What to do if your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus keeps saying SIM card not inserted even if the SIM card is actually inserted (easy solutions)

When your phone suddenly prompts you with errors pertaining to the SIM card like SIM card not inserted error or no SIM card inserted error, it could only mean two things. Either your SIM card or SIM slot is damaged, else could be due to a network error. In other words, you may be dealing with a hardware problem or software issue on your device. Errors like this can occur to any device at any time and your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is not exempted. Faulty software updates can likewise trigger the same error to occur on an Android device. In this case, it's a post-update issue that you're dealing with. Usually post-update problems are addressed by a follow-up minor update that contain the required fix patch so all you have to do is wait until the fix is rolled out. But not all the time waiting is an option. This is when you'll act and try some workarounds for temporary solutions.

Before going further, if you found this post because you were trying to find a solution to your problem, then try to visit our Galaxy S9 Plus troubleshooting page as we've already addressed most of the commonly reported issues with the phone. We've already provided solutions to some of the problems reported by our readers so try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don't work for you and if you need further assistance, fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit.

Troubleshooting Galaxy S9 Plus that can't detect SIM card

Here in this context, I have compiled a rundown of possible solutions that you could refer to whenever you'll be required to troubleshoot a similar issue on the same phone. These are generic solutions that have been tried on and proven effective by many other Android phone users who have dealt with pertinent SIM card errors that were attributed by software bugs and glitches. Feel free to refer to these solutions whenever needed.

First solution: Restart your phone (soft reset).

To fix minor software glitches that might have caused the error to occur on your phone, start by performing a soft reset or simply restart your Samsung S9 Plus. It's the first recommended and proven effective simple solution to various types of software issues in mobile devices, be it an iOS or Android phone. And here's how it's done:

Press and hold the Power button.
Tap the option to Power off.
Tap Power off again to confirm.
After about 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button again until your phone boots up.

Alternatively, you can carry out a simulated battery removal equivalent procedure otherwise known as forced restart. It's actually a soft reset using the hardware keys and it's done this way:

Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for up to 45 seconds.
Release both buttons when the Samsung logo appears.

Both a soft reset and forced restart won't result to data loss as they will not affect any data and personal information stored on the internal memory of your device.

Second solution: Reinstall/reseat the SIM card on your phone.

There are times when you would need to remove and reseat the SD card and/or SIM card on your device. And this is one of these instances when you have to try doing so. It's possible that your phone does not really detect your SIM card because it's somehow loose or dislodged. That said, the SIM card needs to be reseat to make it intact and secure.

Turn your phone completely off.
Press the card insertion or removal tool into the combined nano SIM/microSD card tray pinhole and then gently push it in until the tray pops out.
Slide the nano SIM/microSD card tray out of the slot.
Remove the SIM card from the tray and check for any signs of damage. If the SIM card looks good, place it back into the tray with the gold contacts facing the back of the phone. To prevent damage, do not touch the gold contacts on your SIM card.
Press the nano SIM/microSD card tray back into its slot until it clicks.
Once the tray is secure, press the Power button to turn your phone back on.

Reinstalling the SIM card as demonstrated by the above procedures can also fix minor glitches affecting the SIM card reader system, which likewise might have resulted to this error.

Third solution: Reset network settings.

Incorrect network settings on the phone can also be the main reason why you encounter network errors including this one. A buggy app or faulty update can override and/or mess up your network settings and as a result your phone failed to detect the SIM card. To make sure this isn't the trigger, you can revert your network settings back to its default configuration and then set up your wireless network and other connectivity features on your device afterwards. Here's how it's done:

Swipe up on an empty spot from the Home screen to open the Apps tray.
Tap Settings.
Tap General Management.
Tap Reset.
Select the option to Reset network settings.
If prompted, enter the PIN or password for your device.
Tap Reset settings to confirm action.

Your phone reboots automatically when the reset is finished. After the restart, you will need to set up your wireless network to use it and get your phone reconnected to the Internet.

Fourth solution: Update software to the latest Android version.

Software updates can be the key to fixing the error if it's caused by some bugs in the first place. Aside from bringing in new features, software updates also embeds fix patches to address existing device issues caused by software bugs. Should you wish to give it a shot, then get started with these steps:

Swipe up on an empty spot from the Home screen to open the Apps screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap Software Update.
Select the option to Download updates manually.
Wait for your phone to check for updates.
Tap OK.
Then tap Start to start downloading and installing new software update.
When the restart message appears, tap OK.

Wait until the phone completely restarts and see if the error is gone. It it reoccurs, then you may need to resort to a full system reset else consider repair options.

Fifth solution: Hard reset/factory data reset.

A factory data reset or hard reset on your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus can be regarded as the last resort when dealing with complex software issues that might have prevented your phone from detecting the SIM card and prompted you this error instead. But it's also worth to note that this reset will result to data loss. Should you wish to continue, be sure to back up all your important data and personal information beforehand.

To back up your data and personal information, follow these steps:

Open the Apps menu
Tap Settings.
Tap Cloud and accounts.
Tap Backup and restore, then select the desired option like Back up my data or Automatic restore.

After the backup has been completed, proceed with these steps to perform a master reset on your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus:

Swipe up on an empty spot from the Home screen to open the Apps screen.
Tap Settings.
Tap General management.
Tap Reset.
Select the Factory data reset option.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen then tap Reset.
Select the option to DELETE ALL.
If prompted, enter your credentials for screen lock and Samsung account verification.
Tap Confirm to continue.
Wait for the reset to finish and your device to reboot.

Other options

Escalate the problem to your network service provider/carrier if the problem persists and none of the prior solutions is able to stop your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus from prompting the same SIM card not inserted error. Your SIM card might have been damaged and therefore could not be read by your device. Consider opting for a SIM card replacement. Don't hesitate to ask your carrier for better options.

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