How to Set Up eSIM on iPhone, Step by Step

Smooth metal where a SIM tray used to be is how many newer iPhones come, and it doesn't mean a part is missing. Your phone service just goes on in a different way, and it takes a few minutes in Settings.

An eSIM is a SIM card built into your iPhone as software, so there's nothing to insert. To set up eSIM on iPhone, connect to Wi-Fi, open Settings > Cellular and tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM. From there you add your plan one of four ways: scan your carrier's QR code, use your carrier's app, transfer your number from your old iPhone, or convert a physical SIM. Your carrier needs to support eSIM.

What Is an eSIM? The SIM Card, Minus the Card

An eSIM does the same job as a plastic SIM card: it tells your carrier which phone number and plan belong to this phone. The difference is where it lives. Instead of a chip you push into a tray, the details are downloaded and stored on the device itself.

Think of a paper boarding pass versus the one saved in your phone's wallet. Both get you on the plane. One just can't fall out of your pocket.

This means an eSIM isn't a new kind of phone service. Your carrier, your plan and your number work the same way. Only the delivery changes, which is why setup is a few taps instead of a paperclip and a tiny tray.

Does Your iPhone Have a SIM Tray? Check Before You Call Your Carrier

If your iPhone was bought in the United States and it's an iPhone 14 or newer, it most likely has no SIM tray and works with eSIM only. Apple's page "Learn which size SIM your iPhone or iPad uses" (read October 23, 2026) lists these US models as eSIM only:

• iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models
• iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e models
• iPhone 17, iPhone 17e and iPhone Air
• The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

The same models bought outside the US have both an eSIM and a nano-SIM tray. Older iPhones, up to the iPhone 13 line, keep a tray, and every model from the iPhone XS and XR on can also use an eSIM, per Apple.

Here is how to check your own phone in under a minute:

• Look at the Left Side: A tray shows up as a thin oval outline with a pinhole beside it. A smooth edge means eSIM only.
• Look for the EID: Open Settings > General > About and scroll down. An EID number there means the phone supports eSIM.

So if your iPhone 14 is eSIM only, there's no card to move over from your old phone. Your number has to come across as an eSIM.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

Setup goes fastest when you gather a few things first:

• A Plan: An active plan you're moving over, or an eSIM code from the carrier you're joining. If you don't have a carrier yet, choose one before you start.
• Wi-Fi: Apple asks for a Wi-Fi network or a hotspot during eSIM setup, since the eSIM downloads over the internet.
• An Updated iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If you're moving from an old iPhone, update that one too.
• An Unlocked iPhone: Open Settings > General > About and find Carrier Lock. If it reads "No SIM restrictions," your iPhone is unlocked and ready for another carrier's eSIM. If it shows a carrier name, only that carrier can unlock it, and Apple notes that can take several days.
• Your Carrier Login: Your account username and password, or the account PIN, in case the carrier asks you to confirm it's you.

How to Set Up eSIM on iPhone: Four Ways to Do It

You can set up eSIM on iPhone with a QR code, a carrier app, a transfer from your old iPhone, or by converting a physical SIM. Which one you use depends on what your carrier offers. The steps below follow Apple's support page "Set up eSIM on iPhone" (read October 23, 2026), not hands-on testing by Plug, and the exact wording on your screen can differ slightly by iOS version.

1. Scan a QR Code

Your carrier may send a QR code by email, print it on a card, or show it in your online account. Here is how to use it:

1. Open Settings > Cellular.
2. Tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM. If you see Other Options, tap that first.
3. Tap Use QR Code and point the camera at the code.
4. Enter a confirmation code if your carrier gave you one.
5. Follow the prompts to name the line and choose it as your default.

If the QR code arrived in an email or on a web page on the same iPhone, you can't point the camera at it. On iOS 17.4 or later, Apple lists a shortcut for certain codes: touch and hold the code, then tap Add eSIM.

2. Use Your Carrier's App

Some carriers let you set up eSIM inside their own app. Download the carrier's app from the App Store, sign in, and look for an option to activate or add a line on this device. The app opens the setup screen in Settings for you, and you confirm with a tap. If the app doesn't show that option, the QR code route is the fallback.

3. Transfer From Your Old iPhone

If your number already lives on another iPhone, you can move it without calling anyone, as long as your carrier supports eSIM Quick Transfer.

1. Keep both iPhones nearby, unlocked, on Wi-Fi and updated.
2. On the new iPhone, open Settings > Cellular and tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM.
3. Pick the phone number you want to move. If no numbers show up, look for Transfer From Nearby iPhone.
4. Confirm on the old iPhone when it asks.

You can also do this during the first setup screens of a brand-new iPhone. Apple notes that with iOS 26 or later, you can transfer more than one phone number at once. One thing to know before you start: when the plan activates on the new iPhone, the SIM on the old one is deactivated. Don't wipe the old phone until calls and texts work on the new one, and back it up first. If it's going to someone else, check Activation Lock before you hand it over.

4. Convert a Physical SIM to an eSIM

If your iPhone has a tray and a SIM card in it, you can turn that line into an eSIM, if your carrier supports it. Apple's iPhone User Guide describes the path: Settings > Cellular, tap the number, then tap Convert to eSIM. Once the eSIM activates, the physical SIM card stops working, so you can take it out.

