If you encounter the SafeLink SIM card not working issue, it can get pretty frustrating. Here’s how to fix this problem.
We recently worked on these proven solutions so you can start using your SafeLink SIM cards again.
Even though it looks daunting, it’s a simple error to fix that won’t take you more than 15 minutes.
Let’s look at the different steps to solve this issue!
To troubleshoot the SafeLink SIM not working issue, toggle the Airplane Mode or restart your device first. If this doesn’t work, remove your SIM and clean it. There are also a lot of settings changes that you can take, such as selecting your carrier and editing the APN settings.
Before we explain each troubleshooting step, let us enumerate the possible reasons your SafeLink SIM isn’t working.
It will help us determine the best solution.
Why My SIM Card Not Working SafeLink
Your SafeLink SIM enables your phone to work on the wireless mobile network.
It works exactly as intended, but sometimes, you may encounter some problems.
There may not be a specific error message, but more commonly, you’ll see a SIM card not working or not installed.
1. Faulty SIM Card
If your SafeLink SIM isn’t working, there may be something wrong with it. Test it on an unlocked device to find out if the SIM or your phone is the problem.
2. Connectivity Glitch with Carrier
If neither your phone nor SIM is the culprit, you may want to check with your carrier. There may be a service outage in your area or connectivity issues with SafeLink.
3. Carrier Settings not Updated
It is also possible your carrier settings are to blame. SafeLink may have updated its configuration, and your device failed to update automatically for some reason.
4. Hardware Malfunction
If you are still offline but have no idea what’s causing the issue, you may be dealing with a hardware malfunction.
Your phone may be damaged, so prepare to transfer to a new one.
These are the possible reasons your SafeLink SIM card is not working. Let us now proceed to the solutions.
How to Fix SafeLink SIM Card Not Working
Before you move on to advanced solutions, it is best to start with the basics first. Below are easy and quick fixes you can do.
By basics, we mean that you want to restart your phone, take your SIM card out, and turn on Airplane Mode.
These are all pretty standard solutions that should help you get your SIM card working on your phone.
If none of the above solutions work, proceed to the troubleshooting steps below.
Solution #1: Check if Your SIM Card is Activated on Your Phone
After running through the basic troubleshooting steps and your SafeLink SIM is still not working, you will need to look at other options to fix the issue.
One of the things you can look at is to check your SIM card if your phone can detect it.
You want to make sure that it’s activated so your phone can pick up the signals associated with the SIM card.
Here’s what you need to do to check if your SIM card is activated on your phone:
On iPhones:
- Open the Settings app on your phone.
- Go to Mobile Network.
- Navigate to SIM Card Info.
- Select the SIM.
- Toggle the switch to the On position.
On Android:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to SIM Cards and Mobile Networks.
- Tap on the SIM icon.
- Select Enable to use the SIM.
Solution #2: Select SafeLink as Your Carrier Manually
After making sure that your phone recognizes your SIM card, you want to make sure that it’s connecting to your network properly.
The way to do that would be to select your carrier on your phone. By default, your phone, whether it’s an iPhone or Android, is set to Auto.
This setup works fine for the most part. However, there are instances when selecting it manually minimizes the SIM and connectivity issues you can encounter.
Your connection settings are saved on your SIM, but specifying your phone use the carrier it’s for certainly helps.
Here’s how to select your carrier manually on your phone:
On iPhone:
- Go to your phone’s Settings.
- Navigate to Mobile Data.
- Select Mobile Networks.
- Tap on Automatic to disable it.
- Choose SafeLink from the list that appears.
On Android:
- Open the Settings app on your phone.
- Go to Network and Internet.
- Select Mobile Network.
- Tap on Automatic to disable it.
- Choose SafeLink from the list.
Solution #3: Update Your Carrier Settings Manually
Whenever your carrier has an update, it will send you a notification so you can install it.
However, it’s not always the case, as it’s possible for you to miss out on these updates.
It’s usually not your fault, but if your phone doesn’t get these updates, it can affect your phone’s performance.
