SIM card is needed when you want to use Moto G phone capabilities (making calls, receiving calls, sending SMS, receiving SMS) or when you want to use mobile data to access internet.
Please note, Moto G (including Moto G 2nd Gen, aka Moto G 2014; Moto G 2015, aka, Moto G 3rd Gen) and Moto E (including Moto E 2nd Gen, aka Moto E 2015) can function normally without a SIM card. Just imagine a lot of WiFi only tablets.
Currently, there are 4 SIM card sizes (reference here):
Moto G, Moto G 2nd Gen (Moto G 2014), Moto G 2015 (Moto G 3rd Gen), Moto E and Moto E 2nd Gen (Moto E 2015) all use Micro SIM card.
However, Moto X and Moto X 2nd Gen (Moto X 2014) use Nano SIM card.
In addition, some old Mini SIM card has larger metal part. If you trim such a card to Micro SIM, the metal part may touch the edge. This will cause unpredictable problems on Moto G and Moto E.
If you have the smaller Nano SIM card, some vendors may suggest you to use an adapter to be used in Moto G or Moto E.
This is also not recommended. Most of such adapters in the market do not have good quality. The dimension, mainly the thickness, is not accurate. This again can cause problems in Moto G and Moto E.
So, you’d better get Micro SIM card for your Moto G and Moto E from your carrier. Some carriers actually now offer 3-in-1 SIM card, which can be used as Mini, Micro and Nano SIM card.
To inset SIM card into Moto G and Moto E, please follow these steps.
You should power off Moto G or Moto E before inserting SIM card into the phone.
You can press and hold the power button, then follow the on-screen instructions to power off the phone.
SIM card slots for Moto E, Moto E 2nd Gen and Moto G are under the back cover (please read this page for Moto G layout). So, you must take off the back cover to access the SIM card slot.
To remove Moto G back cover (or remove Moto E back cover), please follow this guide.
For Moto G:
With the gold contacts facing down, push in your SIM card as shown below.
The SIM card should click in.
If your phone is a dual SIM model, you can insert the second SIM card similarly as shown below.
For dual SIM Moto G or Moto E, it is not necessary to insert SIM card to slot 2 if you want to use one SIM card on the phone. For the usage of dual SIM cards, please check this guide.
For Moto E 2nd Gen (Moto E 2015):
As shown below, with the gold contacts facing up, push in a card.
The SIM card should click in.
After the SIM card is clicked in, you can put back the cover.
Power on the phone to enjoy it.
To remove SIM card from Moto G or Moto E or replace SIM card for the phone, you can follow the similar procedures mentioned above.
To remove a SIM card, push it in to release it. Then you can slide it out.
Please do NOT pull it without releasing it. It may damage the SIM card slot.
If you have problems or questions to insert SIM card into Moot G or Moto E, or remove it from Moto G or Moto E, please let us know them in the comment box below.
The community will try to hep you.
For more Moto G online manual pages, please check this page.
For detailed step-by-step guides, please check Moto G How-to guides page.
View Comments
My Sim card slots are covered up on locked old Republic Wireless Moto G. I wanted to remove the sim card, but SIM slot appears to be covered up by plastic cover.
What's the exact model number of the phone (You can check it in Settings -- About phone)? Some models of Moto G phones have a removable back, and you need to remove the back cover to access the SIM card slot.
Very unlikely, the carrier seals the SIM card.
Hi my comment is I have a moto E and when I text the letter M won't work .I have to basically fight with to get it to work and that's not all the time.I had some work on it but and it stopped but only to return again and they have no idea how they stopped it temporally.Pls enlighten me if it's a glitch or what to do to fix the issue again. Thx
Did you try a different keyboard?
I was able to remove SIM card but have had a lot of trouble getting it back in; even without sim card (the tray)
Can I use the sim card from my Verizon LG G5 phone in a 2021 Moto G Power phone?
Yes, both LG G5 and Moto G Power 2021 use a nano-SIM card.
I have a motoe2 dual sim card but one of the slots is closed. How do I open it?
Are you sure it is a dual SIM version? If the SIM card slot above the micro SD card slot is closed/sealed, it means it is the single SIM version. You can only use one SIM card.
Hi, Just got my phone, inserted the SIM card and phone won't recognize the SIM. What do I next?
Did you put the sim card in the correct orientation? What's the phone model? What's shown in the status bar?
Hi, I have a Moto G 3rd Generation, problem I have is it does not recognise any sim card. The sim cards work in other phones, but I can't get my Moto G to work at all. Any ideas as to how to fix this?
Thanks in advance, Eddie.
Did you place the SIM card in the correct orientation as explained in the Moto G 2015 (3rd Gen) user manual?
You can download the PDF user manual here.
Is there any phone in Moto family with 3 slots?
