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SIM not supported but I don't have a carrier

I'm locked out of my iPhone SE 2017 after a forced update. It says my SIM card isn't supported, but I have never changed the SIM card on this phone and do not have a service provider, never have, I use wifi exclusively.


I literally just use my phone for pictures and music and this is really frustrating.

iPhone SE

Posted on May 2, 2023 6:56 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 2, 2023 7:08 PM

Hi arson_al!

It sounds like your iPhone SE may be locked to a carrier, and the recent forced update has triggered the activation lock. This can happen if the previous owner of the iPhone had the device locked to a specific carrier, or if you purchased a refurbished iPhone that was not properly unlocked before it was sold to you. In this case, you may need to contact the carrier that the iPhone is locked to and request that they unlock it.

However, if you never had a carrier, and you have been using your iPhone exclusively with Wi-Fi, it's possible that there may be a different issue. Here are a few things you can try:

  • Restart your iPhone: Sometimes, a simple restart can fix minor software glitches that can cause activation issues. Press and hold the power button until the "slide to power off" slider appears. Slide it to power off, wait a few seconds, and then turn your iPhone back on.
  • Remove and reinsert the SIM card: Even if you've never changed the SIM card on your iPhone, try removing and reinserting the SIM card to ensure that it's properly seated in the SIM tray.
  • Check your Wi-Fi connection: Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network that has an active internet connection. If your Wi-Fi connection is not stable, it may affect the activation process.

Let's figure this out,


DX-7

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 2, 2023 7:08 PM in response to arson_al

Hi arson_al!

It sounds like your iPhone SE may be locked to a carrier, and the recent forced update has triggered the activation lock. This can happen if the previous owner of the iPhone had the device locked to a specific carrier, or if you purchased a refurbished iPhone that was not properly unlocked before it was sold to you. In this case, you may need to contact the carrier that the iPhone is locked to and request that they unlock it.

However, if you never had a carrier, and you have been using your iPhone exclusively with Wi-Fi, it's possible that there may be a different issue. Here are a few things you can try:

  • Restart your iPhone: Sometimes, a simple restart can fix minor software glitches that can cause activation issues. Press and hold the power button until the "slide to power off" slider appears. Slide it to power off, wait a few seconds, and then turn your iPhone back on.
  • Remove and reinsert the SIM card: Even if you've never changed the SIM card on your iPhone, try removing and reinserting the SIM card to ensure that it's properly seated in the SIM tray.
  • Check your Wi-Fi connection: Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network that has an active internet connection. If your Wi-Fi connection is not stable, it may affect the activation process.

Let's figure this out,


DX-7

May 2, 2023 7:04 PM in response to arson_al

I also tried to connect my phone to my computer with iTunes, but it displayed the same message:


"The SIM that you currently have installed in this iPhone is from a carrier that is not supported under the activation policy that is currently assigned by the activation server. This is not a hardware issue with the iPhone. Please install another SIM from a supported carrier or request that this iPhone be unlocked by your carrier. Please contact Apple for more information."


I DO NOT HAVE A CARRIER.

May 3, 2023 5:22 PM in response to DX-7

Hullo DX-7, thank you for responding so quickly


The update in question is 15.4.1 if that means anything.


I *think* the phone may be from straighttalk (I'm honestly not sure as I've had it for 6 years and never looked into getting a service plan), but if so why would they lock my phone if I'm using the same SIM card? I'm honestly worried that this is a ploy to get me to pay for service, and if I call them then 1) they may not even be my carrier and/or 2) they're going to keep my phone locked until I buy a plan.


I've tried restarting, as well as reinserting the current SIM card. I've also tried using both wifi and iTunes, both of which give the same error.

SIM not supported but I don't have a carrier

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