Install an eSIM on iPhone: QR code and manual entry steps

On an iPhone, install an eSIM through Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Use QR Code. Download the profile over stable Wi-Fi, give the line a recognizable name, and then select it for mobile data. For a travel eSIM, enable data roaming only when you want to use the plan.

HolySim advice: keep the QR code and do not delete a partially installed profile. Many installation codes are single-use.

Check this before you begin

Display the QR code on a second screen and connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi. Also check three device requirements:

• you have an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, or newer, subject to possible regional exceptions;
• the iPhone is carrier-unlocked if you are adding an eSIM from another provider;
• iOS is up to date and there is room for another eSIM profile.

Apple lists an internet connection and an eSIM-supporting carrier as basic requirements for setting up eSIM on iPhone. The exact model and sales region remain relevant. Also look up your device in the HolySim device checker.

Install an eSIM with a QR code

Open the QR code from your order email or customer account on a laptop, tablet, or second phone. Do not publish it or share it in a group chat.

1. Open Settings on the iPhone.
2. Tap Cellular or Mobile Data.
3. Select Add eSIM.
4. Tap Use QR Code.
5. Point the camera at the complete code.
6. Tap Continue when the iPhone displays the cellular plan.
7. Wait until the eSIM appears among your SIMs.

Do not close Settings while the profile is downloading. Scanning may finish quickly, but the network status can remain on Activating for a few minutes. If you are not yet at the destination covered by your travel eSIM, full network activation may not happen until arrival.

Is the QR code on the same iPhone? Use the installation link if HolySim supplied one with your plan, open the image through the supported installation method, or enter the details manually. Simply viewing a QR code with the regular Camera app is not always sufficient to add the plan.

Add an eSIM manually

Use manual entry if scanning fails and your order includes an SM-DP+ address and activation code.

1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM.
2. Select Use QR Code.
3. Tap Enter Details Manually at the bottom.
4. Copy the SM-DP+ address and activation code exactly.
5. Enter a confirmation code only if one was provided separately.
6. Confirm and wait for the line to appear.

Do not add spaces or confuse the letter O with the number 0. If scanning and manual entry produce the same error, do not keep retrying. Record the exact message and verify that the QR code has not already been used.

Give the lines clear names

iOS may ask how you want to label the new line. For example, use Personal for your regular SIM and HolySim travel for the eSIM. This makes the next settings safer.

Select your regular number as the default line for calls and messages if the HolySim plan is data-only. Select the travel eSIM under Cellular Data. Turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching if you do not want the iPhone to use your regular SIM for data without warning when coverage is weak.

Configure data roaming for a travel eSIM

Open Settings > Cellular, tap the eSIM you just added, and enable Data Roaming when you are at a valid destination. Keep roaming disabled on your regular SIM if you do not want foreign usage on that line.

Installing and using are not the same thing. The eSIM can already be stored as a profile on the iPhone while the plan has not yet found a local network. Read the product terms or order email to check whether validity starts at installation, on a fixed date, or upon the first network connection.

Test without Wi-Fi

First check that the new line is enabled and selected for mobile data. Then briefly turn off Wi-Fi and open a new web page in Safari. A page loading over 4G, LTE, or 5G confirms that the data connection works.

If you have a signal but no page loads, check the selected data line, data roaming, and APN. If you see No Service or SOS Only, move to an open location and check network registration. Do not delete the profile as the first troubleshooting step in either case.

Sources and editorial review

The installation path and device requirements were checked with Apple. The plan's start time, QR-code reuse, and manual details depend on the selected eSIM plan. Last editorial review: July 15, 2026.