How to Backup SIM Contacts

The iPhone isn’t designed to store your contacts book within your SIM card. If you need to backup contacts, perhaps to move from one iPhone to another, you can use iCloud to backup your contacts or export the contacts directly between devices.

If you have recently acquired a new iPhone handset and you want to back up a contacts book that’s stored on a separate SIM card used in an older smartphone, here’s what to do:

Step 1:

Ensure that the SIM card you wish to export contacts from is compatible with your new iPhone.

Step 2:

Remove the SIM card supplied with your new iPhone and replace it with your older SIM card.

Step 3:

Enter the “Settings” app within your iPhone.

Step 4:

Tap the “Contacts” tab and choose “Import SIM Contacts”.

Step 5:

Sit tight and wait for the import to save onto your new device.

Step 6:

Remove the old SIM card and replace it with your new iPhone SIM card.

Step 7:

Open your iPhone’s “Contacts” app to double-check the contacts have migrated.

It’s a good idea to back up any contacts stored on a SIM card to a linked Google account, particularly if you are likely to continue buying Android smartphones and tablets in the future. That way, whenever you replace your Android device, you can connect your device to your Google account and have swift access to your contacts book from the word go.

Furthermore, even if you choose to buy an iOS or Windows phone down the line, Google accounts can still be connected to these smartphones to help you pull in your backed-up contacts book.

Step 1:

Find the “Contacts” app located within your Android smartphone.

Step 2:

Tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the screen and tap “Import/Export”.

Step 3:

Choose “Import from SIM Card”. This will allow you to choose the contact details you wish to back up from your SIM.

Step 4:

Once you’ve selected the names and numbers you want to back up, choose a Google account to save the details to.

Step 5:

A new screen will appear when the contacts are being exported from your SIM card to your Google account, ready to be imported at a moment’s notice in future.

Note: Keep in mind that your phone’s Contacts app may or may not operate in the same way. That’s because the default Contacts app on your phone might not be the Google Contacts application. Some smartphone manufacturers install their own. If the above option doesn’t seem to work for you, it might be easier to try one of the other options below.

If you have an SD card that has enough storage space to house your contacts book, you can also use it to backup your contacts from your SIM card to your desktop PC via the SD card:

Step 1:

Load up your “Contacts” app and open your contact list.

Step 2:

Within your “Contacts” app, there should be a “Settings” page where you can choose to “Manage Contacts” however you see fit.

Step 3:

If possible, tap the “Export Contacts” option and select the contacts you wish to backup to your PC.

Step 4:

When selecting how to export your contacts, choose “Export to storage disk”, before selecting the location of your SD card to store these contacts.

Step 5:

Connect your Android device to your desktop PC via USB or use an SD card reader (you’ll need to unmount and remove the SD card from your phone first if you choose the latter option).

Step 6:

Open the folder of your SD card on your desktop screen, find your saved contacts and copy from your SD card to a chosen PC folder.

This option is only applicable if your desktop PC is Bluetooth-enabled:

Step 1:

Activate your desktop PC’s Bluetooth functionality.

Step 2:

Enable Bluetooth on your Android device and allow your device and PC to pair.

Step 3:

Open your “Contacts” app and open your contact list.

Step 4:

Within your “Contacts” app, there should be a “Settings” page where you can select “Manage Contacts”.

Step 5:

If possible, tap the “Export Contacts” option and select the contacts you wish to backup to your PC via Bluetooth.

Step 6:

Select “Bluetooth” as your export method and choose your desktop PC that’s already paired with your Android device.

Step 7:

Wait for your PC to receive files via Bluetooth and then save your contacts file within your chosen PC folder.

If you don’t want the hassle of installing and removing SD cards, USB sticks and pairing Bluetooth devices, there is a simpler way to backup SIM on contacts Android or iOS.

You’ll have to download the Easy Backup app by Simpler Apps Inc. Within a single tap of the application, you can backup all your contacts, including your SIM card contacts.

Step 1:

Load up the app on your device and hit the “Backup Now” button and then “Tap to Upload”.

Step 2:

That’s it, your contacts have been backed up on a secured cloud. All of your backed-up contacts are listed in the “My Backups” section, readily available on the app.

Step 3:

Optionally, you can also clean up your contacts with this app, using it to merge duplicate contact entries.

Hopefully, you’ve found this guide to backing up your SIM contacts, no matter if you have an Android or iPhone. This way, you can keep the phone numbers of family, friends, and colleagues safe if you ever lose them.