Hybrid Sim

Everything Related to Sim Cards

How to Bypass iPhone Activation Without SIM Card

Bypass iPhone Activation

You’re not meant to circumvent iPhone activation when you don’t insert a SIM Card. It’s there to protect you so that if your device is stolen, no one but the rightful owner can unlock the SIM card and gain access to the home screen. However, there are situations when you don’t want to activate the iPhone, such as temporarily testing certain apps or features on an older model. For that reason, we will show you how to bypass iPhone activation without a SIM card. Or, at least point you in the right direction. It’s a grey area, and you’re not supposed to do that normally.

This article is for educational purposes only. You should continue at your own risk.

Method 1. Easy. Use Quick Start to enable iPhone

If you don’t have a SIM card, but you have another activated iPhone running iOS 11 and later, you ca n use the Quick Start feature. Simply bring it nearby, turn the new phone on, and tap Next or Continue when offered. You will have to use the same Apple ID and password and enable Bluetooth on both. Afterward, you can set up Face ID and Touch ID and transfer data directly or download a backup.

Method 2. Easy. Use your Wi-Fi to activate iPhone

If you don’t have a second iPhone but have an active wireless network at home, you can use that.

  1. Start the iPhone setup process, and choose language and region.
  2. You will be offered Quick Start, but tap on Set Up Manually below.
  3. Under Choose a Wi-Fi Network, select yours.
  4. After the process is done, you might still get the No SIM Card Installed pop-up message. Don’t worry, just don’t turn the Wi-Fi off. Tap OK and proceed to the home screen.

Method 3. Sync your iPhone with iTunes on your computer (Windows/Mac)

  1. Turn your iPhone on, and connect it to your computer via a USB cable.
  2. Launch iTunes on your computer.
  3. You will get a notification that says Welcome to Your New iPhone.
  4. Below you will have two options, Set up as a new iPhone or Restore from this backup *backup name*.
  5. Put a checkmark in front of Set up as a new iPhone, and click Continue.
  6. You can create a new Apple ID and password here.
  7. On the next screen, click on Sync with iTunes, then Get Started.
  8. It doesn’t matter if Automatically Back Up is set to iCloud or This computer.
  9. Click the Sync button in the bottom right corner.
  10. After the process is complete, disconnect your iPhone, and you enabled iPhone without a SIM.

Method 3. Risky. Call Emergency Phone Number

This one is very risky and not 100% guaranteed to work. It hinges on the fact that you can call emergency services even when the iPhone is locked.

  1. Turn on your iPhone.
  2. When you see the message No SIM Card Installed press Home.
  3. Tap the Emergency call option in the bottom left corner.
  4. Dial 999 or 112 and call.
  5. Immediately press the power button to disconnect the call.
  6. You will see a pop-up appear on-screen. Tap on Cancel.
  7. You should be able to proceed to the home screen.

Method 4. Easy but time-consuming. Use an X-SIM or R-SIM card

If you didn’t know, X-SIM cards are ARM MCU chips sold by third parties that offer ICCID unlocking and look very similar to a SIM card. They became popular in 2013, and still support the newest iPhones (iPhone 11 Pro/Max). R-SIM are very similar and offer the same unlocking capabilities, after which you can still use the iPhone normally to call, text, or access the Internet. This method is almost guaranteed, but you’ll probably have to wait for it to arrive at your address.

After that, simply open the SIM tray, and slide a SIM card in as normal. You can then select any supported carrier or even enter the 7-digit IMSI (see what is stored in a SIM card), select your iPhone model, choose a method of unlocking, and restart your phone. And just like that, the phone is unlocked.

Method 5. Dangerous. Activation Lock enabled? Use a third-party application

We have to point out that this process requires a bit of tech-savviness, and a computer (Windows or Mac). But more importantly, it requires jailbreaking. Becoming an administrator, although it gives you freedom, will void your warranty with Apple. This is only worth the risk if you bought a second-hand iPhone or got one handed down to you, but it’s still activated with the old SIM card and Apple ID. A lot of companies offer this service, but we’ll demonstrate the process with Tenorshare 4MeKey on Windows.

  1. Connect your iPhone via USB, turn it on, and run the application on Windows.
  2. Click on Start.
  3. Read the terms and warnings, put a checkmark that you have read them, and click on Next.
  4. If you haven’t already jailbroken your device, they will link you to a step-by-step guide.
  5. After you are done, on the Confirm Device Information screen, click on Start Remove.
  6. You will get The iCloud activation lock has been removed successfully message and can log in using methods 1, 2, or 3.

Next Article