At first, I think it’s trivial. But from time to time, I have been asked:
I bought a new iPhone. How can I import SIM card contacts from my old phone to the new iPhone?
You may know the answer. But for iPhone new comer, this quick tip is for you to start using your brand new iPhone.
Simply go to “Settings” -> “Mail, Contacts, Calendar”, you can find an option called “Import SIM Contacts”. Then tap on it and iPhone will import all SIM contacts to your contacts list.
Can’t find this option in Settings? You may be using an stone age iPhone with older version of firmware (Prior to firmware 2.0). For user with older version of iPhone, I’ll recommend you to upgrade to the latest firmware version. You can just upgrade it by using iTunes.
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{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
And viceversa? how can I export the contacts from my Iphone to my SIM?
@Ernest, from what I know, you cannot export contacts from iPhone to SIM.
I tried your suggestion, but nothing happens. All I have is the default contacts on my iphone. Everything still remains on my SIM card when I put it back on my old phone, so I’m not sure what’s the problem. I even tried to take out the SIM card and put it back in, but no success. Any ideas?
i am also having this problem. anyone with an answer of how to fix this would be great as it would save me having to do this manually and save me hours!! thanks
I’m having the same problem! Surely there is an app for this?
Same problem here. I think it may be because the iphone is “locked” and only accepts sim cards from my telco – my old sim is from another company.
Does anyone know any way around this without unlocking the iphone?
i have the same problem here. I can’t import the contact from my sim card. I tried the “import sim contacts” under the setting but it didn’t work. Is there other solution? the syncing doesnt work either.
Same problem “import sim contacts” is not working. Ok I had it jailbroken and unlocked the sim but i did reset the phone and tried with original sim card and nothing…
pleas help us out hear someone
My phone: iphone 3GS 32 GB
Same problem, brand new iphone but the ‘import sim contacts’ does nothing. Simon your arrogance about how ‘easy’ it is does nobody any favours – clearly a lot of us are having trouble with this and have searched for answers as a result. You don’t seem to have answered anyone who has said ‘yes that’s all well and good but it won’t work’.
P.S. Is it ‘trivial’ to have to re-enter 300+ contacts manually from your old phone to your new iphone? Feel free to come and do it for me.
WENT INTO MY SETTINGS. CLICKED ON IMPORT SIM CONTACTS BUT NOTHING HAPPENED????? WOT SHALL I DO????????
FAIL
@Jase, do you have any special character in your contact? It seems like iPhone does not import contact with special characters.
I just had the same dilemma described above, but then I checked the sim card on my older phone and found that it had only 2 entries saved on it. Under the address book on the older phone (and believe me, it’s old!), I found an option for copy, and that led to an option to copy all entries to the sim card. After doing that I was able to import the entries to my iphone. This may not apply to everyone here, but perhaps it will help some.
Thanks Raif you are spot on with your answer. I had been trying to transfer my contact all night and than found your comment about having to put them back on my sim card first.
My new iPhone seemed to do the import from the old SIM but then the contact list was empty. I went to an Orange shop and they said “”Yeah, I know, it don’t work. But then he went on to say that if you had paid for phone insurance they had a special machine that did it. If you didn’t it would cost £6″. Surely there is some mistake here?
worked like a charm. thanks!
Mine didn’t work!!! I’m still not able to get my contacts out of the sim card to my Iphone ! Help me plsss
I’ve been using Tansee iPhone Transfer Contact to help me backup my contacts along with contact’s photos. It works really well. Key features:
1. backup contacts on iPhone memory to a file (including Antc file and Text file)
2. backup your contact’s photos
3. support password protection.
For those friends who are in want of a useful software to backup your iPhone contacts, you can get more info by visit: http://softwarebbs.com/index.php?title=Tansee_iPhone_Transfer_Contact
Hope you enjoy it as I do!
Do you know how to convert MP3 to iphone ringtone? and How to upload to iphone? Thanks a lot
@Kam,
You can refer to this post (Windows / Mac) about how you can convert mp3 to iPhone ringtone.
It worked for me…. thanks for the tip.
easiest transfer ever done and never used iphone before thanks
Thanks! You were right about the contact list not being saved directly to the sim. I would have never guessed! Thanks for the tip!
hooray thank you! (from one too lazy to rtfm)
Thanks man great tip for a new comer!
ok, I am being really blonde here. I haven’t got a clue about any of this. How do you connect your old sim card to the iphone for it to read and import your contacts before you press the ‘import SIM contacts button’?
i can’t import my contact to my sim card to my iphone. Setting > import sim card doesnt seems to work.
somebody please help, me and my partner r swapping iphones,but when i swapped sims ive still got his contacts and hes still got mine arrgghh.
Raif, I could kiss you! Your instructions have saved my life!!! Thank you SOOOOO much for your help- all contacts are now restored! R
Worked fine for me using iOS 4.0.1 Jailbreaked and Ultrasn0w unlocked
Could be special characters in contacts people are having issues with?!