You bought a travel eSIM and the QR code is in your inbox. This guide shows how to install it on an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy or a Google Pixel, how to switch it on when you land, and what to check if it does not connect. Setup takes about five minutes, and the best time to do it is before you leave home.
Before you start: three quick checks
- Your phone supports eSIM. Dial *#06#. If an EID number appears, the phone has eSIM hardware.
- Your phone is not locked to one carrier. A locked phone may refuse a second network. Check in your phone settings or ask your carrier.
- You are on Wi-Fi. Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home or at the hotel, not in the arrivals hall without signal.
Still choosing a plan? Our guide to local vs regional travel eSIMs explains which one fits your trip.
Step 1: Find your QR code
After payment, your eSIM details arrive by email: a QR code, and often the details for manual entry as well. Keep that email until your trip is over. The easiest way to scan is to open the email on a second screen, such as a laptop, and scan it with your phone.
Step 2: Install the eSIM
On iPhone
- Open the Camera app and point it at the QR code.
- Tap the Cellular Plan Detected notification.
- Tap Continue, then Add Cellular Plan.
Only have one screen? On iOS 17.4 or later you can press and hold the QR code in the email and tap Add eSIM. If the code will not scan, go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Add Cellular Plan > Enter Details Manually and type in the details from your email.
On Samsung Galaxy
- Open Settings > Connections > SIM card manager (called SIM manager on some models).
- Tap Add mobile plan, then Add using QR code.
- Scan the code and confirm.
On Google Pixel
- Open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs.
- Tap Add SIM, then Set up an eSIM, and follow the prompts to scan the code.
Other Android phones use similar wording, usually under Settings, then Connections, Network or SIM.
Give the new line a clear name, such as "Travel" or the country name, when the phone asks. It makes the next step much easier.
Step 3: Do not delete it before you travel
Once installed, leave the eSIM on your phone, even if it shows no signal at home. That is normal: it only connects to networks in the country or region it covers. Removing the eSIM to "start again" may mean the same QR code cannot be used a second time, so contact support before you delete anything.
Step 4: Switch it on when you land
- Turn the travel line on in the same SIM or Cellular menu.
- Set it as the line for mobile data. On iPhone: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, then choose the travel line. On Android: open the SIM manager and choose the travel eSIM for mobile data.
- Turn on data roaming for the travel line if the instructions in your eSIM email say so. Many travel plans need it to connect.
- Decide what to do with your home line. You can keep it on for calls and texts, but your home carrier may charge roaming fees while you are abroad. If you do not need it, switch it off or turn off its roaming.
Most travel eSIMs are data only, so you will not get a new phone number. WhatsApp and other messaging apps keep working with your usual account over the eSIM's data.
Not connecting? Work through this list
- Restart the phone. This fixes a surprising number of first connections.
- Check that the travel line is turned on and selected for mobile data.
- Check that data roaming is on for the travel line.
- Make sure you are inside the country or region your plan covers.
- Toggle airplane mode on for ten seconds, then off, so the phone searches for networks again.
Still no data? Contact support with your order number and a screenshot of your SIM settings.
Need a plan?
Refillarena has local eSIMs for single countries and regional eSIMs for trips across several countries, and you can pay with crypto or a card.
Ready to get started?
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