As is often the case, we meet new people every day and save their phone numbers on our SIM card or phone. Over time, hundreds of contacts may be stored on a single SIM card.
However, there are times when you need to permanently delete SIM contacts from your Android phone, such as when you plan to sell your old Android handset and upgrade to the latest device. In such instances, it’s essential to completely remove everything from your phone, including confidential files.
It’s understandable if you want to delete some of the contacts on your SIM card to help organize your contact list. In this post, we’ll guide you through the process of deleting contacts from a SIM card on an Android phone.
Understanding SIM Card Storage: How Many Contacts Can You Save?
SIM cards have limited storage capacity, and many users are unaware of just how many contacts they can actually save on a single SIM card. Typically, a standard SIM card can store anywhere from 200 to 250 contacts, depending on the length of the contact information.
As you continue to save new contacts, you might eventually reach this limit, which can lead to issues like not being able to save more contacts or difficulty managing your existing list. This is why it’s essential to regularly review and delete unnecessary contacts to ensure that your contact list remains organized and you have space for new additions.
Why Is It Necessary to Remove or Delete SIM Card Contacts?
We frequently store hundreds of contacts, but many people don’t realize that the storage capacity of a SIM card is quite limited until it’s full. A typical SIM card can hold approximately 200 to 250 contacts if they are simple and short. To keep your contact list organized and manage space effectively, it’s often necessary to delete some unwanted contacts from your SIM card.
How to Delete SIM Contacts in 7 Simple Steps
While there are numerous Android phones, most of them follow a similar procedure to delete contacts from a SIM card. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you:
- Open the Contacts app on your phone.
- Tap and hold on any contact.
- Checkboxes will appear in front of all contacts.
- Tap on a contact to mark it.
- If you wish to erase all contacts, select Select All from the upper screen corner.
- If the Select All option doesn’t appear, tap the menu (three lines or three dots) in the upper right corner and choose Select All.
- Finally, tap the Trash icon in the top right corner and confirm if asked.
Note: Do not select the “Select All” option if you don’t want to delete all stored SIM contacts at once. Instead, delete unwanted contacts from the SIM one by one as a safer option.
How to Filter and Delete Only SIM Card Contacts on Android
Sometimes, the Contacts app displays all contacts stored on your device, SIM card, Google account, Hotmail, Mi/Xiaomi accounts, and more, which can make it challenging to filter and delete SIM contacts. Here’s how you can solve this issue:
Method 1: Delete Only SIM Card Contacts
- Open the Contacts app.
- Tap More in the top right corner (three dots).
- Select Customize view from the drop-down list.
- Choose Customize.
- You’ll see a list of accounts, including Google, WhatsApp, Hotmail, and SIM contacts.
- Uncheck all boxes by tapping each account.
- Select SIM1 or SIM2 (if available), then tap on the SIM card selection.
- Check the box next to All contacts, All other contacts, or My Contacts.
- Press the back button.
- Now, mark one, more than one, or all contacts and delete them.
Method 2: Delete SIM Contacts on Xiaomi (MIUI)
- Open the Contacts app on your Xiaomi phone.
- Tap More in the upper right corner (three dots).
- Click on Settings.
- If it’s turned off, toggle the switch next to Show SIM contacts to On.
- Set up a contacts list by using the Set up contacts list button.
- Choose one SIM card if you have two.
- Reopen the Contacts app by pressing the back button twice.
- Now, you should only see SIM contacts from SIM1 or SIM2, depending on your selection.
- Use the steps above to delete the contacts.
Method 3: Use Third-Party Apps
You can install apps through the Google Play Store to organize your contact list or delete unwanted contacts from your Android phone. Examples include SIM Contacts Manager, SIM Contacts, and SIM Card Information. However, we don’t recommend using third-party applications to delete SIM contacts due to potential privacy and security concerns.
How to Delete SIM Contacts from iOS or iPhone?
Unfortunately, you cannot delete SIM card contacts directly on an iPhone or iOS device because Apple doesn’t allow this option. Apple encourages users to sync their contacts with iCloud across their Apple devices. The only option to remove SIM contacts is to import them from a SIM card to an iPhone, then delete or edit them. However, this doesn’t affect the contacts on the SIM card itself.
To remove contacts directly from the SIM card, you’ll need to insert the SIM card into an Android phone, delete the contacts there, and then import them back to your iPhone or iOS device.
Common Issues When Deleting SIM Contacts and How to Fix Them
Deleting contacts from your SIM card can sometimes be more complicated than it seems.
One common issue is that your phone might display all contacts from various sources—such as device storage, Google accounts, and SIM card—making it difficult to identify which contacts are actually stored on your SIM card.
This can create confusion when you’re trying to delete specific entries. To fix this, you can filter your contact list to show only SIM contacts before proceeding with deletions.
Additionally, if your phone’s interface doesn’t allow for easy deletion of SIM contacts, you might need to use specific settings or even third-party apps to manage this task effectively.
How to Get Rid of All Old Contacts
If you want to remove all SIM contacts, ordering a new SIM card is the simplest approach. This method is only recommended if you don’t need any of the old SIM contacts.
You can also back up your contacts using apps like Easy Backup for Android or iCloud.
In short, Instead of constantly deleting contacts to manage space on your SIM card, there are alternative ways to keep your contact list organized. One effective method is to back up your contacts to cloud storage services like Google Contacts or iCloud. This allows you to store an unlimited number of contacts and easily access them from any device.
By adopting these best practices, you can maintain a clean and manageable contact list without the need to frequently delete entries from your SIM card.
How to Erase SIM Contacts One by One or All at Once on Your Android Phone
To erase SIM contacts on your Android phone, visit your phone’s SIM contact list. From the upper left corner, tap on the Edit option. Checkboxes will appear in front of all contacts. You can now select all or pick specific names (numbers) that you want to delete.
We hope this comprehensive guide has helped you understand how to delete SIM contacts from Android, iOS, or other phones. If you still have any issues related to your SIM, feel free to comment below.