How to set up an eSIM: step-by-step guide for iPhone & Android
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An eSIM takes only a few minutes to set up – as long as you know where to tap. This guide walks you through iPhone and Android step by step, explains compatibility and dual SIM, and sorts out the most common stumbling blocks (as of October 2026).
Contents
Does my phone support eSIM?
In short: the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR (2018) and later, plus most Android flagships from around 2020 onwards – for example the Samsung Galaxy S20 and later (depending on the variant and country of purchase) or Google Pixel phones from the Pixel 4 onwards (Pixel 3 and 3a only depending on country of purchase and mobile network). Important: the phone must be unlocked, i.e. not tied to a single network.
Quick check: dial *#06# – if an EID number appears alongside the IMEI, your phone supports eSIM. If in doubt, check the eSIM provider's compatibility list.
Special cases by country of purchase: in mainland China, according to Apple, only the iPhone Air, iPhone 17e and the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max support eSIM, while all other iPhones sold there do not; in Hong Kong and Macau there are models that take two nano-SIM cards. Android also has regional variants without eSIM (according to Google, for example, the Pixel 3 from Australia, Taiwan and Japan). With imported and second-hand phones, always do the EID check.
Setting up an eSIM on iPhone
1. Buy the eSIM and have the QR code from the confirmation email ready (ideally on a second screen).
2. Settings → Mobile Service (labelled Cellular in US English, Mobile in some other regions) → Add eSIM → Use QR Code.
3. Scan the QR code and confirm with “Continue” – the profile is installed. Alternatively, scan the code with the Camera app and tap the notification.
4. Under Mobile Service, select the eSIM, give it a label (e.g. “Travel”) and set it as the line for Mobile Data. Leave “Allow Mobile Data Switching” switched off.
5. Switch on Data Roaming FOR THE eSIM (with travel eSIMs this is normal and necessary) – but switch off data roaming for your home SIM.
Done. A tip if you have no second device: from iOS 17.4 you can touch and hold the QR code right in the email or browser and choose “Add eSIM”. Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer between two iPhones only works if the provider supports it – with travel eSIMs that is usually not the case.
Setting up an eSIM on Android
The route varies slightly from one manufacturer to the next, but the principle is the same:
Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM → Scan QR code.
Google Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM → Set up an eSIM → Scan QR code. Depending on your Android version, the route is instead “+” next to SIMs → “Download a SIM instead?”.
After scanning, activate the eSIM profile, select it as your data line and switch on data roaming for the eSIM.
Using dual SIM properly: keep your home number
The big advantage: your home SIM stays active – for calls, texts and the security codes your bank sends by text message – while the travel eSIM takes care of the (cheap) mobile data. This also works if your home number is itself an eSIM: according to Apple, iPhones can store eight or more eSIMs, and two lines can be active at the same time (two eSIMs side by side from the iPhone 13 or Pixel 7 onwards).
Here's how to set it up: eSIM = default for mobile data, home SIM = default for calls and texts. Switch off data roaming on the home SIM so that it can't run up expensive roaming data.
That way you stay reachable on WhatsApp on your usual number and still get online cheaply.
When to install, when to activate?
Install: at home on Wi-Fi, unhurried, before you set off.
Activate: only at your destination – with many providers the validity period starts the first time the eSIM connects to a network at your destination, not when you install it. Careful: according to Airalo, on some plans it begins as soon as the eSIM is installed, and Holafly advises installing regional and global eSIMs no earlier than the day before you travel. So read your plan's activation rule before you install.
Special case Turkey: since July 2025 the websites and apps of many eSIM providers (including Airalo, Holafly and Saily) have been blocked there – buying, installing and topping up do not work reliably inside the country. Here you must buy and install before you fly; an eSIM that is already installed works once you are there. The details are in our long-stay guide (→ Turkey eSIM for long stays: mobile data for 4–8 weeks visiting family).
The most common problems – and how to fix them
“No service” after you arrive: is the eSIM selected as your data line? Is data roaming switched on for the eSIM? Switch flight mode on and off briefly.
The QR code won't scan: display the code larger on a second screen, or use manual entry (SM-DP+ address and activation code) from the provider's email.
The wrong SIM is using data: under Mobile Data, set the eSIM as the default and, on an iPhone, switch off “Allow Mobile Data Switching”.
No APN or a slow connection: on some Android phones you have to enter the APN given by the provider manually.
Don't delete the eSIM when something goes wrong: many QR codes can only be used once – a deleted travel eSIM often cannot be installed again.
In a nutshell
- Before you travelBuy the eSIM and install it at home on Wi-Fi.
- At your destinationSelect the eSIM as your data line, switch data roaming on for the eSIM and off for your home SIM.
- Finding the right planWhich eSIM for your destination? See our country guides for Turkey, the Balkans, Dubai, Japan, the USA and Thailand.
Good to know
- Data roaming MUST be switched on for the travel eSIM – this is not expensive roaming on your home plan, it is simply how the eSIM normally works.
- You can't just pop an eSIM into your next phone like a plastic SIM: travel eSIMs are often tied to the first device (e.g. Airalo, Holafly), while Saily lets you reinstall on another device via its app. Check the provider's rules before you change phones.
- Most travel eSIMs are data-only plans – use WhatsApp or FaceTime for calls.
- Only install QR codes from official provider emails.
FAQ
How long does it take to set up an eSIM?
Usually less than five minutes: scan the QR code, activate the profile, select it as your data line – done.
Does my phone support eSIM?
The iPhone XS, XS Max and XR (2018) and later, plus most Android flagships from around 2020 onwards (e.g. Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel from the Pixel 4). Quick check: dial *#06# – if an EID appears, your phone supports eSIM. The phone must be unlocked; iPhones bought in mainland China mostly have no eSIM.
Can I keep my normal number?
Yes, using dual SIM: your home SIM stays active for calls, texts and bank codes sent by text message, while the eSIM handles the data. Switch off data roaming on the home SIM.
When should I activate the eSIM?
Install it at home on Wi-Fi and activate it only at your destination – the validity period usually starts the first time the eSIM connects to a network there. Some plans start as soon as they are installed, so check the activation rule beforehand. Special case Turkey: there you must buy and install before you fly.
The eSIM isn't working after I arrive – what should I do?
Check that the eSIM is selected as your data line and that data roaming is on for the eSIM, then switch flight mode on and off briefly. If that doesn't help, enter the APN from the provider's email manually. Don't delete the eSIM while troubleshooting – many can only be installed once.
Can I transfer an eSIM to a new phone?
Not by simply swapping it over like a plastic SIM. With travel eSIMs it depends on the provider: Airalo and Holafly rule out transferring to another device, while Saily allows reinstallation via its app. Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer between two iPhones only works with providers that support it (as of October 2026).
Which provider for your destination? Our country guides will help.
Go to the eSIM guidesMenu paths and details as of October 2026 – labels can differ depending on device and software version.
Ali Cetinkaya is a business IT specialist with more than 15 years of experience in IT and online marketing. For DealsScout he evaluates plans, tools and deals – honestly, transparently and without jargon.