Taking SIM Card Out & Putting Back In Later: Getting Texts?

Here’s everything about getting your texts, messages, and missed call notifications when you take your SIM card out and put your SIM card back in later:

As soon as you put your SIM card back in, all the messages that were directed at you will be received by your phone.

You will also receive all voicemails and missed calls.

You will receive everything you missed while your SIM card was out of your phone at once. 

If you want to learn all about what happens to your texts, messages, and notifications when you take your SIM card out of your phone and put it back in later, then you’re in the right place.

Keep reading!

Taking SIM Card Out & Putting Back In Later: Getting Texts?

What Happens When You Take SIM Card Out of Your Phone?

Taking the sim card out of the mobile phone.

So, what happens when you take your SIM card out of your phone? 

What happens to all the texts, messages, and calls made during the time the SIM card is out of your phone? 

When you put your phone back in, do you get all your texts, messages, and missed calls?

If you take the SIM card out of your phone, it will behave as if the phone has been turned off. 

So, taking out your SIM card is the same as turning off your smartphone for the cellular network company.

The SIM card itself is just a key to the network.

It stores your personal information and tells the cellular network who you are. 

Without a SIM card, the cellular network can’t communicate with the cell phone. 

So, when the SIM card is out of the smartphone, the device won’t show up on the network.

Basically, any calls, texts, or voice mails people make during that time will be stored on your cellular network’s servers.

The important thing to note is that your data is not stored indefinitely on the central servers. 

Depending upon your country’s laws and your cellular network provider’s policies, they may only have to save your messages and data for a certain period of time before the SIM is declared inactive. 

After that, the companies may be allowed to delete data from the servers to make space for other data.

Don’t worry. The allotted period is usually months or years of inactivity. 

So, you have nothing to worry about if you take your SIM card out for a few days or even for a few weeks. 

Just make sure to plug the SIM card back in if you plan on using it in the future.

What Happens to All Texts, Voice Mails, and Phone Calls?

Female engineer using digital tablet while inspecting servers.

So, what exactly happens to all the communications directed towards your SIM while your SIM card is outside your phone? 

As discussed in the previous section, the phone behaves as if it’s offline.

In the meantime, if people try to call you, they will get an automated message that you’re unreachable at the moment. 

People can still send you text messages and even leave voice mails if your service supports voice mails.

All of the communications will be sent to your cellular network provider’s central servers and held there for storage. 

Since they have no connection to your cell phone, the data will be stored on the main servers.

As soon as you put your SIM card back into the phone, you will connect to the nearest cellular tower. 

Once the central servers see that your cell phone is online and functioning, they will start sending all your data to your cell phone.

So, everything that was stored on your cell phone, such as text messages, calls, or voice mails, will all be sent to your phone. 

The calls will be received as “missed calls.” Other than that, all your missed communications would be sent to the cell phone.

Is It Safe to Take Your Sim Card Out of Your Phone?

Some of you might be wondering whether or not it’s safe to take your SIM card out of your cell phone. 

The answer is yes.

You can take a SIM card out of a cell phone whenever you want. 

It’s entirely safe, and you won’t be messing anything up.

Most modern smartphones have SIM trays that are designed to be taken out easily whenever and wherever you need them. 

It’s completely safe for both you and your smartphone.

It’s important to note that some older cell phones do automatically restart after you remove or insert a SIM card. 

So, you have to keep this in mind if you have an older cell phone. 

Also, in older cell phone designs, much of the time, there is no external SIM card tray.

Instead, you have to open the cell phone from the back and insert the SIM card there. 

Many older cell phones have the SIM card rack behind the battery itself. 

So, you might even have to take your cell phone’s battery before you can take it out or put in a SIM card.

Will You Lose Your Data if You Take SIM Card Out of Your Phone?

Frustrated young woman in formal clothing looking at smartphone while holding coffee cup

No, you won’t lose any personal data if you take out the SIM card. 

All your data is stored directly on your cell phone’s storage. Taking out a SIM card won’t remove any data.

However, modern SIM cards do allow you to backup some of your contacts to your SIM card. 

Even then, however, this is backup data used only for contact information. 

You will have these contact details on your cell phone, as well. 

Typically, most SIM cards allow you to store about 250 contacts on their onboard memory.

So, don’t worry, you can take the SIM card out of your phone without worrying about the data. 

Since everything is stored on your phone itself, you’re not disturbing anything.

How Often Should I Replace My Sim Card?

SIM card on the smartphone screen and tools to replace sim card.

Unless you’re changing cellular network providers, there’s never a need to change your SIM cards. 

SIM cards don’t wear out like other parts of a cell phone that require replacement.

Unless the SIM card itself gets faulty or you need to switch carriers, there’s no need to replace it. 

In fact, you can use the same SIM card in a new phone when you buy it. 

As mentioned earlier, the SIM card is a personal key to your cellular network provider. 

It allows you to connect to your provider’s network and use their services.

Author

  • Theresa McDonough

    Tech entrepreneur and founder of Tech Medic, who has become a prominent advocate for the Right to Repair movement. She has testified before the US Federal Trade Commission and been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, helping influence change within the tech industry.