What happens to the pictures on a phone when you change the SIM? Details below.

[AC Question]

I'm getting my friend's old phone, and I was about to put my SIM in when they asked me what would happen to their photos when I changed the SIM. Will the photos in the gallery not be on the phone anymore, or will they stay there even when I take out their SIM and put mine in?

 

[chanchan05]

Nothing. The sim card has nothing to do with the photos or whatever else is on the phone.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Apps can read SIM card data and change their behavior based on what they find, but the photos app (and most apps as a rule) isn't going to do that. Like chanchan05 says, nothing will happen to them. I change SIM cards all the time and never had a problem with anything but apps like the AT&T account app or the EE or Bell apps that want you to have their own SIM card in place.

 

[Rukbat]

Unless the "photos" are really only on Google's cloud - then changing the Google account will disconnect the phone from the pictures. (Changing it back will reconnect to them.)

 

[chanchan05]

Unless the "photos" are really only on Google's cloud - then changing the Google account will disconnect the phone from the pictures. (Changing it back will reconnect to them.)

Nope. The SIM card will have no effect on the connection to the Google account.

 

[xocomaox]

Yeah, the Android account signed in on the phone is what links those cloud photos, not the SIM. Local photos saved to the SD card stay with the phone, always.

Some Sims can store contacts, but that's it.