eSIM on iPhone, the iOS-specific details

Which iPhones support eSIM

The shortcut: iPhone XR or XS and newer. The full list lives on the compatibility page, including the mainland-China hardware lockout, which has no workaround.

Sources: Apple's SIM type by country, Dual SIM, eSIM setup and eSIM in mainland China articles (the last one also covers iPhone Duo, which launched after the others were published), and the iPhone SE (2nd gen) specs.

The toggle every iPhone traveler should turn off

Get this one setting right and you avoid the most common source of surprise roaming bills.

Settings, Cellular, Allow Cellular Data Switching. Turn it off.

With this setting on (the default), iPhone silently falls back to your home line whenever the travel eSIM signal weakens. That fallback triggers your home carrier's roaming rate, which usually runs $10 to $15 per day. A brief eSIM dropout in a metro tunnel or on the edge of coverage can quietly cost more than the entire travel eSIM plan.

With it off, your iPhone stays on the eSIM line. If the eSIM briefly loses signal, you lose data for the duration of the dropout (a minute or two, usually) instead of paying home carrier roaming for the rest of the trip.

The three ways to install on iPhone

Pick whichever your provider supports. Method 2 (provider app) is the easiest if available. The full step-by-step walkthrough for each is also in the general setup guide.

1. 01
   Method 1: scan the QR code

   Settings, Cellular, Add eSIM, Use QR Code. Hold the iPhone over the QR code on a second screen or printout. The iPhone reads it within a second or two. If the QR will not scan, screenshot it from the provider's email and try scanning from a different device.

2. 02
   Method 2: install directly from the provider's app

   Major providers (Saily, Nomad, GigSky) offer one-tap install from inside their iOS app after purchase. The app calls into iOS's eSIM install flow directly; no QR scanning, no manual entry. Fastest method when available.

3. 03
   Method 3: manual entry as a fallback

   If the QR fails and the app does not have direct install: Settings, Cellular, Add eSIM, Enter Details Manually. Paste the SM-DP+ Address and Activation Code from the provider's email. Rare path, but useful when other methods are not working.

Configuring dual SIM on iPhone

Four settings, one minute, leave alone for the trip. Same idea as on Pixel and Samsung; the menu names are slightly different.

1. 01
   Set Default Voice Line

   Settings, Cellular, Default Voice Line. Pick your home number. Outgoing calls, iMessage, and FaceTime use this line.

2. 02
   Set Cellular Data line

   Same Cellular screen. Set the Cellular Data line to your travel eSIM. All data traffic now flows here.

3. 03
   Turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching

   The most important toggle on this entire page. Off. See the section above for why.

4. 04
   Turn Data Roaming OFF on home, ON for travel eSIM

   Tap the home line, Data Roaming off. Tap the travel eSIM line, Data Roaming on (yes, travel eSIMs need this even though they are not technically roaming on their home network).

Moving an eSIM to a new iPhone (eSIM Quick Transfer)

A direct iPhone-to-iPhone eSIM transfer; Apple's current steps need iOS 18.4 or later on both phones. It works well for carrier eSIMs and sometimes for travel eSIMs.

1. 01
   During new-phone setup, transfer your number

   Apple's setup flow lists any eSIM lines installed on your old iPhone and asks if you want to transfer them. Pick the ones you want and continue.

2. 02
   Or, after setup: Settings, Cellular, Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM

   Pick the number to move, or tap Transfer From Nearby iPhone. Keep the old iPhone close with Bluetooth on; confirm on it or enter the code the new iPhone shows.

3. 03
   If a transfer fails

   Travel eSIMs sometimes do not transfer cleanly (carrier eSIMs almost always do). When this happens, contact the provider through the app or email. Most providers will reissue a QR code for the new iPhone; some charge a fee, so ask first.

Managing multiple eSIM profiles

Apple says an iPhone can store eight or more eSIMs, with two lines active at once. The dormant ones cost nothing until you toggle them on.

Four small operations come up over and over once you start traveling regularly with eSIM:

• Label a line: tap the line in Cellular settings, Cellular Plan Label. Pick a destination name like Japan or Spain Trip. Makes the line picker much faster on future trips.
• Switch the active data line: Cellular settings, Cellular Data, pick the line. Useful when you cross borders mid-trip and want to swap to a different regional eSIM.
• Top up an existing line: through the provider's app, not through iOS. iOS just hosts the profile; the data balance is managed by the provider's backend.
• Delete an eSIM: tap the line, scroll to the bottom, Remove eSIM. Note that some providers do not allow re-installing a deleted profile, so prefer leaving dormant profiles in place if you might revisit.