to the category of iPhone data you want to recover in the left sidebar, and select the target files in the right panel. Then, click Recover button in the bottom-right corner.

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Step 4: Set output directory

On the pop-up window, click Open button to browse and choose a local file to save selected iPhone data, then click Go to output.

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