eSIM Installation and Activation
Install an eSIM on iPhone, Samsung or Google Pixel, choose the right activation time and set up mobile data for your trip. Find answers about QR codes, roaming, Dual SIM and checking your connection.
Install on Your Phone
5 questionsBefore you begin, confirm device compatibility, carrier-unlock status and when the plan’s validity starts. To install:
- Connect to reliable internet and open the provider’s installation instructions.
- Use the supplied QR code, app, activation link or manual details to add the profile.
- Approve the system prompts and wait until the new line appears in your SIM settings.
If you are unsure about your phone, start with the device compatibility FAQ.
Open Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM, then choose the method supplied by your provider. The menu may instead say Mobile Data, Mobile Service or Set Up Cellular.
For a new travel plan, use its QR code, app, link or manual details. Transfer options are for moving an existing line between devices. Follow our step-by-step iPhone installation guide for the full process.
Open Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM. To use the provider’s QR code, choose Scan QR code and follow the prompts. Older software may use the labels SIM card manager or Add mobile plan.
Keep your internet connection available until the profile finishes downloading. Our Android eSIM installation guide covers setup and the settings to check afterward.
Open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM > Set up an eSIM. Follow the prompts to scan your provider’s QR code or use the available setup method.
Menu wording can vary with Android versions. Google’s Pixel eSIM setup instructions show the current process. If the option is missing, confirm your exact model and carrier restrictions first.
A working internet connection is normally required to download the profile. Reliable Wi-Fi or a trusted hotspot is the simplest option. Some phones and providers also allow setup using an existing mobile data connection.
You do not normally need Wi-Fi for everyday use after installation: the eSIM uses a supported mobile network. Avoid starting setup on an unstable connection, and complete any Wi-Fi sign-in page before you begin.
QR Codes and Other Methods
7 questionsYes, if your provider supplies an installation QR code. Open the phone’s Add eSIM menu, choose the QR-code option and scan the complete code. Keep the phone online while it downloads the profile.
Keep installation codes private. If the code is on the phone you are setting up, see the options for installing without a second device.
Yes, when both your phone and provider support manual setup. Look for Enter Details Manually, Enter activation code or a similar option in the eSIM setup screen.
Your provider may supply separate SM-DP+ address and activation-code fields or one combined code for your device. Copy the details exactly in the requested format, including a confirmation code if supplied. These installation details are separate from the APN settings used for mobile data.
Yes, when direct installation is supported by the app and your device. Open the purchased plan in the provider’s official app, choose its installation option and approve the phone’s system prompts.
Downloading the app or buying a plan does not necessarily install the eSIM profile. After setup, check that the new line appears in your phone settings. If direct installation is unavailable, use another method offered for that plan.
Yes, if your phone or provider offers one of these methods:
- Direct installation through the provider’s app or activation link.
- Manual entry of the installation details.
- Importing a saved QR image when the setup screen supports it.
On supported iPhones with iOS 17.4 or later, you can touch and hold a QR code in a supported email app or browser and choose Add eSIM. See Apple’s setup guidance. Available methods depend on the device and provider.
If the camera cannot read the code, display the full image, increase the screen brightness, avoid glare and clean the camera lens. Use the eSIM setup scanner or a supported image-import option.
If the code is recognized but the phone reports “invalid,” “already used” or “no longer valid,” the problem is usually with installation eligibility, code validity or a previous setup attempt. Check whether the profile is already installed and contact the provider. Do not delete an existing profile just to retry.
An eSIM activation code identifies or authorizes a profile download. It may be included in a QR code or supplied alongside an SM-DP+ server address for manual installation.
It is different from your phone passcode, SIM PIN, PUK and APN settings. Use the exact details issued for your purchase and keep them private. Receiving the code does not, by itself, tell you when the plan’s validity starts.
Usually not. A travel eSIM purchase is typically intended for one device, and the provider controls whether its installation code can be reused or the profile can be transferred.
For another phone, check the provider’s transfer or replacement process. Deleting the first profile does not guarantee that the QR code becomes reusable. If you only want to share data, check whether your plan permits hotspot use in the hotspot and Dual SIM FAQ.
Activation and Travel Timing
6 questionsInstall before departure if the plan starts only when it connects to a supported network and you are outside that coverage area. This gives you time to handle setup problems while you have reliable internet.
