Powering down before a SIM swap may help avoid network errors
Most modern phones support changing physical SIMs while switched on, but Engadget says restarting with the new card may help the device read its carrier settings.
A phone usually does not need to be switched off to replace a physical SIM. Most modern devices support hot-swapping, but powering down first may reduce the chance of a software-related network error, according to Engadget.
The benefit is modest and unquantified. Engadget says restarting prompts the phone to read the new SIM’s carrier settings, which may help it register on the new network. Users who prefer to keep the phone on can enable airplane mode, wait 30 seconds, swap the card, then disable airplane mode.
Care with the SIM and tray matters. Forcing a card into the wrong slot or damaging the tray can prevent a network connection. If a microSD card shares the tray, Engadget advises unmounting it before removal to reduce the risk of data loss.
The guidance applies to physical SIM cards. eSIMs are configured digitally, and their setup varies by device and carrier.
