How to set up a travel eSIM: install and activate

Last updated: 13 June 2026

Installing a travel eSIM takes about two minutes. Do it at home on Wi-Fi before you fly, and you'll be online the moment you land.

When to install

Install before you travel, while you're on Wi-Fi. Installing does not start the clock: a plan's validity period begins when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination, not when you add it. So set everything up in advance and simply switch it on when you arrive.

Install on iPhone

1. Have the QR code from your email or order page ready on another screen — or use the one-tap install button on the phone itself.
2. Go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Add eSIM > Use QR Code.
3. Scan the code and follow the prompts. Label it something like “Travel” so it's easy to find later.

Install on Android

1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs (the wording varies by brand) and choose Add eSIM or Download a SIM instead.
2. Select the option to scan a QR code and point the camera at it.
3. Confirm the download and give the plan a name.

When you land: turn it on

1. Enable the travel eSIM line.
2. Turn on data roaming for that line. This is the step most people miss — on a travel eSIM, roaming is simply how it connects to the local network, and it does not cost extra.
3. Set the travel eSIM as your line for mobile data, and leave your home SIM as the line for calls and texts so you keep your number.

If you don't get a connection

Give it a minute on arrival, then: toggle airplane mode off and on; confirm data roaming is enabled for the travel eSIM; and if automatic selection stalls, pick the network manually in your settings' carrier/network selection. Our support page has the full checklist, and live chat gets you a human.

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Not sure your phone is compatible? Read does my phone support eSIM?