2022-10-23
In forums and in social networks SIM-card recovery is often discussed, but links to specialized software are rare. Mainly they are various fake applications, the purpose of which is to enrich the developers and not to solve the user's problem.
Despite this, there are working tools for extracting contacts from the SIM card memory. In this article we've collected the best of the few available sim card recovery, editing and backup software.
To work with these programs, you need a special device - Sim Card Reader. You can order it on Aliexpress, Ebay or Amazon. Many readers are available, pay attention to the rating and the reviews.
Content :
- What is a sim card reader
- SIM card software:
- SIMCom
- SIM Card Data Recovery
- SIM Manager
- monosim
- pySIM
- Q&A
What is a sim card reader
Sim card reader is a special device to read sim card information. It is inserted into the usb port of the PC just like a normal USB key
Sim Card Reader is an example. This device is compatible with all types of SIM cards. For its operation the drivers and the SIM Manager application have to be installed, see below.
In general, the SIM card reader is useful not only and not so much for the contacts recovery (for it is not always possible). This device provides the following benefits:
- make contact backups in advance (useful in case of deletion, loss of the sim card, transfer of contacts and messages to a new sim card),
- copy contacts / sms. from one sim card to another,
- synchronize contacts with a mobile device or a service like Google Contacts.
Let us look at some of the programs used especially in context with the sim card readers. In order to work with the contacts, in some cases the content must be copied from the internal memory of the phone directly to the SIM card, otherwise you will see an empty address book when connecting the SIM card reader.
Tip . If you need to restore your Android contacts, read here how to do it.
SIMCom
//www.gemfor.com/en/software_simcom.html
SIMCom is a professional sim card manager with many functions. Program does not help to recover contacts on sim card but it is useful as address book editor, for backup and restore to old or new sim card.
Let us mention the main functions:
- Edit SIM contacts in the address book
- Setup preferred roaming networks
- Diagnose SIM card activity: error detection, reading of service information
- SIM management (copy, edit, delete from sim card)
- SIM card security code management (code change/cancellation)
- SIM card backup to computer
- Export to local file/print sim card contents
SIM Card Data Recovery
//www.datadoctor.in/data-recovery-software/sim-card-data-recovery-software.html
Sim Card Data Recovery is a program for recovering deleted contacts (contact numbers) and SMS messages stored in the SIM card memory. Unlike the other applications mentioned here, it is not intended to backup and manage contacts, i.e. it has purely recovery functions.
Sim Card Data Recovery features:
- when inserted via Sim Card Reader the port, data baud partity
- sim card data transmission uses PC/SC Standards or Phoenix Standards
- the software reads sim card data, displays ICC Mobile Identification number and other service information.
- The recoverable data types are: incoming/outgoing sms, phone numbers, names and other contact details.
The full version of the program costs $69.
SIM Manager
//www.dekart.com/products/cardmanagement/simmanager/
SIM card manager is the program to manage the contents of the sim card. By using it you can quickly and easily make a backup of the contents of your sim card.
The functions of the SIM card manager are very extensive:
- Synchronize contacts with Google Contacts, Facebook and others
- Export to CSV and vCard formats and print reports
- Recover deleted sms
- Combine, edit, deletion of contacts
- Synchronization of contacts with other mobile devices
- Full SIM card clearing
- Changing, unblocking and revoking the SIM card PIN (if enabled)
- All SIM card types - GSM SIM, Nextel SIM, RUIM, UICC
monosim
//monosim.integrazioneweb.com/
monosim is a simple free sim card manager working via protocol with the PCSC smartcard reader. The capabilities are modest, but for basic operations the program is good. It supports all read/write operations and allows to make a backup of the contacts.
The sim manager runs on Windows and Linux platforms. The installation requires dedicated libraries (check the system requirements).
pySIM
/twhiteman.netfirms.com/pySIM.html
pySIM is a simple SIM card manager working via PC/SC protocol. It modifies contacts, backup your sim, works with any GSM SIM card.
The program is written in python and works from the console. There is a nice GUI version for Windows.
Question-Answer
I have a sim card and it is locked. I might have quite a few contacts on it and somehow I need to recover contacts. The question appears, how to recover the content of the SIM-card, since it is still physically present on the SIM-card? You cannot gain access by bypassing the PIN/PUK code: the blocked SIM is foolproof. Unfortunately there is no workaround. The Sim card managers can unprotect or change the PIN only if the old code is present.
The contacts are present in the address book of the phone but not in the SIM card. I tried to read it with the SIM Manager, but nothing is present on the SIM. How is this possible? Your contacts are stored in the phone memory. If you want to migrate them to the SIM card, you can do it from the menu. Use the commands 'migrate contacts to SIM' or 'copy contacts to SIM'. After this operation your contacts will be available on any phone where the SIM card is installed.
I read that the EaseUS Mobisaver restores contacts but it does not find anything on the SIM card after connection. The website says it is a professional sim card recovery software.
Answer . On the EaseUS website, you can indeed find detailed manuals on how to recover contacts from a sim card. The fact is that this program (and many of its clones) do not work with the sim card, but only retrieve contacts from the phone memory. The developers want to charge you for non-existent functions.
