As an example, the Samsung Galaxy S5 launched in 2014 uses a Micro SIM, but the following year’s Galaxy S6 uses a Nano one. If your phone is a few years old, but too new for a Standard SIM card, then it might use a Micro SIM, but handsets made in the last five years generally don’t. Having been introduced back in 2003, this card also isn’t widely in use anymore, with most handsets having moved on to newer Nano SIM cards, discussed below. As noted above the actual chip is the same size, so it’s just the bit around it that’s smaller. So it’s a little smaller, coming in at 12 x 15mm. What is a Micro SIM card?Ī Micro SIM card is one size down from a Standard card. The Standard SIM card is the oldest of them (introduced way back in 1996) and so while it was once used in many handsets, including big-name ones like the iPhone 3GS, it’s rarely used in phones now – some feature phones and very basic mobile phones still use these, as do some old handsets, but smartphones made in the last six or seven years almost certainly won’t.
This is the important bit that stores your data, so with a Standard SIM card you just have a lot of plastic around it. However the chip is the same size in all three.
Micro sim card full size#
You could think of it as a full size card while the other two are cut down. The name also reflects the fact that this is the largest type of SIM card available at 15 x 25mm.
But it was when it launched – hence the name. What is a Standard SIM card?Ī Standard SIM card is, despite the name, not the most common or ‘standard’ SIM card you’ll find. Plus, you’ll find some advice for what to do if you end up with a SIM card that’s the wrong size for your phone. We’ve created this guide to help you tell between them and know which one you’ll need. In fact, there are three different sizes in use, namely Standard, Micro and Nano. All phones need SIM cards, but they don’t all need SIM cards of the same size.