How to make a SIM card and memory card sandwich. Choose what you need more, SIM card or micro sd

Modern smartphone manufacturers are trying to follow the principle of “thinner, lighter, more powerful,” but also give users what they want - the presence of two SIM cards and an external memory card in the device. But making extra holes in the case is not at all aesthetically pleasing, so vendors have come up with a compromise solution - a hybrid slot. You can use either 2 Sim or 1 Sim and 1 MicroSD. But this, again, is inconvenient!

Fortunately, you can combine a SIM card and a flash drive using a hair dryer, a knife, glue and a file. The operation takes 5 minutes, but we advise you to upgrade only if you are confident in your own abilities and are not afraid of damaging the device or damaging the cards.

Warning:

This instruction is not a guide to action. The resource administration is not responsible for what you do with your smartphone or tablet.

Preparation

In general, the process is not difficult. First, insert the card into its rightful place and make marks on the slot with a pencil. They are needed to understand how to stick a SIM card. Also place a dot in the corner that corresponds to the cut edge of the plastic (marked with a red circle in the photo).

Now remove the card, place it on the surface, press lightly and heat it with a hairdryer for a minute or two. The plastic will become soft. It is important not to overheat, otherwise you will damage the chip.

Then you need to act quickly, since the card is cooling down. Unfortunately, due to the speed of the action, the photo came out blurry, but the essence is simple. Secure the card and drive a thin, sharp object (you can use a utility knife) between the plastic and the contact pad. Using confident but gentle movements, cut off the chip and contacts.

If everything went well, the card will look like this. Don’t throw away the plastic just yet; you may need it to restore your Sim from the operator.

You need to wear off the varnish (circled in red in the photo) on the chip until it's almost flat without damaging the electronic component. It is best to use a file or whetstone for knives. Practice on an unnecessary card, and then process the working one.

A successful result looks like this.

We recommend inserting our contact pad into an old phone with an open slot under the battery, “estimating” where the contacts connect to the SIM receiver slats. If there is a catch, you can proceed to the final phase of the operation.

We glue

Insert a memory card into the hybrid slot and apply a few drops of superglue to it. Some people use double-sided tape, but we value even a tenth of a millimeter in thickness, so glue is better.

Based on the marks (pencil on the slot), place the Sim on the flash drive. Press lightly with your finger for half a minute so that it sticks well. The result will be a beautiful sandwich.

Now you can insert the design into your phone and safely use two SIM cards and a flash drive at the same time. Insert carefully. You risk damaging the contacts of the SIM receiver in your phone and getting expensive repairs. If the slot does not want to go in at all, then the varnish is not worn off enough - tear off the card, arm yourself with a file and glue it again.

Possible problems

• The slot cannot be inserted - it is too thick. You need to grind it down or abandon the idea.
• The phone does not see the Sim - the chip is damaged. Restore the card from the operator and try to install it without a sandwich.
• If Sim doesn’t see it anyway, the contacts in the phone are damaged, repairs are required at a service center with a soldering station, a new SIM receiver and qualified craftsmen.
• Doesn't see MicroSD or asks to format - contacts are missing or the card is damaged. To check, peel off the Sim and insert the USB flash drive.
• Still does not see the MicroSD - the card is scrapped. Most likely, you tried to grind it off or pressed it hard with your finger when gluing it. The plastic is very thin - the flash drive is easily damaged beyond repair.

We hope that the operation was successful, and you are using a sandwich in your smartphone with hybrid slot!

We don’t remember who invented the combined slots, but there is reason to believe that the author of this horror is a Chinese company with a name starting with the letter H. However, it shouldn’t be blamed for the popularization of this strange solution: the idea was quickly picked up by dozens of other manufacturers, and now a large Some smartphones do not allow you to use two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time.

Manufacturers can understand: combined slots (SIM+SIM or SIM+MicroSD to choose from) are cheaper to produce, and they also take up less space in the case than three separate slots at once. What’s important: we’ll save on the extra slot by installing a slightly more capacious battery.

In general, it is possible to understand them, but it is unlikely to forgive them. Because combination slots are extremely inconvenient. Especially if the device does not have 64 or 128 GB of memory, like flagships, but only 16. Of these, another 3-4 are consumed by the system, and the user who needs two SIM cards is left with a measly 10-plus “gigs” . Well, where is this good? That's right, nowhere. And that’s why we’ve collected several smartphones in this review. different classes, offering just separate slots for two SIM cards and a MicroSD flash drive.

