All of our phones have Dual-SIM functionality:

• The Fairphone 4 has one physical nano-SIM card slot, and it supports up to one active eSIM card at a time. It supports 5G connection, as well as all previous generations on both SIM slots. Both slots can be connected with 4G/5G at the same time, with VoLTE enabled.
• The Fairphone 3(+) has 2 physical nano-SIM card slots. It supports 4G (LTE) connection, as well as all previous generations on both SIM slots. Both slots can be connected with 4G at the same time, but only SIM1 supports VoLTE.
• The Fairphone 2 has 2 physical micro-SIM card slots. It supports 4G (LTE) connection on SIM1 slot, as well as all previous generations on both SIM slots. There's no support for VoLTE.

If you're using a physical SIM, we recommend using a new SIM card for your phone. SIM cards age like any other electronic circuit and might cause unexpected issues with your phone. We also recommend renewing your SIM card every 2 years. You can contact your network provider about getting a new SIM card.

To activate your eSIM card, we have a separate support article to guide you. 

Some providers restrict international SIM card use - especially on pre-paid plans. Check with your provider what the terms and conditions are for international use. 

Insert the SIM card

To insert a physical SIM card into your Fairphone, read the instructions or watch the videos below.

1. Power off your phone.
2. Remove the back cover.
3. Take the battery out. Inside the battery compartment, you'll see two or three icons outlined in white.
   The SIM slots are named SIM1 and SIM2.
   
   - IMPORTANT -
   The SD card slot is bigger than the SIM slots and it is intended only for a Micro SD card. Do not force your SIM card inside the Micro SD card slot, or you will void the warranty of your Fairphone.
4. Take your SIM card and rotate it so that it looks the same as the white icon (pay attention to the direction of the cut corner).
5. Insert your SIM card in a SIM slot and press it gently in until it clicks in place.
6. Insert the battery again.
7. Put the back cover back on.
8. Press and hold the Power button to turn on your phone.

Set your dual SIM preferences

It is possible to use 2 SIM cards at the same time in your Fairphone. You can adjust this in the Settings:

1. Go to Settings → Network and Internet → Mobile network → tap on one of the 2 SIM cards.
2. Here you can select:
   1. Data preference - here, you must choose. SIM card 1 is there by default, but you can change it in these settings.
   2. Calls preference - Select a specific SIM card or decide to be asked every time you want to make a phone call.
   3. SMS preference - You can select a specific SIM card or decide to be asked every time you want to send an SMS.

Like almost every Dual SIM device on the market, the Fairphones use the standard Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS) technology. You can read more about that here.

General recommendations

A data connection is at the core of all the functions of a modern smartphone. To avoid over-using your mobile data, always connect to a Wi-Fi network when possible.

To avoid unexpected charges, contact the customer service of your network provider. Ask them to help you analyze your mobile data consumption and make sure to choose the best plan for your needs.

Your Fairphone battery has plenty of power to serve you for a full day of regular usage.

If you are running low on battery, you can disable the mobile data to extend your battery life. If you have a weak mobile signal or are on the go and navigating, your phone will consume more energy to stay connected.

To quickly enable or disable mobile data on your device:

1. Swipe down from the top of your screen.
2. Locate the Mobile data or Internet icon (swipe right or add it via the Edit pencil icon if not there).
3. Tap on the Mobile data icon to turn mobile data On or Off.

Take out your SIM card

In case you need to take your SIM card from the phone:

1. Power off your phone.
2. Remove the back cover.
3. Take the battery out. Inside the battery compartment, you'll see two or three icons outlined in white.
   
   • The SIM slots are named SIM1 and SIM2.
   • Next to them, you'll see the bigger Micro SD card slot.
4. Push the visible part of your SIM card further into the SIM card slot. 
   
   - IMPORTANT -
   Do NOT use any metal tools to retrieve a SIM card from the SIM slot. You can damage the SIM card and the slot. Damage to the SIM card slot will void the warranty!
5. Continue pressing in until you feel the SIM card is at the end of the slot or you hear a click.
6. Quickly release the SIM card so that the spring in the slot can eject it.
7. Take the SIM card out.
8. Insert the battery again.
9. Put the back cover back on.
10. Press and hold the Power button to turn on your phone.

Advanced data settings

The default settings will usually be suitable for the majority of users. We recommend you only adjust these settings if they are relevant to your needs and situation.

If you are an advanced user, here are some of the additional network settings:

Global settings:

Go to Settings → Network & internet.

• Tap on Advanced (only on Android 10 and 11) → Data Saver. You can set it On or Off. Tap on Unrestricted data to manage the usage of Background data for any specific app. Some apps might stop synchronizing any data. In this case, you will not receive notifications until you open the app!

Settings specific to a certain SIM card:

Go to Settings → Network & internet → Mobile network → SIM card you want to set up.

• Mobile data. You can set it On or Off for the specific SIM card.
• Roaming. You can set it On or Off for the specific SIM card.
• Here you can also change the VoLTE & VoWi-Fi settings, if they are visible for your network provider.
• Data warning & limit. In this menu, you can set preferences and limits (per billing cycle) for your cellular data. The phone will deactivate mobile data once it reaches the threshold. Here are the options:
  • Mobile data usage cycle - the day of the month on which your provider resets your limit. For example, the 1st of every month.
  • Set data warning - enables you to set a data warning threshold (see next point).
  • Data warning - choose a number of MB/GB of mobile data that you want to use. After using up this amount, you will receive a warning notification.
  • Set data limit - enables you to set a data usage limit (see next point).
  • Data limit - choose a number of MB/GB of mobile data that you want to use. After using up this amount, your mobile data will be disabled automatically.

Issues with the SIM

If you experience issues with your SIM card, there are many things you can do to fix the issues yourself. You can find our guides on troubleshooting your SIM card and troubleshooting your Mobile data here.

If after reading the article you need more help, contact our Customer Support.