An eSIM is easy once you have done it. The first time has a few traps, almost all of which happen before you leave the house.
A week before
- Check the phone. It must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Dial
*#06#: an EID means the hardware is there. Carrier lock is separate, and your carrier can confirm it. The full check. - Work out how much data you need. Most trips need less than people buy. Size it by activity.
- Check your route. If you are crossing borders, confirm every country you will use data in is covered, or plan a second plan. One eSIM or several.
The night before
- Buy the plan and install the profile while you have Wi-Fi. Installing downloads the profile, so it cannot be done with no connection. This is the first mistake: people wait until they land, then find they need data to get data.
- Do not delete the profile. An eSIM installs once. Deleting it from the phone destroys it, and a deleted or installed eSIM is not refundable. This is the second mistake.
- Label the line something obvious, like Travel, so you can tell it apart in settings when you are tired.
- Leave the travel line switched off. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination, not when you buy it.
- Download offline maps, your boarding passes and anything you plan to watch.
At the airport
- Turn off mobile data on your home line if you want to be certain no roaming charges appear. Leave the line itself enabled so SMS codes still arrive.
- Check you can find the QR code or activation code again if you need it. In our app it sits on the eSIM itself, and it is also in your email.
After you land
- Switch the travel line on.
- Turn on data roaming for that line. A travel eSIM is always roaming by definition, so this is required, not optional.
- Set it as your data line.
- Turn Wi-Fi off for a moment to confirm data is flowing.
If nothing arrives, work through the no-data steps in order. The first two fix almost every case.
While you are away
Watch the usage counter rather than guessing. If you are running low, topping up a reusable plan adds data to the eSIM already on your phone, with nothing new to install. If the plan does not support top-up, buying a second plan is a two-minute job, as long as you have Wi-Fi to install it.
Ready to pick a plan? Start with destinations, or get the app so the eSIM, the usage and the alerts live in one place.