(27,990 rubles)

An interesting upper-middle class smartphone in a glass case, with a USB Type-C port, a high-quality AMOLED screen and a good camera. A little expensive, of course, compared to analogues, if you compare the characteristics “on paper”. However high price justified by some pleasant aspects, for example, the presence of protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard and those separate slots. If you still want to save money, look towards the Galaxy A5 2017 - it is a little simpler and cheaper. But on the Galaxy A3 2017, if you need exactly three slots, you shouldn’t look: there are two of them.

(12,990 rubles)

A mid-level device from Nokia, revived this year. Pros: the correct slots, of course, as well as Android with guaranteed updates for several years and a nice metal case. The model does not have very striking features, but overall it is a good workhorse for those who still believe in Nokia. And yes, you can consider it as an alternative - this device is simpler in all respects, but it still has three card slots.

(12,990 rubles)

Motorola employs the right people: that they are in an embrace with the G5 Plus, that the Moto E series devices use separate slots for SIM cards and MicroSD. We included the Moto E Plus in this review, since this device, in addition to everything else, also has a powerful battery - 5000 mAh. The case is metal, the chipset... But with the chipset everything is complicated: a simpler version with the MediaTek platform is supplied to Russia, while a more powerful version with the Qualcomm chipset is supplied to some other countries. If you are visiting the USA, buy Moto E Plus there.

(16,990 rubles)

A middle-class frameless phone with an 18:9 aspect ratio, reminiscent of two flagship smartphones of the Korean company - V30 and G6. This is what makes him interesting, being otherwise quite simple solution. There isn't even an NFC chip. However, for those who want to get NFC and a larger volume random access memory(3 instead of 2 GB) there is a slightly more expensive option.

(21,990 rubles)

Previously, Sony used the correct “three-card” layout in almost all of its models, but in Lately The Japanese relaxed somewhat. However, the Xperia XA1 is a pleasant exception; there are exactly three slots. The smartphone also has a 2300 mAh battery, a 23-megapixel camera, a 5-inch HD screen and mediocre MediaTek chipset. But the main thing, of course, is the so-called “Sony style”: the design of the Xperia XA1 really differs from smartphones from other manufacturers, which can often be confused with each other.

(9,990 rubles)

IN last years Xiaomi stubbornly followed the “SIM+SIM or SIM+MicroSD” rule, but made an exception with the Redmi Note 5A model. A simple version of this device is supplied to Russia, that is, without a fingerprint scanner, with cameras of average quality and 16 GB of internal memory. But it is quite cheap, being one of the most affordable smartphones in the Xiaomi line.

(13,900 rubles) /

And again, a device with a 5000 mAh battery - that is, “long-lasting”. On the one hand, this is one of the simplest devices in the Zenfone 4 family, on the other hand, it has a lot of interesting things. Here you have the mentioned battery, and three slots, and a dual rear camera. The principle of its operation is approximately the same as that of LG models - one wide-angle lens, which allows you to capture large objects from a short distance.

Many modern phones are designed with a compromise - they accept two SIM cards or one and a MicroSD flash drive.

The Chinese and Koreans began to use this, although users did not successfully accept this trick, and there are reasons for this.

Inexpensive smartphones have very little memory, therefore, you have to increase the resource with SD flash drives.

Operators, in turn, have different tariffs: in some, calls are almost free within the country, in others, international ones.

Having two SIM cards is very convenient, but constantly changing them is extremely annoying, if, in addition, to open the slot you need a key, which you almost never have at hand at a crucial moment.

What should I do? There is a solution - to deplete the SIM card and MicroSD flash drive together into one object. But if you take on such a task, be careful - this is jewelry work.

NOTE! These lines were added a year later. Now there is a more reliable and quick way combine a SIM card and a flash drive in one slot. .

Instructions - how to simultaneously install a nano sim/microsd into a hybrid slot

The trick of SIM cards and flash drives in the same slot at the same time is not difficult to do. Below I will try to describe step by step and draw attention to the mistakes that others have already made.

A flash drive with a SIM card in one slot or sim + sd is available only for devices that have a hybrid slot - a universal nano sim+nano sim / sim+microsd slot.

For this purpose you need a nano SIM card, micro SD, scissors, glue, hot water or another heater and sandpaper.

