How to Install and Activate a Travel eSIM on iPhone

Installing a travel eSIM on an iPhone takes about five minutes: you add it from Settings by scanning a QR code (or tapping a link from the provider), give the new line a name, tell the iPhone to use it for data, and turn on Data Roaming for that line. Your usual number stays on the phone for calls and texts.

The part that trips most people up is not the installation but the settings around it: which line uses data, which line roams, and when the plan's validity starts counting.

Before you start

Check these four things first. They prevent almost every failed install.

1. Your iPhone supports eSIM and is unlocked. Every iPhone from the XS and XR onward has eSIM. The phone must also be carrier-unlocked: go to Settings > General > About and look for Carrier Lock. "No SIM restrictions" means you are fine. If you are unsure about your model, see which phones are eSIM compatible.
2. You are on Wi-Fi. The eSIM profile is downloaded over the internet, so you need a stable connection during installation.
3. You know the plan's activation policy. Some plans start counting their validity the moment the eSIM is installed. Others only start on the first connection to a network in the destination. Read the plan details or the confirmation email. Unless it says otherwise, install it a day or two before departure so you are not doing it on airport Wi-Fi with a queue behind you.
4. You have the QR code somewhere other than the phone. You cannot easily scan a QR code displayed on the same screen. Open the email on a laptop, print it, or use one of the alternatives below.

Menu names in this guide are those of US English iOS, where the section is called Cellular. In UK English it is Mobile Data. Labels also move slightly between iOS versions, so if you do not see an exact name, look for the closest equivalent.

Three ways to install the eSIM

Option 1: Scan the QR code

1. Open Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data).
2. Tap Add eSIM. On some iOS versions it is called Add Cellular Plan.
3. Choose Use QR Code and point the camera at the code.
4. Tap Continue, then wait while the profile downloads. Do not leave the screen or lose Wi-Fi during this step.

On iOS 17.4 and later, if the QR code is in an email or web page on the iPhone itself, you can also touch and hold the code image and choose Add eSIM.

Option 2: Enter the details manually

If scanning fails or you only have text, use manual entry.

1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM (or Add Cellular Plan).
2. On the QR code screen, tap Enter Details Manually.
3. Type the SM-DP+ address and the activation code exactly as the provider gave them. A confirmation code is only needed if the provider supplied one.

Copy and paste is safer than typing. A single wrong character produces a vague "unable to complete" error.

Option 3: The provider's app or install link

Many providers let you install directly from their app or from a link in the confirmation email. On iOS 17.4 and later, tapping such a link brings up a notification to activate a new eSIM. Tap it, then Allow and Continue.

Apple's own instructions for every method are on its Set up eSIM on iPhone page.

Set up the two lines correctly

Right after installation, the iPhone asks a few questions. These choices decide whether your trip costs exactly what you paid or comes with a roaming bill from home.

1. Label the lines. Give the new eSIM a clear label such as Travel, and keep your main line as Primary or Personal.
2. Default line for calls and texts: choose your main number. Most travel eSIMs are data-only and have no phone number at all.
3. iMessage and FaceTime: keep your main number so people can still reach you as usual.
4. Cellular Data: choose the travel eSIM.
5. Allow Cellular Data Switching: turn it off. When it is on, the iPhone can fall back to your main line for data whenever the travel line is weak, which is exactly how unexpected roaming charges happen.

You can change all of this later in Settings > Cellular.

Data Roaming: on for travel, off for home

This is the setting people most often get backwards.

• Turn Data Roaming on for the travel eSIM. Go to Settings > Cellular, tap the travel line and enable Data Roaming. Travel eSIMs almost always connect through partner networks, so for the phone it is roaming, even though you pay nothing extra. Without it, the line shows signal but no internet.
• Turn Data Roaming off for your main line. Tap your main line and make sure Data Roaming is off. Combined with Allow Cellular Data Switching off, this keeps your home carrier from charging you for data abroad.

Your main line can still receive calls and texts abroad, and your home carrier may charge for those depending on your plan. If you want zero risk, tap the main line and turn off Turn On This Line for the duration of the trip. You will still get WhatsApp and iMessage over the travel eSIM's data.

When you arrive

1. Turn off Airplane Mode if you used it on the flight.
2. Give the phone a minute or two to find a partner network. The status bar shows two signal indicators; the travel line should pick up a local network name.
3. Open a web page or Google Maps to confirm that data works.
4. If the plan starts on first connection, it starts now. Check the remaining data in the provider's app from time to time. If you are unsure how much you need, see how much data you need when traveling.

Troubleshooting: the eSIM will not connect

Work through these in order. Most problems are solved by the first two.

1. Check Data Roaming on the travel line. Settings > Cellular > travel line > Data Roaming must be on. This is the cause most of the time.
2. Check Cellular Data is set to the travel line. Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data should show the travel label, not your main line.
3. Toggle Airplane Mode. Turn it on, wait about 15 seconds, and turn it off. This forces the phone to search for networks again.
4. Restart the iPhone.
5. Select the network manually. Tap the travel line, open Network Selection, turn off Automatic and wait for the list. Pick a network the provider lists as a partner. If you do not know which, try each one for a minute.
6. Check the APN only if the provider gives one. Most travel eSIMs configure themselves. If the instructions include an APN, enter it under the travel line in Cellular Data Network (this option does not appear on every line). Do not invent one.
7. Contact the provider. If nothing works, the problem may be on their side, such as a plan not yet activated or a network outage. Use their chat or email.

Do not delete and reinstall the eSIM as a troubleshooting step. Most travel eSIMs can only be installed once.

After the trip

When you get home, set Cellular Data back to your main line, turn Data Roaming off on the travel line (or turn the line off with Turn On This Line), and make sure your main line is switched back on.

Think before you tap Delete eSIM. Deleting is permanent, and most travel eSIMs cannot be reinstalled from the same QR code. If the plan still has data, if it allows top-ups, or if you will visit the same place again, simply leave the line turned off. An iPhone can store several eSIMs, so an inactive one costs nothing. Once the plan has expired and cannot be topped up, deleting it is fine.

When you plan the next trip, the eSIM comparator shows the plans for each destination. On Android the steps are different; see how to install an eSIM on Android.

Frequently asked questions

Will I keep my normal phone number?

Yes. Your main line stays active alongside the travel eSIM. As long as you choose your main number as the default line and for iMessage and FaceTime, people reach you exactly as before.

Why does the travel eSIM show signal but no internet?

Almost always because Data Roaming is off for that line, or because Cellular Data is still set to your main line. Check both under Settings > Cellular. If both are correct, toggle Airplane Mode and try selecting a network manually.

Can I use the same eSIM on another phone later?

Generally not. Most travel eSIMs are tied to the device where they were first installed, and deleting one usually means it is gone for good. Some providers can transfer or reissue a profile through support, but do not count on it.