How to fix a Samsung Galaxy A8 2019 smartphone that keeps prompting SIM card not inserted error (easy steps)

When your phone prompts a SIM card error like “SIM card not inserted,” or “Invalid SIM,” it’s letting you know that something is wrong and that it cannot recognize or detect the SIM card. There are only two possible reasons as to why this occurs. Either your phone is glitching or the SIM card/tray is damaged. Before rushing to a service center, you can try some means to troubleshoot software problems that might have triggered your device to prompt these errors.

Highlighted below are solutions and applicable workarounds used to deal with the same SIM card errors on the new Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 smartphone. If ever you will encounter the same errors on the same device, you can try these workarounds as well. Read on for more details.

Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our troubleshooting pages to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. Don’t worry it’s free. But if you still need our help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

First solution: Reboot your phone (soft reset).

Errors including No SIM card or SIM card not detected can occur randomly when triggered by some software glitches. In that case, it will easily be remedied by performing a soft reset or device restart. If you haven’t restarted your phone yet, then do so with these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until the menu options appear.
  2. Select the option to Power off then tap OK. Your phone will then shut down.
  3. After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button again until the phone reboots.

A soft reset won’t affect any data saved on the internal memory and therefore does not cause data loss. All your critical data will remain intact in your phone storage.

Second solution: Remove and reinstall the SIM card on your phone.

SIM card errors also occur when the SIM card is not properly seated or dislodged. The same thing happens if the SIM card or tray is damaged. To rule these out, try to remove the SIM card from your Galaxy A8 2018 smartphone and then examine both the card and tray for any visible signs of damage. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Turn off your phone completely.
  2. Insert the ejection pin into the tiny hole to loosen the tray.
  3. Gently pull out the tray from the slot.
  4. Remove the SIM card from the tray.
  5. Examine the SIM card and tray for any signs of damage like scratches or dents. If everything looks good, then place the SIM card back on the tray with the gold contacts facing downwards.
  6. Gently press the SIM card to the tray to secure it.
  7. Insert the tray back into the tray slot. Be sure to fully insert the tray back into the tray slot to prevent the liquid from enter the device.

After securing the tray, reboot your phone and see if that fixes the problem or not. Continue to the next method, if necessary.

Third solution: Update your phone software to the latest version.

Updating the device software to the latest Android version available can also be the key to fixing the problem, if the error is somehow triggered by software bugs and malware. New firmware updates usually contain fix patches for security enhancements. To check for any available OTA updates for your phone, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap About device.
  3. Tap Software update.
  4. Tap Update now or Download updates manually.

Before you begin downloading new software update, back up your critical data and personal information for safekeeping. Should things go wrong in the update process, you still have a backup to restore.

If you’re all set to begin, follow the command prompts to download and install new software update on your phone. Make sure your device is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi and with enough power and memory space to allocate the new update file.

Don’t forget to restart your device when the update installation if finished to make sure everything is properly implemented. Doing so will also prevent your device from going rogue when running a new platform for the first time.

Fourth solution: Wipe cache partition on your Galaxy A8 2018 smartphone.

Cache or temporary files stored on the system cache partition can become corrupted at times. When this happens, there is a chance that other features and phone functions will become affected. This is when system errors and glitches occur. To rule this out, you can clear cache and data from your phone’s system partition with these steps:

  1. With your phone powered off, press and hold the Volume Up and Power buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
  2. Release the buttons when the Samsung logo appears.
  3. Tap on the screen when you see the Android Robot image with No Command screen. The Android Recovery menu will then appear on the screen.
  4. Press the Volume Down button several times to highlight/select Wipe cache partition from the given options then press the Power button to confirm selection.
  5. Allow your device to instigate wiping cache from the system folders and when prompts you to reboot when done.
  6. Press the Power button to reboot your phone system and apply the changes.

See if the error is gone after the phone restarts. If it’s still prompting the same SIM card not inserted error, then you may have to consider resorting to a full system reset. Refer to the next method to continue then.

Fifth solution: Reset your Galaxy A8 2018 smartphone to factory defaults (master reset).

A master reset or factory reset is often needed when dealing with complex system errors that could not be remedied by the usual workarounds. This will wipe everything from your phone system including your customized settings, downloaded apps and files, personal information and other critical data stored on the internal memory. That said, be sure to back them up before you proceed. Whenever you’re all set, follow these steps to reset your phone to its factory defaults, to clear any complex system errors, and then set it up as new.

  1. Tap Settings from the Main Menu.
  2. Select General Management from the given options.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. Select Factory data reset.
  5. Tap the Reset button to continue.
  6. Tap Delete All to confirm.

Alternatively, you can reset your phone via Android recovery menu. Here’s how:

  1. Turn off your phone.
  2. Press and hold the Volume Up and Power buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
  3. Release the buttons when the Samsung logo appears.
  4. Tap on the screen when you see the Android Robot image with No Command screen. The Android Recovery menu then shows up.
  5. Press the Volume Down button several times to highlight/select Wipe data/Factory Reset from the given options then press the Power button to confirm selection.
  6. Press the Volume Down button to highlight/select Yes — delete all user data option and then press the Power button to confirm.
  7. Wait for your device to instigate system reset and when it’s done, the Reboot system now option is highlighted.
  8. Press the Power button to reboot your phone system and apply the changes.

Software-related issues are usually resolved after performing a master reset but if not, you’re most likely dealing with a hardware issue. In that case, your device needs service.

Other options

Contact your network service provider or carrier for other options if your Galaxy A8 2018 smartphone is still unable to detect your SIM card and prompts the same error on SIM card not inserted. The SIM card may have to be reactivated. In the case where the SIM card is damaged, you can request for a new SIM card replacement instead.

Alternatively, you can take your phone to a Samsung service center and have it diagnosed by an authorized technician for any indications of physical or liquid damage on the SIM card, card slot, and other components. The problem can also be attributed to hardware damage, which denotes the need for physical repair. Don’t forget to avail for warranties, if your device is still covered.

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