Moving from Android? With iOS 26 and Android 16, some carriers can move an eSIM from an Android phone straight to an iPhone. Apple's page "Transfer your eSIM from Android to iPhone" lists the requirements (an iPhone 11 or later, an Android phone whose maker supports the transfer, both on Wi-Fi with Bluetooth on) and names AT&T, Cricket, FirstNet, T-Mobile, Verizon and Xfinity Mobile as US carriers that support it. On the iPhone, the option sits under Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Transfer from Android.

If the QR Code Won't Scan

A code that won't scan rarely means the eSIM is broken. Try these in order:

• Give the Camera a Clean Look: Turn up the brightness on the screen showing the code, or move a printed card into good light. Fit the whole code in the frame and hold steady.
• Enter the Details by Hand: On the QR code screen, tap Enter Details Manually and type in the details your carrier gives you. Ask the carrier for them if they weren't included with the code.
• Ask for a New Code: Some carriers' codes stop working after the first use. If yours was scanned before, even on a different phone, ask your carrier for a fresh one.

eSIM Not Working? Fix It in This Order

If the eSIM is installed but you can't call, text or get online, Apple's support page "If you can't set up an eSIM on your iPhone" gives this order:

1. Turn Airplane Mode on, wait a few seconds, then turn it off.
2. Open Settings > Cellular. If your number is listed, turn that line off and back on.
3. Restart your iPhone.
4. Go to Settings > General > About. If a carrier settings update is waiting, a prompt appears; tap Update.
5. Check Carrier Lock on that same About screen. Anything other than "No SIM restrictions" means the phone is locked to a carrier.

Still stuck? Contact your carrier for help, and have these ready: the exact error message, your phone number, your account login, and the iPhone's IMEI or EID. Both numbers are in Settings > General > About.

One thing not to do: don't delete the eSIM to start over unless your carrier tells you to. According to Apple's guidance on erasing an eSIM, deleting it doesn't cancel your plan, but it does mean your carrier has to send you a new one.

eSIM vs Physical SIM: What Changes for You

For most people, eSIM vs physical SIM comes down to how you move and manage your line. Day to day, calls and texts work the same.

	eSIM	Physical SIM
Getting a new phone	Transfer it in Settings, if your carrier supports it	Move the card to the new phone's tray
Adding a second line	iPhone 13 and later can run two eSIMs at once	One card per tray, plus an eSIM if the phone has both
Lost or stolen phone	Nothing to pull out of the phone	The card can be removed
Carrier support	The carrier must support eSIM	Works with carriers that issue SIM cards, if the phone is unlocked or on that carrier

Apple notes that an eSIM is harder to lose or have stolen, since it can't be pulled out of a missing phone.

Setting Up a Plug Certified iPhone

Plug sells each Plug Certified iPhone unlocked, so any carrier that supports eSIM on that model can work with it. Plug's iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models are eSIM only, so plan on one of the four routes above.

If you bought The Connected Pack, your Plug Certified iPhone arrives with a month of Boost Mobile unlimited 5G service and a Boost activation insert in the box (there is also a step-by-step guide to activating eSIM for Boost Mobile). There's no physical SIM card. Scan the QR code on the insert to open Plug's activation page, then choose "Activate with eSIM." That choice matters: picking a different option can stop the phone from activating. After that, enter the code on the insert, pick your plan, and the eSIM installs over Wi-Fi.

If Boost isn't the carrier you want, nothing about the phone holds you to it. Set up your own carrier's eSIM the same way as any unlocked iPhone.

Once the line works, set up an Apple ID on the new iPhone if you haven't yet, and check its battery health. If the phone is a present, the guide to setting up an iPhone you got as a gift covers the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the iPhone 13 eSIM only?

No. The iPhone 13 takes a nano-SIM card and an eSIM, so you can use either one. If you're upgrading from a 13 to an eSIM-only model, the card in it can't come along. Your number moves over as an eSIM instead, and the 13 stops connecting once it does.

Where is the SIM card on an iPhone 14?

A US iPhone 14 doesn't have one, and there's nothing to buy or insert. Your carrier sends the SIM to the phone over the internet. If a store or carrier offers you a SIM card for it, ask for an eSIM or a QR code instead.

Why is eSIM not appearing on my iPhone?

If you don't see Add eSIM or Set Up Cellular at all, first install any waiting iOS update. If the option is still missing after that, call your carrier and ask whether it supports eSIM on your exact iPhone model. If your line shows in Settings but is grayed out, it's switched off: tap it and turn it on.

Can I transfer an eSIM myself?

Yes, on carriers that support eSIM Quick Transfer, with no store visit or phone call. If your carrier doesn't offer it, the number can still move. In that case, ask the carrier to email you a fresh QR code tied to the new phone.

Can I use two eSIMs on an iPhone 14?

Yes. Apple's page "Using Dual SIM with an eSIM" says iPhone 13 models and later support Dual SIM with two eSIMs, so a work and a personal number can share one phone. Travelers can read about using an unlocked iPhone 14 abroad with a SIM or eSIM. You can store several eSIMs, though two lines are on at a time.

If your eSIM still won't connect after all of this, your carrier is the one who can see what's wrong on their side. Call them with your IMEI or EID from Settings > General > About in hand.