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What Is eSIM? How to Activate It and Its Pros and Cons

Tap a step to see it in order.

  1. What is an eSIM?

    An eSIM is a digital SIM that downloads a carrier profile onto a chip already built into your device, rather than requiring you to insert a physical SIM card. It only works on devices that support eSIM.

  2. Check whether your device supports eSIM

    Recent iPhone models and several newer Android phones support eSIM. If your settings menu shows an option like "Add eSIM" or "Add Cellular Plan," your device supports it.

  3. Request eSIM activation from your carrier

    Request eSIM activation through your carrier's app, website, or a physical store. After identity verification, you'll receive a profile in the form of a QR code β€” a store visit can often get you one issued on the spot.

  4. Scan the QR code to install the profile

    Go into your device's Add eSIM menu and scan the QR code you received. The carrier profile installs automatically and activation is complete.

  5. Pros and cons of eSIM

    An eSIM removes the risk of losing or damaging a physical SIM and lets you register multiple numbers on one device, but its QR code may have a limited number of activation uses, and you may need to reinstall the profile after resetting the device.

Activated in minutes with a single QR code, no physical SIM needed

An eSIM is a digital SIM that installs a carrier profile onto a chip already built into the device. Simply scanning a QR code issued by your carrier completes activation in minutes, with no physical SIM card needed at all.

It works a lot like scanning a Wi-Fi QR code

Installing an eSIM profile works on a similar principle to connecting to Wi-Fi by scanning a QR code β€” both automatically register connection information from a single scan. If you want to explore that comparison further, generating a Wi-Fi QR code for fast network sharing works the same basic way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the eSIM activation QR code be scanned more than once?

Most QR codes are restricted to a single use, so if you switch or reset your device, you'll need to request a new one be reissued by your carrier.

Can I use an eSIM and a physical SIM at the same time?

On a device that supports dual SIM, you can register a physical SIM and an eSIM at the same time, letting you use two numbers on a single device.