How to open a department for SIM-Xiaomi maps: The full guide

Buying a new smartphone from Xiaomi is often accompanied by the euphoria of unpacking, but the first real step to full use of the device is the installation of the device. SIM-The design of modern gadgets, especially the flagship models of the Mi or Redmi Note series, involves the use of a combined tray or hidden slot that is not conspicuous. The lack of visible levers or buttons on the case causes many owners to look for instructions for fear of damaging a fragile mechanism or scratching the case with a sharp object.

In this article, we will discuss in detail where exactly the department for the SIM card on various Xiaomi models is located and how to open it correctly using standard tools. You will learn about the nuances of the design of trays, how to extract when stuck and the features of installing two SIM cards simultaneously with the memory card. Proper handling of mechanical elements of the case is the key to the long service of your device without physical defects.

Search for the location of the slot on the device body

The first thing you need to do before you try to remove the tray is to visually look at the ends of the smartphone. On the vast majority of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models, the slot is located on the top or bottom of the device. Traditionally, the company's engineers place it on the bottom edge, next to the USB Type-C or Micro-USB connector and the opening of the main microphone. However, in some models with moisture protection or a specific layout of the motherboard, the socket can be moved to the upper end.

The element you're looking for is a narrow slot in a metal frame, and you can see a thin plastic or metal tongue inside of it, and that's where you have to use a tool to act. SIM-A card with a noise-cancellation microphone hole that is often in the vicinity, and the microphone is deeper and narrower, trying to insert a paper clip into it can cause permanent damage to the acoustic system.

⚠️ Warning: Never try to pick holes on the case unless you are 100% sure it is a tray slot.

For a better view, it is recommended to use good lighting or a flashlight.If you are wearing a protective case, it is definitely necessary to remove it, since most accessories have cutouts that can block access to the extraction mechanism or shift the visual landmark.

Necessary tools for removing the tray

To open the SIM card, you need a special tool that comes with every new Xiaomi smartphone, a small metal clip with a plastic tip or a triangular or circular all-metal key, designed to have a diameter that fits perfectly with the spring mechanism inside the socket, and a length that is sufficient to press, but not too large to damage the internal components.

If the original key is lost, which happens quite often, you can use a regular paper clip. But here's an important caveat: standard paper clips are often thinner than factory tools. To remove the tray, the paper clip needs to be unbended and perhaps slightly scalded or used a harder metal, otherwise it can simply bend when pressed, hairpins (only metal, without plastic balls at the end) or thin needles, but with the latter you need to be extremely careful not to break them inside the hole.

• 🔑 The original key-clip from the delivery kit is the ideal option that guarantees security.
• 📎 Unbended metal clip – an affordable alternative that requires accuracy.
• 💎 Needle from a sewing machine or pin - permissible, but the risk of breaking the tip inside the mechanism is high.
• 🚫 Plastic toothpicks – categorically not suitable, as they will break and get stuck in the hole.

The use of inappropriate objects such as knives, scissors or thick stitches is strictly prohibited. The knife's tip can slip and scratch the smartphone frame or screen, and a too thick object will open the lock mechanism, after which the tray will cease to fix. The extraction mechanism works on the principle of a latch: a sharp object must press on the inner spring that pushes the platform out.

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If there are no metal tools at hand and the paperclip is bent, try using a thin sting of a screwdriver for electronics, but act with minimal effort so as not to damage the board.

Step-by-step: how to open the tray

The process of removing the tray seems trivial, but following the correct sequence of actions and the angle of inclination of the tool is critical to maintaining the integrity of the case. First, take the smartphone in one hand, providing a reliable grip so that the device does not slip out at the time of application of the effort. With the second hand, take the tool (key or paper clip) and hold it perpendicular to the slot hole.

Put the tip of the tool into the hole to the point, and you have to feel a solid resistance, which is the end of the pusher mechanism, and at that point you have to apply a confident, but not excessive force, directed strictly perpendicular to the plane of the end of the smartphone. You don't have to push hard; the mechanism works with a short press. If you do everything right, the tray will jump up and move out a few millimeters, and then you can grab it with your fingers.

