eSIM not working: what you can do

Your eSIM is not working, and of course it is at the worst possible moment. Take a breath: in most cases it is not your plan that is broken, but a single setting that is still switched off. There is a good chance you will be back online within two minutes.

Below you will find the quick fixes that solve most problems first. If those do not do it, we will calmly walk through the less obvious causes, with the exact steps for iPhone and Android.

Start here: the quick fixes

Run through these five in order. Stop the moment you have internet again.

1. Turn airplane mode on for 15 seconds, then off. This forces your phone to look for a network again. Surprisingly often, this is all it takes.
2. Check that mobile data is on for your eSIM. Many people switch data off by accident out of fear of charges. With no mobile data on the right line, nothing happens.
3. Turn on data roaming for your travel eSIM. A travel eSIM uses local networks abroad, and that only works with data roaming on. This is probably the single most common cause.
4. Set your eSIM as the mobile data line. If your regular SIM is still in the phone, it may still be the "default". Assign mobile data to your eSIM.
5. Restart your phone fully. Not just locking the screen, but a real off and on. This clears temporary network glitches.

Nine times out of ten you are back online after this. Still not? Then we dig deeper.

Step 1: is the eSIM line actually on?

The eSIM profile can sit on your phone without the line being active.

• iPhone: go to Settings → Cellular, tap your travel eSIM, and switch on "Turn On This Line".
• Android: go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager (the exact name varies by brand), select your eSIM and turn it on.

Line is on but you see no network name at the top of your screen? Move on to step 2.

Step 2: data roaming and the right data line

These two together are behind most complaints.

• Data roaming on: on iPhone via Settings → Cellular → your eSIM → Cellular Data Options → Data Roaming. On Android via Settings → Connections → SIM manager → your eSIM → Roaming.
• Right data line: make sure mobile data is assigned to your travel eSIM and not your regular SIM. Otherwise your phone connects, but through a card that does nothing abroad.

Important: data roaming only needs to be on for your travel eSIM, not your regular SIM. That keeps you safe from surprise charges on your home plan.

Step 3: signal, but no internet?

Do you see bars or a network name, but pages will not load? Then your eSIM is connecting to the network, but your data is not being routed correctly. Almost always, this is the APN setting.

The APN (Access Point Name) is the address your data travels through. If it is wrong, you have a connection but no internet. It usually fills in automatically, but sometimes you have to do it by hand.

• iPhone: Settings → Cellular → your eSIM → Cellular Data Network. Enter the APN listed in your confirmation email.
• Android: Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Access Point Names (APN) → add a new one using the details from your email.

You always receive the correct APN details with your order. After entering them, toggle airplane mode on and off so the new setting is picked up.

Step 4: still nothing? Reset the network

If none of the above helps, your phone may be stuck on old network settings, for example after an update or an earlier trip.

• Select the network manually. Turn off automatic network selection and pick a local carrier from the list. Sometimes a phone keeps searching for a network that is not there.
• Reset network settings. This wipes all saved networks and returns your connections to default. Note: you will lose your saved wifi passwords, so do this when you have them to hand.

A network reset usually does not remove your eSIM profile, but check afterwards to be sure. If in doubt, do this step on wifi, so you can reinstall the profile if needed.

Step 5: reinstall the profile

Sometimes something goes wrong during the first install and your phone does not recognise the eSIM properly. In that case, remove the profile and install it again.

Do this on wifi if you can, because re-downloading the profile needs internet. Already at your destination with no wifi? Find a café or hotel with a connection. Always keep your original QR code or install link, because you will need it for this.

Check that your phone supports eSIM

Still no luck and not sure your device even qualifies? Dial *#06# on your phone. If an EID number appears, your device has eSIM hardware. No EID means no eSIM support.

Also check that your phone is not network-locked: a device tied to a single carrier sometimes refuses a second eSIM. If in doubt, ask the shop or carrier where you bought your phone.

When to contact support

If you have done every step and it still will not work, the issue is probably on the network side: an activation problem or a temporary outage. Reach out and keep these details to hand so you get helped faster:

• your phone model and operating system;
• which country you are in and which steps you have already tried;
• whether you have signal but no internet, or no connection at all;
• your order number or the confirmation email for your eSIM.