Can you receive text messages without a sim card? Explained

Thinking about how possible it would be for someone to receive text messages on my mobile phone without using my SIM card. Aside from that, we will also look at whether a phone can indeed work without a SIM card.

Now looking at the topic we have here, can you receive text messages without a sim card?

In a mobile phone, a SIM card is very important unless the user does not fancy the use of a SIM card in the device. But what about in a case where the user wants to receive text messages on the phone or tablet without a SIM card?

Will he or she be able to receive text messages on their phone without a SIM card inserted and working in the phone? This is what we will be looking at, along with other questions at hand.

Now let’s proceed with what we have here. 

Can you receive text messages without a sim card?

The answer is no. You cannot receive an sms text messages without a SIM card as it requires a valid sim card for someone to send and receive a text message using the phone.

However, you can receive iMessages without a SIM card in your iPhone as long as you have an active Wi-Fi connection.

Remember, I stated network text messages and I mean to say SMS text messages which requires cellular network service, and not instant messages like messages from iMessage, whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, viber, Google voice, etc.

For example, your mobile number is +1(444) 234 8866, which you purchased from AT&T. Now you are wondering if you can indeed receive text messages without a SIM card from your mobile number, which is +1(444) 234 8866.

The truth is, it will never be possible for such a thing to happen unless you insert your SIM card into your phone.

However, if you happen to connect your smartwatch to your smartphone, be it Android or iPhone, you can receive SMS text messages and also iMessages without having a SIM card in your smartwatch.

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This post doesn’t end here, as I will further show you the means by which you can send or receive text messages without a SIM card in your mobile phone.

Can you receive text messages without a sim card on iPhone? 

Yes you can receive text messages without a sim card on iPhone but this is only available on iMessage using only the apple ID.

In iMessage, you can send and receive text messages even when you don’t have a SIM card in your iPhone as long as your Apple ID is activated with iMessage.

Remember, I stated text messages and not SMS text messages, which use cellular network service.

iMessage doesn’t necessarily require a SIM card, but for SMS text messages (which are green in color), you must have a SIM card, cellular network service, a texting plan, or airtime to send or receive an SMS text message.

How to receive texts without sim card

To receive texts without a sim card the likes of iMessage, Google voice, whatsapp, Skype will do the needful. 

can you receive text messages without a sim card

There are means which you can send text messages without a SIM card and I’m talking about using the iMessage, Google voice app and social messaging app.

If you are using an iPhone there’s no reason to complain as long as iMessage is available and you are sending messages to a fellow Apple user. All you need to do is to have an active Wi-Fi connection on your iPhone and you are good to go sending text messages without a sim card in your iPhone. 

The Google voice app and social messaging app are the best apps that someone can use to text on phone without a SIM card though the google voice app is only applicable to android phone.

Again, the google voice app only work for those living in the United States and Canada. If you’re living in Europe, Asia and Africa, I’m sorry the google voice app will not work for you.

Before going further into explaining how to receive texts without sim card, let me show you how you can call & text on other devices on samsung phone. 

Samsung Call & text on other devices

This feature is only applied to Samsung phones, as you can call and text on other devices even when you don’t have a SIM card in your Samsung phone.

What this means is that if you pair your Samsung phone with another Samsung phone or even a tablet, you can make calls using the other device’s phone number and receive text messages meant for the other Samsung device.

To get started, this requires that you have an active sim card in the other samsung device.

Now pair the two devices by pulling down the notification bar and tapping on Call & text on other devices as shown below on both devices. 

Call & text on other devices

Once the two phones are paired together, you can make call and send text messages without a sim card by simply using the other device sim card and phone number. 

Now let’s see how you can go about using the Google voice to receive or send texts without a SIM card on your mobile phone.

1. Receive texts without sim card using Google voice

Before going further into this topic, I want you to know that you must have a working phone number or sim card to activate the google voice app on your mobile phone. 

Now let’s proceed.

Get started by downloading and installing the Google voice app on your mobile phone. After the installation, open the app and select “I want a new number”.

It will provide some locations to choose from based on your phone’s location, so select any of the given locations. This is followed by some random numbers displayed for you; make your choice and select any of the mobile numbers.

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Next is to enter your mobile number cause a verification code will be sent to the phone number. So make sure to enter a working phone number and tap OK.

After the verification is done and complete, you’re good to go. You can now send and receive text messages without a SIM card and without bothering about the question we have here on can you receive text messages without a sim card.

