Why Isn’t My Travel SIM Getting a Signal? 8 Quick Fixes to Try First
Arriving in a new country is exciting—until you pop in your travel SIM card and realise you have no signal. Before you assume your SIM is broken or rush to find a replacement, take a deep breath. Signal issues are common, and in most cases, they’re easy to fix.
Here are 8 quick and effective fixes to help you get your travel SIM up and running on both iPhone and Android devices.
1. Restart Your Phone
Let’s start simple. Turning your phone off and back on can clear out temporary glitches and force your phone to re-establish a connection with the local network.
How to do it:
- Hold down the power button
- Power off, wait 10–15 seconds
- Turn it back on
This refreshes your phone’s network settings and can often resolve connectivity issues instantly.
2. Check SIM Card Placement
A poorly inserted SIM card might not be detected properly, resulting in no service.
Steps to follow:
- Remove the SIM card
- Wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Reinsert it carefully into the SIM tray
Make sure the gold contacts are facing the correct direction and that the card fits snugly in place.
3. Check Your SIM Card Has Been Turned On and Selected
Some phones only support a single SIM card, while others can handle two physical SIM cards or a physical SIM and an eSIM. To avoid conflicts, make sure your new SIM or eSIM is turned on and selected correctly for calls, texts, and data.
📱 On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Mobile and under SIMs, select your new SIM card or eSIM and ensure 'Turn on this Line' is switched ON
- Go to Settings > Mobile > Default Voice Line (or Calls) and select your new SIM card or eSIM
🤖 On Android:
- Go to Settings > Connections > SIM card manager and make sure your new SIM card or eSIM is switched ON
- Go to Settings > Connections > SIM card manager, then tap Calls, Text Messages, or Mobile data and select your new SIM card or eSIM
4. Enable Data Roaming
Many travel SIMs use roaming to connect with local partner networks. If data roaming is off, your phone might not be allowed to connect—even if the SIM is active.
📱 On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Mobile > Mobile Data Options
- Toggle Data Roaming to On
- Make sure Data Switching is turned Off
🤖 On Android:
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Network
- Toggle Roaming to On
💡 Don’t worry—if you’re using a prepaid travel SIM, enabling roaming won’t result in extra charges. It simply allows your phone to connect to local networks.
5. Manually Select a Network
Sometimes your phone can’t automatically find the best local network. Manually selecting one often solves the problem.
📱 On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Mobile > Network Selection
- Turn off Automatic
- Wait for networks to load, then pick a local carrier
🤖 On Android:
- Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Network Operators
- Turn off Select Automatically
- Choose a carrier from the list
Try multiple carriers if the first one doesn’t work—travel SIMs often partner with more than one local provider.
6. Check APN (Access Point Name) Settings
Your SIM might connect to the network but still not allow mobile data. That’s usually due to incorrect or missing APN settings.
📱 On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Mobile > Mobile Data Network
- Enter the APN details from your SIM provider
- Leave username and password blank unless instructed otherwise
🤖 On Android:
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Network > Access Point Names
- Tap + to add a new APN
- Enter the APN information provided by your SIM provider
- Save and select the new APN
📝 You’ll usually find the correct APN settings on the SIM provider’s website or in your activation email/text.
7. Make Sure Your Phone Is Unlocked
If your phone is still locked to your original carrier, it won’t work with a different SIM.
How to check:
- Contact your carrier and ask if the device is unlocked
- On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About – if you see "No SIM restrictions", your phone is unlocked
If it’s locked, request an unlock from your carrier. Most providers will unlock it for free if your contract is paid off.
8. Test the SIM in Another Phone
Still not getting signal? Try inserting the SIM into another phone if you have one available.
- If the SIM works in another device, the issue is likely your phone’s settings or hardware
- If the SIM doesn’t work in any phone, the SIM itself might be defective or inactive