2 for SIM cards 1 for SD card
Which model in moto series having the facility of 3 slots (2 for SIMs and remaining 1 for Memory card (SD card) like moto c plus
Nope. Others series only have two slots. One slot is dedicated for SIM card. The other can be used either for SD card or sim card.
I bought an unlocked Moto 4G Play in Calif. but I spend most of my time in Mexico. I have a Mexican sim card installed right now. I can call the U.S. on a simple plan from Baja ($200 pesos per mo.). Do you think I will be able to use my pone in Calif. or will I have to put in another sim card from the U.S.? Love my phone!!
Whether you can use sim card in another countries is enabled or disabled by your phone company. You need to enableinternational roaming through your phone company. It had nothing to do with the phone. But international roaming usually is very expensive. You should check with your phone company on charges.
Normally, it's cheaper to get local SIM card.
Hi! My boyfriend just purchased a Moto G+ 5th gen phone. The phone came without a Nano Sim card. He purchased a Nano Sim and plan from Total Wireless.
Although the nano sim is the proper size, he cannot insert into his Moto G+. He followed all directions precisely, to no avail. There are side rails on the removable sim tray that prevent insertion. It simply will *not* snap in.
I even tried inserting my Verizon nano sim as a test (it is the same size). No dice.
Please explain exactly how you get the nano sim into the tray. We are pulling our hair out.
Thank you very much.
For Moto G5 plus, the SIM card tray has two sides, the front (top) has slots fro two SIM cards. You just put nano SIM card in the slot with metal part facing upwards. The back (back of SIM card slot 1) is for micro SD card, you need to put SD card from tray back with metal part facing downwards.
Can you find the two SIM card slots? You can share a picture in our Facebook page if you still have problems.
Not able to find 2nd sim slot in Moto g4
Same problem, extremely disappointed as that was the main reason for purchase. This fact was not on the website. It will be returned.
Did you buy a dual SIM model or single SIM model? Moto G4 has both single SIM and dual SIM versions. In US, only single SIM version is available.
Hi
My name is ram. I am using moto e 2 my mobile is unable to show any other sim of same network and when I insert it is showing no sim card.
And it is showing only the sims which I were used before. Can any one help me please
Did you get the Moto E from your phone company? Is it locked?
Hi I'm having a problem with my Motorola Moto E 1st Gen. My phone suddenly stopped working about a week ago and I thought it was one of these random reboots but no. When I turned the phone back on it said no sim card. I have never taken the sim card out since I got the phone in December of 2014. I have taken it back to tesco (my provider) but they just said send it away but I could cost up to £90 so I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if there is anything I can do because I don't want to send it away and for them to say it's a £90 fix.
Did you test other sim card on the phone? Did you test the sim card on other phones?
The picture is of Moto g only but how to insert dual sims in moto e 4g 2nd gen
Thank you for pointing it out. We just updated the page with pictures for Moto E 2015 SIM card.
I am a first time costomer of Motorola and I have had problems with my phone not ringing, etc. List is to long. I went back to where I purchased it, they couldn't help so sen me to another kiosk far away to only hand it to him and he looked at it for about 2 sec to realize it was GLITCHY. I read that the sim may be the problem but neither attempted to look at it. I opened the back cover a d the sim metal contacts are faced the right way but the writti g on the card is upside down. I can't remove it and don't want to try as I may be blamed. That said I can't tell where the corner cu off is in relation to phone as I cannot see. Maybe the pictures with sim card diagram could include the writing. Anyway does it being upside down matte. The writing is anyway, and one red coloured corner is on the outside. Any help in this would be great as I am at a loss and very unhappy with service and phone performance. Thank you
What's exactly shown on the screen? What's SIM status in settings - about phone - status?
The orientation of the sim card should match the print on the phone. The metal side in the sim card should face downwards.
Anyway, if you are not sure, don't try. Ask the seller to solve the issue or visit local service center.
Consumer Cellular's SIM cards are compound. The frame that makes the nanoSIM into a MicroSIM is fragile and can break inside the SIM card reader. This has happened to me twice on new MotoG 3rd Gen phones; I never had this problem with my Huawei or Blu phones.
Is this just a problem with Motorola phones? Or this an issue only with Consumer Cellular compound SIM cards.
Since GSM phones require SIM removal/replacement as first step in trouble-shooting, this is a deal-killer for me.
Is there any service provider which uses a one-piece micro SIM? Or is my only option using a CSMA phone?
Not sure on this issue. You may just insert the pull out gently.
I have a Motorola XT1540, my problem is ,one of the gold thing on the sim card slot which reads the sim card was removed, can it get fix?
I think most service center can fix such sim card slot problems easily.
As the sim card goes in which side should the cut corner be?
The marker near the sim card slot on the phone shows the orientation.