The first step is to complete disassembly SIM cards using heating or hot water to detach the microchip from the plastic.

This is necessary for a little deception in order to insert a SIM card and micro SD at the same time. This is the only way to eliminate this drawback, which the manufacturer considers a convenience.

NOTE: The steps below may lead to irreparable damage to the SIM card, and such an operation is illegal and all the blame lies with you.

So, we start with a heat source - we warm up the SIM card, or rather its plastic. This material has a fairly low heat resistance and begins to deform quite quickly.

The only thing that is important to us is that the plastic “let go” of the chip, which is glued to the plastic case, so after heating, we carefully try to pull off the chip (you can use, for example, thin tweezers).

If the operation was successful, then you should have an item like the one below in the picture.

If you are met with failure, damage appears, then it’s time to run to the service for a new SIM card, and those who are doing well may consider that 50% of the work has already been done.

Then use fine sandpaper to lightly sand the removed material. This step is the most dangerous in the entire operation.

It needs to be made as thin as possible (otherwise there may be problems with opening the tray), but so as not to damage the chip and connections.

It becomes soft when exposed to temperature, but quickly hardens when cooled. Next, you need to determine the correct position of the chip. It should be the model of the second SIM card.

NOTE: when you glue (you can use double-sided tape) the chip onto a micro SD flash drive, make sure that their contacts do not touch (you can trim them minimally around 2 mm.)

The contacts can even be insulated, for example, with paint. The chip must be held securely; if it slides, the pairing may be broken.

If the attempt is successful, try inserting the “kit” into the phone, if you have not already done so, and check the functionality of both “objects”.

Happened! Are you happy with two SIM cards and an SD flash drive? If yes, then congratulations, just don’t forget to share this trick with your friends.

NOTE: you have the right to use your own methods for peeling off, adjusting and gluing the chip. There is no such thing as a manual from the manufacturer in nature - all these are the works of enthusiasts.

Perhaps you have your own successful experiment or method? Why not? There are a lot of smart people.

If yes, then continue this post in the comment form below. I’m sure many will thank you, just mention your name. Good luck.

In this article we will tell you how to correctly insert a SIM card into your phone yourself. New modern models are coming out with convenient slots into which cards of the required size can be inserted without problems.

And all popular mobile operators produce unique constructors - SIM cards in three popular sizes: nano, micro and standard.

SIM cards are a subscriber identification module of a telecom operator. Several decades have passed since their launch until the start of mass sales, and during this time their shape and size have improved. This process was forced. First, smartphones appeared on the mobile markets, and there was simply not enough space under the back cover for parts. Technologies have improved, user demands have increased, batteries are larger, phones are thinner, and there is less space.

This evolution of cards allowed them to be reduced by almost half, and modern retractable slots significantly freed up space for other parts.

Let's look at what types of sim there are, what their features are, and how to insert a sim:

• Full-size (which many people didn’t even know was available) is the largest in the line, along the perimeter as bank card. Appeared in 1991 with the first wave of popularity cellular communication among ordinary residents. It is not used in modern phones; sometimes you can find cars with similar “innovations” a la the 90s.
• Mini-SIM - still used for devices manufactured from the 2000s to the early 2010s, supports 2G and 3G.
• Micro-SIM - appeared in 2003, but on this moment considered the most used generation of communication modules. Supported by all manufacturers of modern gadgets with 3G and LTE.
• The smallest is the Nano-SIM, which looks like its predecessor, but without the plastic edges. It appeared five years ago and is used in all models of the Apple brand and some other premium segment manufacturers.

All types of SIM cards are inserted the same way - into the designated slots in a smartphone or tablet. It is impossible to say exactly where the stand is located, since manufacturers reserve the right to place them anywhere, according to their design concept. Sometimes new phones have a sticker with step by step instructions, it can also be found in the User's Guide.

Installing a SIM card

Traditionally, manufacturers place card holders on the right side of the case (if the cover is not removable), or directly under the battery, if it is removable. The following instructions are suitable for owners of the latest type of gadgets:

1. Check if your phone is turned off.
2. Detach the back panel.
3. Locate the small indentation between the case and the battery.
4. Remove the battery.
5. There you will see SIM card slots. They are different types: separate and two-story. The side you want to hold up when inserting will be shown next to the holder. As a rule, it is inserted with the gold contacts facing down.
6. Carefully insert the battery back. Check that it fits snugly.
7. Return the lid until you hear a characteristic click. They will mean that the lid is in place.