If installation starts the validity period, install close to the time you intend to use it. Turning the line off afterward does not pause a validity period that has already started. See our guide to buying and setting up an eSIM before travel.
It depends on the exact plan. Its validity may begin at installation, on the first connection to a supported network, on a selected date or after a separate activation step.
Also check the activation deadline: some plans start automatically or expire if they are not used within a set time after purchase. Read the package’s validity policy rather than relying only on the phone’s “activated” message. See the plans and validity FAQ.
Installation downloads the SIM profile to your device. Activation can refer to enabling the line, making service available or starting the plan’s validity, depending on the provider’s wording.
These events may happen together or separately. A profile can be installed without a working connection, and some plans can begin counting down before you reach the destination. Check the stated validity trigger and confirm mobile data separately.
The profile often downloads within a few minutes on a compatible phone with stable internet. Carrier checks, profile provisioning and network registration can take longer; use the provider’s stated timeframe rather than assuming one universal limit.
If setup appears stuck, first check whether the line has already been added. A destination-only plan may not connect while you are still at home. Follow the provider’s troubleshooting steps before interrupting setup or deleting anything.
Yes, if your plan’s activation rules allow it. Many travel plans become usable when you arrive in a covered country, enable the line and connect to a supported network.
If you have not installed the profile yet, you will normally need internet access to download it. Prepare the instructions before departure, and remember that a plan starting at installation or an automatic deadline may already be counting down. For other travel settings, see the travel and roaming FAQ.
You can usually keep an installed travel line switched off until you need it. For plans triggered by the first supported-network connection, this helps prevent an unintended early start.
Check whether a regional or global plan also covers your home country or layover: connecting there could start its validity. Switching the line off does not stop an installation-based start, pause an active plan or override an automatic activation deadline.
Data Settings and Dual SIM
4 questionsYou can keep your home SIM enabled for calls and messages on a compatible Dual SIM phone. Select the travel eSIM for mobile data, keep data roaming off on the home line and disable automatic data switching.
Those data settings do not rule out charges for calls, texts or voicemail. Check your home carrier’s roaming terms; if you do not need the home number, disable that line while abroad. Our Dual SIM travel guide explains the options.
Often, yes. Many travel eSIMs use partner networks and require Data Roaming to be enabled for the travel line. Follow the instructions for your exact plan.
This is separate from roaming on your home SIM. Confirm that you are editing the travel line before changing the setting, and keep home-line data roaming off unless you intend to use your home carrier’s roaming service.
Choose the travel line in your phone’s mobile data settings:
- iPhone: open Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and select the eSIM.
- Android: open SIM manager or SIMs and choose the eSIM for Mobile data. The labels vary by manufacturer.
Disable automatic data switching if you want to avoid fallback to the home line. Your default line for regular calls and SMS can remain different from your data line.
Yes. Use a clear label such as Home, Japan Travel or the provider’s name. This makes it easier to choose the right line for data, calls and roaming.
Change the label in your phone’s SIM or cellular settings. Renaming a line does not change its phone number, coverage, provider or validity, so keep the label consistent with the actual plan.
Check Your Connection
3 questionsOpen your phone’s Cellular, SIM manager or SIMs settings and look for the new line. It may show the provider’s name or a generic label such as Secondary or Travel.
If several profiles look alike, compare the ICCID in the line’s details with your order when available. A purchase receipt alone does not prove installation. Seeing the profile confirms it is stored on the phone, but does not prove that its data service is working.
When you are ready to use the plan in a covered destination:
- Check the provider’s app or account for plan status, validity and remaining data, if shown.
- Select the travel eSIM for mobile data and turn off automatic data switching.
- Temporarily turn off Wi-Fi and load a new webpage to test the connection.
Signal bars alone are not proof: they may belong to your other SIM. If the test fails, follow our eSIM connection troubleshooting guide. App status can also take time to update.
Before departure: confirm that the profile appears in your settings, give it a clear label and save the provider’s connection instructions. Keep your usual data line selected until you are ready to use the travel plan.
At the destination:
- Enable the travel eSIM and select it for mobile data.
- Apply its roaming instructions; edit the APN only if the provider requires it.
- Check the home line’s roaming settings and disable automatic data switching.
- Test a webpage with Wi-Fi off while Wi-Fi is still available for troubleshooting.
If mobile data fails, keep the profile installed and work through the troubleshooting FAQ.
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