#Card Reader & Hardware Guide

Complete guide to SimCat hardware channels and CCID smart card setup.

#1. USB-C CCID Card Reader Connection

Standard CCID Protocol: iOS 16.1+ natively supports standard USB CCID card readers. Plug the reader directly into your iPhone or iPad via USB-C, and CryptoTokenKit will automatically detect and initialize the smart card slot.
External Power Recommendation: Multi-slot readers or high-power readers may draw significant power. If disconnection, LED blinking, or timeout occurs during profile download/writing, connect via a USB-C hub with external PD power supply.

BeeSIM / 9eSIM Support: Turn on Bluetooth on your device, then tap "Bluetooth Reader" in card management. The app will discover the reader and establish an encrypted BLE channel. Ensure the reader is charged and ready to pair.

Removable eUICC Cards: Physical eUICC cards compliant with GSMA SGP.22 / SGP.32 (e.g. 9eSIM, BeeSIM). Supports reading EID, switching profiles (enable/disable), and downloading/installing/deleting eSIM profiles.
Traditional SIM Cards: Standard physical carrier SIM cards only support reading basic identifiers (ICCID / IMSI) and conducting WiFi Calling test calls. LPA profile operations are not supported.
Unsupported Hardware: Proprietary AT serial modems and 4G USB dongles without CCID smart card interfaces cannot be used here.

Card slot not detected: Inspect the USB-C connection, clean the card contacts, and reconnect.
Timeout or frequent retries: Power may be insufficient; connect via a powered USB-C hub.
Bluetooth reader not found: Ensure SimCat has Bluetooth permission under Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Bluetooth.

End-to-End Local Execution: All APDU commands execute directly between your iOS device and the smart card. Card keys and credentials are never transmitted to any cloud server.