In the video you can see how to deal with modern models, for which the cover cannot be removed:

Here's another video with a useful life hack:

Settings

Modern smartphones and SIM cards do not require manual connection. When you first launch it on a new device, you will receive a package of free settings from your mobile operator for all types of cellular services.

For dual-SIM mobile devices, the controls can be a little difficult for a beginner. You can choose a SIM for certain actions by default, or choose it yourself for every call and message.

Will a regular SIM card fit into the micro-sim slot?

You can cut a regular size card to micro-sim dimensions if the card is old. However, it is much easier and safer to contact service center, where you will be given a new SIM in the form of a transformer - all popular sizes.

If the module urgently needs to be replaced with a smaller one, you can cut it manually with ordinary sharp scissors.

What to do with a poorly cut SIM card

However, such experiments do not always end successfully. If the SIM card was cut incorrectly and was damaged in the process, you need to contact the customer service points of your mobile operator. Replacing the card with another SIM while maintaining the balance, tariff plan and, directly, the numbers do not take long.

It is not recommended to insert a SIM that has mechanical damage.

SIM card malfunctions

Users guess about their malfunction when the OS does not see the module and does not indicate it with the corresponding icon. The reasons may be:

• The SIM has expired and is not intended for further use.
• It has mechanical damage - scratches, chips and breaks.
• Failed trimming. We mentioned it above.
• The phone's firmware is tailored for a specific buyer.
• Problems with the slot.
• Failures in the operating system and software.
• The contacts were damaged during installation.
• Dirt got on the card holder.

In most cases, the card needs to be replaced, or the phone needs to be sent to a technician for diagnostics, as these can be either hardware or system problems.

Conclusion

Mobile communications and the Internet are available throughout the day thanks to smartphones and small card modules issued by cellular providers. That is why they need to be treated with care, monitored for their condition and serviceability. The more gadgets come out, the easier it becomes to use SIMs - their sizes decrease, and their capabilities increase. We hope you found this article helpful and provided easy-to-understand instructions on how to handle them in different situations.

Video

Some smartphone models are equipped with combination slots where you can install either two SIM cards or a SIM card and a SIM card. microSD memory. The manufacturers' policy is clear - they want to claim that their smartphones are dual-SIM and their memory can be expanded, although in reality this turns out to be not entirely true. Perhaps in this way they are pushing consumers to buy more expensive models with more memory, which usually cost more.

Fortunately, for almost any smartphone with a hybrid slot, you can build a dual card made up of SIM and microSD. There are usually no hardware or software restrictions, and such a “Frankenstein” perfectly performs both functions: it provides communication in the network of a second operator and increases the internal memory of the device.

Instructions for assembling a dual card

Determine the correct position of the SIM card in the tray. Insert it and trace the outline along which it will need to be cut later.

Separate the chip from the plastic base. This can be done using a knife, blade or scalpel, after preheating the card for a minute at a temperature of no more than 200 degrees. Another option is to use dichloroethane, acetone or another solvent.

Remove plastic and adhesive residue from the chip using a solvent. Be extremely careful not to damage the contacts.

Cut the contact pad according to the markings made earlier. You will have to cut 1-2 mm off each side.

Place the microSD card in the slot and mark on it where you want the SIM card contacts to go.

Degrease the microSD card and the contact pad of the SIM card with alcohol or a special degreaser and connect them with cyanoacrylate-based glue (superglue). If necessary, you can remove excess glue using acetone or nail polish remover.

The contacts of the memory card and SIM should be placed on the same level. In addition, you need to eliminate any gaps or protrusions, otherwise you risk breaking this product right in the tray.

Insert the assembled card into the slot along with the first SIM card and turn on the smartphone. If everything is done correctly, a dual card will allow you to identify both the second SIM and microSD. Try not to pull out the tray or do it as little as possible, since the assembled structure is not reliable and can damage the smartphone.

There is a safer and less labor-intensive way to do the same thing - using a special adapter, which is sold on AliExpress and similar sites and costs about one dollar. One end is placed in a hybrid tray on top of the memory card, and the other is inserted into the SIM card. The cable and SIM card slot can be hidden under the smartphone case or - which looks less aesthetically pleasing - attached to the case with tape. This adapter minimizes the risk of damaging the SIM card, memory card and the smartphone itself.