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SIM card sizes: Standard, Micro and Nano explained​

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By James Rogerson
29th June 2022
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All phones need SIM cards, but they don’t all need SIM cards of the same size. In fact, there are three different sizes in use, namely Standard, Micro and Nano. On top of that, there are also eSIMs, which are a slightly different technology.
We’ve created this guide to help you tell between them and know which one you’ll need. 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.

What is a Standard SIM card?​

A Standard SIM card is, despite the name, not the most common or ‘standard’ SIM card you’ll find. But it was when it launched – hence the name.
The name also reflects the fact that this is the largest type of SIM card available at 15 x 25mm. You could think of it as a full-size card while the other two sizes are cut down.
However the chip is the same size in all three. This is the important bit that stores your data, so with a Standard SIM card you just have a lot of plastic around it.
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 eight or nine years almost certainly won’t.

What is a Micro SIM card?​

A Micro SIM card is one size down from a Standard card. So it’s a little smaller, coming in at 12 x 15mm. As noted above the actual chip is the same size, so it’s just the bit around it that’s smaller.
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.
If your phone is a good few years old, but too new for a Standard SIM card, then it might use a Micro SIM, but handsets made in the last six or seven years generally don’t. 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.

What is a Nano SIM card?​

Nano SIM cards are the smallest of the bunch, coming in at 8.8 x 12.3mm, they’re also the newest, having made their debut in 2012. This has almost no border around the chip so it’s hard to imagine SIM cards getting much smaller in future, unless the chip itself is shrunk.
Nano SIM cards are by far the most widely used, so if you’re buying a new phone, it’s almost certainly one of these that you’ll need.


What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is an embedded SIM, and this – rather than ever smaller sizes of cards – is likely to be the future of the tech.
As the name suggests, an eSIM would be built into your phone, so you wouldn’t be able to remove it. This essentially makes it smaller than even a Nano SIM card, since it doesn’t need a tray, or a slot built around it.
Beyond taking up less space there are other advantages to an eSIM. If you change network, the switch can be instant, with no need to get a new SIM card and put it in your phone. And an eSIM can house more than one network and number on it.
If you have a fairly recent high-end phone, then it might already have an eSIM. Most iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards have one for example, as do many Samsung and Google phones, among some others. But in the vast majority of cases you also get a slot for Nano SIM. So there’s no need to use the eSIM – and you might not even know it’s there.
In future though eSIMs could become more common and could start being the only option – though first more networks will need to support them, as currently only a handful do.

FAQs​

Why have SIM cards shrunk?​

SIM cards have shrunk primarily because the bits that were removed were essentially wasted space and space comes at a premium in a smartphone. By having a smaller SIM card slot, more space can be freed up for a larger battery or other components, or the phone can be marginally shrunk down.

Are there any other differences between SIM cards other than their size?​

Generally no, in the case of Standard, Micro and Nano SIMs it’s typically just the size that they come in and therefore what phones they fit in. However, on rare occasions you will need a new SIM card to access 5G (though this isn’t necessary on most networks). eSIMs are also a bit different, as – aside from anything else – they’re not removable.

What is the evolution of SIM Cards?​

We’re unlikely to get significantly smaller SIM cards in future, as noted above to get much smaller there would need to be a change to the chip itself, since Nano SIM cards already have hardly anything around the chip.
What we will probably start to see more of though is eSIMs. As explained above, these are embedded SIM cards, which is to say you won’t have a physical card that you need to put in a phone, it will be built in instead. As well as potentially being smaller there are other advantages to these, such as being able to change network without changing SIM card.
A small but growing number of phones already have one of these, but it’s primarily just Apple, Samsung, and Google phones, such as the iPhone 13 range, the iPhone 12 range, the iPhone 11 range, the iPhone XS range, the Pixel 6 range, the Pixel 5, the Pixel 4 range, the Pixel 3 range, the Samsung Galaxy S22 range, the Galaxy S21 range, the Galaxy S20 range, and Samsung’s foldable phones. However, all of these also have a normal SIM card slot, as not all networks support eSIMs yet.

What SIM card size do networks send?​

Although a Nano SIM is by far the most widely used by modern handsets, most networks will actually send a Multi SIM, Combi SIM or Trio SIM, which are all different ways of saying multiple SIM card sizes in one.
In most cases that means getting all three SIM card sizes, with perforations for each size so you can easily get it to the size you need. In other words, you shouldn’t need to ask for a specific size or even know what size card you need in advance of ordering one.

What can I do if I have the wrong size SIM card?​

If you get a new phone that needs a different size SIM card or end up with the wrong size for any other reason, your best option is to contact your network and ask them to send a replacement. As noted above, you’ll usually get three sizes in one, so probably won’t even have to request a specific size.
If you can’t wait for that then there are other options. If your SIM card is too small for your phone, then you could buy an adaptor. These are small pieces of plastic shaped like a Micro or Standard SIM with space for a Micro or Nano SIM inside, so you just stick your SIM card in the adaptor and then put that in your phone.
If your SIM card is too big, then you can get SIM card cutting tools which help you cut it down to the right size. However, you risk damaging it by doing this, so we wouldn’t recommend it.
 

Polyamide microfibre​

Fabrics are made from polyamide and elastane microfibres.

Microfibres are hi-tech fibres. They are extremely lightweight and particularly thin (just a third the diameter of wool and half that of silk). They come in a variety of cross-sections (not necessarily circular) to offer high performance, excellent light reflection and so fantastic colour effects.

Microfibre fabrics keep you dry and guarantee total comfort. Thanks to their high porosity, they are breathable, moisture wicking fabrics that prevent sweat condensation.

Not all polyamide fabrics are quite the same as some use of hi-tech fibres to produce their fabrics.
 
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Alexander the Great was known to have a condition called Heterochromia, wherein the eyes each have a different color. In many descriptions of the Great King, he’s also been given golden curly hair – explaining the lighter skin tone in the picture. Regardless, this never affected his public prestige.
en.wikipedia.org

Heterochromia iridum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Australian cricketer Shane Warne had complete heterochromia: his left eye was green and right eye was blue.
 
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Brigham Young (1801–1877), second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), was perhaps the most famous polygamist of the early Latter Day Saint movement, marrying a total of fifty-six wives during his lifetime.[1][2] He stated that upon being taught about plural marriage by Joseph Smith, "It was the first time in my life that I desired the grave."[3] By the time of his death, Young had fifty-seven children by sixteen of his wives; forty-six of his children reached adulthood.[4] In 1902, only 25 years after Young's death, The New York Times established that Young's direct descendants numbered more than 1,000.[5]
en.wikipedia.org

List of Brigham Young's wives - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org

Joseph Smith - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
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...'Small Forward' in basketball: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_forward

The small forward plays against small and large players. They roam all over on the court. Small forwards can score from long shots and close ones. The point guard runs the offense and usually is the team's best dribbler and passer.
jr.nba.com

Basketball Positions - NBA.com: Jr. NBA

Players in a basketball game have assigned basketball positions, such as center or power forward.
jr.nba.com jr.nba.com
 
Check for interactions. Talk to your doctor about all the drugs, herbs, or supplements you take. Certain chemicals can mix with statins to raise your odds of side effects. Statins might cause side effects when mixed with the following:


  • Grapefruit juice
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Heart rhythm drugs
  • Immunosuppressants
  • Antibiotics that end in -mycin
  • Antifungals that end in -azole
  • Certain antidepressants
  • Some hormone treatments
 
The law of London's underworld to the above, "Don't talk to the press if you've still got knee caps."
 
 

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