To get started with the google voice app;

To send a text message: Open the app on your mobile phone, click on the compose icon, located at the bottom left. Select the recipient and compose your message and send it by clicking on the triangle icon next to it.

And that’s it. You have successfully sent a text message without a SIM card using the Google voice app.

Where the problem lies is receiving texts messages using the Google voice app. You can only receive text messages to your Google voice number but not your main carrier network mobile number.

However, if you wish to receive the messages to your carrier network mobile number then you must have your sim card in your phone. So in this case you can only receive text messages without a SIM card in your Google voice app mobile number.

■ Related What happens when your phone is on do not disturb and someone calls you

This is one major flaws of the app, and also to show you that indeed you need a SIM card to receive a text message on your mobile phone. Providing the answer to what we have here, can you receive text messages without a sim card.

2. Using social messaging app

This is the best alternative and choice if you’re looking for how to receive texts without sim card. People thar don’t fancy the use of a sim use the social messaging app as an alternative and it is a good alternative i must admit.

Now let’s see the possibility of receiving text messages without sim card.

So for this, I will be using the whatsapp mobile app as it is the most popular social messaging app aside from the Facebook messenger, Skype, etc.

Both old and young make use of whatsapp compared to any other social messaging app. To receive texts without sim card on your mobile phone, kindly download and install the Whatsapp mobile app on your mobile phone.

To get started with WhatsApp for the very first time, you must have a valid working sim card to verify your whatsapp account. 

After you have verified your whatsapp account, you don’t need a sim card to use WhatsApp anymore. 

So please kindly put a sim card into your phone, open the whatsapp app on your mobile phone and create your whatsapp account using your mobile phone number. After you’re done, you can remove your sim card and use the whatsapp to send and receive text messages without a SIM card.

So if you’re asking can you receive text messages without a sim card, you should use WhatsApp and it will solve your problem.

If you don’t like whatsapp, you can go for Skype, telegram, facebook messenger, viber etc.

Note that you will first notify or inform your friends, family or colleagues to send you text messages through whatsapp than using the mobile number carrier network. 

3. Receive text messages without a sim card on iPhone through iMessage

This is only available to those who are using Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or even Mac. If you are using an Android phone, you cannot receive iMessages from an iPhone or iPad user. It is highly unlikely that this will be possible in the future, just like FaceTime on Android.

All you have to do is make sure you have an active Wi-Fi connection and send iMessages to the person. But if the person is not using iMessage, then you have to use the likes of WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Google Voice, and others to send a message on your iPhone without a SIM card.

This is how to receive texts without a SIM card, but in general, I must admit that having a SIM card is compulsory and important.

Can a phone work without a sim card?

The answer is yes. A phone can work without a SIM card as as long as there’s a working Wi-Fi network available on the phone, there’s no problem at all.

A user can use the Wi-Fi to make calls but where the problem lies is receiving and sending messages using the carrier network. However, with the help of social messaging app, you can solve that very problem and use them for your messaging.

You can play games on your phone without a SIM card, watch YouTube or stream online without a SIM card, browse the internet and download files online without a SIM card.

At the end of the day you will see that the need to have a sim card is to make and answer calls, send and receive messages, and lastly for verification.

For example, you want to create a new whatsapp account, definitely you need a SIM card to make that happen else you can’t create a whatsapp account.

But after that you can use your whatsapp without a SIM card.

You don’t need to worry if maybe your phone will work without a SIM card cause definitely it will and you don’t have to bother yourself about that.

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How can i receive otp if i lost my sim card to receive an sms?

If your sim card is lost, you can receive the OTP on your email address though mostly it is sent to a mobile phone number.

If you received an otp message on your lost sim card, check your email address linked to the account and in most cases it will be sent to the email address as well.

Again if you lost your sim card you should definitely contact your network service provider about it and whicg you can retrieve your lost sim card.

Can you text without a sim card on android?

By default, you can’t text without a SIM card on android phone as both sms text messages and rcs chat message requires a sim card or an eSim.

However, you have the option of using whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, Google voice, etc to sent a text message without a sim card on android phone and tablet.

Can you text without a sim card in iphone?

Yes you can text without a SIM card on iPhone as long as iMessage is involved. Using only an apple id, you can send iMessages to anyone using an iPhone or iMessage and the text will be sent and delivered to the recipient.

For sms text message, that is not possible as sms text message requires a sim card to send and receive sms text messages.

Can you text on WiFi without a SIM card?

You can te text on WiFi without a SIM card but this only work for instant messaging apps and services like iMessage, whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, etc. 

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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