How to fix “No SIM Card” error on Galaxy S10

“No SIM Card” error is one of the common issues on Android devices. In this troubleshooting article, we’ll guide you on how to address the problem on Galaxy S10.

“No SIM Card” error is usually a simple issue to fix. Most of the time, a simple restart can resolve it. However, if a basic restart won’t make a difference, follow our suggestions below to fix it.

Restart your device

Before doing any further troubleshooting, it’s not a bad idea to refresh the system. Minor issues sometimes go away if a device is restarted, just like a computer. If you haven’t tried it yet, we suggest that you simulate the effects of a “battery pull” in order to clear the RAM or memory as well. This is how it’s done:

Press and hold the Power + Volume Down buttons for approximately 10 seconds or until the device power cycles. Allow several seconds for the Maintenance Boot Mode screen to appear.
From the Maintenance Boot Mode screen, select Normal Boot. You can use the volume buttons to cycle through the available options and the lower left button (below the volume buttons) to select. Wait for up to 90 seconds for the reset to complete.

Reseat SIM

Because the error mentions the SIM card, the next logical step is to disconnect it temporarily. To remove the SIM:

Turn off your Galaxy S10. This is important. Inserting a SIM while the device is on may result to corrupted data.
With your phone’s screen facing you, remove the card tray. You can use the insertion/removal tool (or a paperclip) to unlock the tray by inserting it into the provided slot. This small hole should be visible on the top part of your device.
Remove the SIM card from the tray. You can lift the card up from the bottom. To assist, use the opening on the opposite side of the tray to dislodge (using a fingernail or similar tool).
Reinsert the card tray.
Press in on the tray to lock it into place.

After removing the SIM card, wait for a few moments before inserting it back. Again, you want to make sure that the phone is off.

Replace SIM

In case there’s a problem with the SIM card itself, it’s also not a bad idea to replace it. Or, you can try to insert it into another compatible phone to see if its faulty or not. By compatible we mean a phone that works with your current network. If your SIM card is not detected by the second phone, it means that the card may be faulty. Try to wipe its gold contacts before inserting it. Sometimes, dust or dirt can block these metallic contacts and cause connection problems.

Wipe cache partition

Android uses a system cache, which is stored in the cache partition, to load apps quickly. Sometimes, this cache gets corrupted during and after an update, or for some other reasons. While this may sound harmless, a corrupted cache can eventually cause performance issues as well as a bunch of other minor annoyances. To ensure that your phone’s system cache is fresh, you can wipe the cache partition. This will force the phone to delete the current cache and replace it with a new one over time.

To wipe the cache partition on your Galaxy S10:

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘yes’ is highlighted and press the Power button.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

Reset network settings

If the problem still remains at this time, make sure to reset all network settings. This is one of the important troubleshooting steps for any network trouble in a Galaxy device. Below are the steps that you must do:

From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
Tap General Management > Reset > Reset network settings.
Tap Reset settings.
If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
Tap Reset settings. Once complete a confirmation window will appear.

Check for bad apps

Sometimes, a bad app may cause problems with Android or with other apps. To check if a bad third party is behind the trouble, boot the phone to safe mode and check for the problem. If “No SIM Card” error is absent on safe mode but returns on normal mode, you can bet a bad app is to blame.

These are the steps to run your S10 to safe mode:

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.
Once on safe mode, try to charge the phone for at least 30 minutes and see what happens.

Safe Mode is not a solution by itself. It’s more of a tool to help you confirm if a bad app is causing a problem on an Android. So, if the phone detects your SIM card fine on safe mode only, you can assume that there’s an installed third party app causing it. If the error started after installing an app, make sure to delete the said app to fix it. If you can’t remember the app or if you have no idea what it might be, you can use elimination method to identify it. This is how it’s done:

Boot to safe mode.
Check for the problem.
Once you’ve confirmed that a third party app is to blame, you can start uninstalling apps individually. We suggest that you begin with the most recent ones you added.
After you uninstall an app, restart the phone to normal mode and check for the problem.
If your S10 is still problematic, repeat steps 1-4.

Reset phone settings to defaults

At this stage, factory reset is a must. There may be a software glitch preventing Android from detecting the SIM card. To check, you want to factory reset your device. Just be sure to back your files up ahead of time.

To factory reset your S10:

Back up data on the internal memory. If you have signed into a Google account on the device, you have activated Anti-theft and will need your Google credentials to finish the Master reset.
Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe data / factory reset.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
When the master reset is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

Get help from Samsung

If none of the solutions above help, the last thing to do is to contact Samsung for repair or replacement. Visit your local Samsung Service Center so your phone can be examined more thoroughly. If your S10 was provided by your carrier, you should contact them first so they can replace it or send it in for repair.

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Twitter pages.

How to fix “No SIM Card” error on Galaxy S10 | easy steps to fix SIM card issue