How to Install an eSIM on iPhone and Android (Step by Step)

Installing an eSIM takes about two minutes and one QR code. Here is exactly what to tap — and the small mistakes worth avoiding.

Before you start

• Make sure your phone is eSIM-compatible and carrier-unlocked (iPhone XS+, Pixel 3+, Galaxy S20+ and most flagships since 2019).
• Be on Wi-Fi — you need internet to download the eSIM profile.
• Have your QR code ready (on a screen, printout, or in your email).

Install on iPhone

1. Open Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Service).
2. Tap Add eSIM, then Use QR Code.
3. Scan the QR code from your confirmation email.
4. Tap through the prompts and label it "Travel".
5. Leave Data Roaming ON for the travel eSIM — this is normal and required for it to work abroad.

Install on Android

1. Open Settings → Network & internet → SIMs.
2. Tap Add SIM → Download a SIM instead?
3. Tap Next and scan your QR code.
4. Follow the prompts to activate.
5. Set the eSIM as your data line, keep your home SIM for calls.

Exact wording varies slightly by brand (Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi), but the flow is the same: SIMs → add → scan.

The three mistakes people make

• Installing on airport Wi-Fi that keeps dropping. Do it at home the night before instead — the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
• Turning Data Roaming off. For a travel eSIM, roaming must be on — that is how it reaches the local network. It does not mean you are paying roaming fees.
• Deleting the eSIM to "reset" it. Removing an eSIM usually means you cannot reinstall the same QR. Toggle it off instead if you need to pause it.

After you land

Switch your data line to the travel eSIM, make sure roaming is on for it, and you are connected. If you do not see signal within a minute, toggle Airplane Mode on and off once.

Golden rule: install early, activate on arrival. The clock starts at your destination, not at purchase.