Subscriber identity module (SIM) cards are small, removable memory chips used in cell phones to store information like contacts and text messages. SIMs can also hold data such as call logs and media files. The data on a SIM card will depend on how you use and store your phone information. The most straightforward method of viewing the contents of a SIM card is by using an actual cell phone that contains the card. However, it is also possible to find out what is stored on a SIM card by transferring the information onto your computer with the help of a SIM.
What SIM card info you can view from a computer?
The information that you can view from a computer may vary based on the SIM card provider and your machine. Most of the time, it will include information such as the manufacturer, firmware, model, network type, mobile number, SIM ICCID, etc. If you need more information than that, you might have to reach out to the SIM card customer care.
Steps to view SIM card info from a computer
If your computer supports SIM cards and runs on one of the Windows versions such as 8, 10 or 11, these are the steps to view its information –
- Click on the Start button.
- Go to Settings.
- Select the Cellular option. Or you can directly search for “cellular” in the start menu search box to quickly find it.
- In the Cellular section, your SIM card provider will be listed, given that you installed and set it up correctly.
- Click on your SIM card listing.
- Click Advanced options button.
- On the window that opens up, you can view all the important information about your SIM card.
Based on the operating system you are using, the steps may slightly vary. But still, it will be identical to the above-mentioned process.
Steps to connect and view files inside a SIM card on your PC
In order to view the contents of a SIM card, you should first connect it to your PC with some form of adapter. Unless your PC has in-built SIM card support, this will be necessary. So, these are the steps to connect and view SIM card information from a computer –
- Buy a SIM card reader at your local electronics shop.
- Download the appropriate driver online to support the reader on your PC. (If the SIM card reader comes with a driver CD, you can skip downloading the driver manually.)
- Install the SIM card reader driver on your computer. If you order the card reader online, the driver program will be an executable file that ends with “.exe” (for example, SimCardReader.exe).
- Once you have completed the installation, restart your computer to finish the process.
- After your computer has restarted, insert the SIM card into the card reader. If you are using an adapter, connect it to the SIM card before connecting it to the computer.
- Wait a few moments for your computer to detect the SIM card. Windows will automatically install the drivers necessary to use the card reader.
- Double-click the “My Computer” icon from your desktop and then double-click on “Removable Disk” (it will be labeled with the drive letter assigned by Windows, such as “E:”). A new window will open, showing all the files stored on your SIM card.
- To view a specific file type, double-click on the folder that corresponds to that file type (for example, the “DCIM” folder for pictures or the “Contacts” folder for contact information).
- You can also copy files from the SIM card to your computer by dragging and dropping them into a new location on your hard drive. Conversely, you can copy files from your computer to the SIM card by dragging and dropping them into the appropriate folder on the card.