Once the tray is removed, carefully examine its design. On modern Xiaomi models, a hybrid slot is often used. This means that one of the places can be intended for either the second. SIM-Some flagship models, such as the Xiaomi Mi 11 or Xiaomi 13, use a tray where both are SIM-cards and memory card have their own separate places, or the memory card is installed on top of one of the sims on the back side.

⚠️ Attention: If the tray is not pushed, don't keep pushing harder. Check if you're holding the tool straight. Misalignment can jam the mechanism. Try to slightly change the angle of the key.

Proper installation SIM-microSD cards

After successfully extracting the department for the SIM card, the installation of communication modules begins. Modern Xiaomi smartphones work exclusively with the Nano-SIM format, which is the smallest. If your card is larger, you need to carefully break the perforation along the Nano format contour or contact the operator's salon to replace the card.

The orientation of the card is determined by a bevel at one of the corners of the plastic base. There is always a schematic image on the tray itself showing how the card should lie. Usually the chip (golden contacts) is directed down to the smartphone screen when you hold the tray with your face up. Put the card in a frame before clicking or tight fitting; it should not dangle or protrude beyond the edges of the tray, otherwise the contacts may not close or, worse, become damaged.

If you use a microSD card to expand storage, make sure it's also inserted with the correct side. Often on hybrid trays, there's room for a flash drive and a second one. SIM-It's interchangeable, which means you can use either two SIMs, or you can use one SIM and a memory card, and you can't have two SIMs and a memory card at the same time.

Compatibility table and types of trays Xiaomi

The Chinese giant’s smartphone series can come with different types of trays, and understanding your tray type will help avoid mistakes when trying to insert a memory card where it can’t be, or vice versa.

As the table shows, Redmi budget models often have to choose between a second SIM card and a memory extension, while the POCO series often makes users happy with a full triple slot, a huge advantage for those who store a lot of media. Flagship models are increasingly abandoning physical memory card slots in favor of cloud storage and large-capacity internal memory.

When installing cards in hybrid slots, be careful: if you insert a memory card into the SIM compartment, the phone will not see it, as the contacts will not match. Always check the icon on the metal frame of the tray before inserting it into the phone.

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The type of tray directly depends on the model of the smartphone: public sector employees often require a choice between the second SIM and the memory card, while the mid-price segment offers triple slots.

Return tray and initial network setup

Once the cards are in place, you have to put the tray back in place, and it's important to be very orientated, because the tray is only inserted in one position, and if you try to put it in the wrong side or upside down, it just sticks in the frame and doesn't go in the end. Don't use force. Turn the tray over and try again; if you're in the right position, it will come in smoothly and easily.

Move the tray to a characteristic click, which means that the fixing mechanism has seized the frame, and now it is hermetically adjacent to the body (if there is moisture protection). SIM-The network will be notified on the screen, and the status bar will display operator icons with the signal level.

If the phone doesn't see the SIM card, try to wipe the card contacts with a soft dry cloth. Sometimes oxidation or greasy spots from your fingers prevent contact. Also in the settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks make sure slots are activated.In some cases, after the tray is removed, re-entering may be required. PIN-code, if it was installed on the map.

⚠️ Warning: Do not turn on your smartphone until the tray is inserted to the end. Operating with an open or not fully closed slot can lead to dust and moisture entering the body, as well as disrupting the antenna module.

Frequently encountered problems and their solution

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users sometimes face difficulties. One of the most common problems is that the tray gets stuck and does not extend even when pressed hard. In this situation, you should not use pliers or glue. Try gently wiggling the tool from side to side without removing it from the hole to find the position in which the spring will be released. You can slightly tap the phone on your palm when you press it.

Another problem is the phone writes "SIM-This may be due to improper installation (the card is not in the plane of the tray) or software failure. In rare cases, the contacts in the phone itself may be bent. Visually inspect the flashlight slot: The contacts must be parallel to each other and must not be visible.

If the tray falls out on its own or hangs, maybe the locking tongue on the tray itself has broken, or the mechanism inside the case has worn out, in which case you can try to gently bend the tendrils on the metal frame of the tray (if any) or put a micro-piece of paper/scotch for sealing, but this is a temporary solution. It is better to replace the tray with a new one, ordering the original part.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)