If your phone says that your SIM is not working, this is a fix that will help you restore your connection with your carrier.
Here’s how to manually update your carrier settings:
On iPhone:
- Go to your phone’s Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap on About.
- Wait for the notification to update your carrier settings.
- Tap on Download to install the latest settings.
On Android:
- Tap on your phone’s Settings app.
- Select More, then Mobile Networks.
- Choose Carrier Settings.
- Tap on Update Profile.
- Wait until the process is completed.
Note: Make sure that you connect your device to WiFi or Mobile Network so it can download the updated settings.
Solution #4: Update Your Phone’s APN Settings Manually
If none of these settings changes resolve the issue of your SIM card not working on your phone, you want to make sure that you’re using the latest APN settings.
Your APN settings are instructions that tell your phone how to connect to your carrier’s network.
You can do this automatically through your phone. However, it’s more effective if you manually enter each APN setting.
Anyway, we’ll provide you with the details and what to type in to make it a lot easier for you.
Here’s how to update your phone’s APN settings:
On iPhone:
- Go to your phone’s Settings.
- Select Mobile Data.
- Choose Mobile Data Options.
- Tap on Mobile Data Network.
- Select each field and enter the details found below.
On Android:
- Open your phone’s Settings.
- Go to Mobile Networks.
- Select Access Point Names.
- Tap on New APN.
- Enter the settings below.
SafeLink APN Settings:
- APN Name: Enter Safelink
- APN: Type tfdata
- Proxy: Use proxy.mobile.att.net
- Port: Enter 80
- MMSC: http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
- MMS Proxy: mobile.att.net
- MMS Port: 80
- Auth Type: PAP
- APN Type: default,default,mms,supl,hipri
- Protocol: IPv4
Note: If you’re unable to change your APN settings on your phone, contact Safelink so they can help you in updating it.
Solution #5: Reset the Network Settings on Your Phone
If you’ve tried all of the troubleshooting steps here and nothing seems to work, it’s time to consider resetting your phone’s network settings.
This step is different from a factory reset since it’s not going to remove your files and personal data.
It will clear out all network-related settings so that you can reconfigure them again.
Here’s how to reset your phone’s network settings:
On iPhone:
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Select General.
- Tap on Reset.
- Choose Reset Network Settings
On Android:
- Go to your phone’s Settings.
- Select System, then Advanced.
- Tap on Reset Options.
- Select Reset Network Settings.
Note: If your phone has a PIN or passcode, you will need to enter it to reset your settings successfully.
Solution #6: Wipe Your Cache Partition on Your Android Phone
Now, this solution is focused more on Android as the iPhone does not have an equivalent step that offers the same outcome.
Your phone allocates a portion of its storage space as a cache. You can think of it as a sort of notepad for your phone where it saves data and uses it if it needs something real quick.
Since it’s storage, there’s a possibility that some of the files saved there can get corrupted.
Whenever this happens, it can affect your phone’s performance. You can clear it out, and that should also resolve any issues your phone is experiencing.
Here’s how to wipe your phone’s cache partition:
- Switch off your device.
- Press the Power and Volume Down buttons for Recovery Mode.
- Navigate the Recovery Mode menu and select Wipe Cache Partition.
- Wait for your system cache partition to be deleted.
- Restart your phone to use it.
Note: Doing this also has the added benefit of freeing up space on your phone.
If you’re still thinking of a possible solution to your SIM card not working issue, you can choose to reset your phone to factory settings.
It’s a last-resort solution since it will clear everything up on your phone, allowing you to start from scratch.
You can also contact Safelink customer support to check for any outages or account issues that only they can resolve.
Read Next: How to Fix SafeLink Mobile Data Not Working?
Bottom Line
Now that you have an idea of the causes and fixes of your SafeLink SIM card not working, you should be able to work on fixing it.
These proven solutions should help you resolve this issue allowing you to use your phone as soon as its SIM card connects to the network.
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites. Check out more about him here.