Guide

eSIM QR code: how to activate it and what to do if it won’t scan

How your eSIM QR code arrives, what to do if the camera won’t read it, how long it stays valid and how to install the profile manually without a second device.

Published September 15, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 · 7 min read · MoreSim editorial team

An eSIM QR code is the key to downloading your profile: your phone reads it in the cellular settings and pulls the eSIM from the carrier’s server. That’s why you need internet to install it, why you scan it from a second screen, and why a deleted profile usually can’t be reinstalled from the same image. If the camera won’t read the code, you can type the same details in manually.

How do I get my eSIM QR code, and where is it stored?

With MoreSim, the eSIM QR code arrives in the @moresim_bot Telegram chat about 30 seconds after payment: first as an image, then as a separate block with the activation details in case you don’t need the camera at all. You can pay with Telegram Stars from any country, right in the bot (bank card and SBP payments currently work with cards issued in Russia), and the catalog covers 200+ destinations. The same code is always available in your account on the website.

No need to print the image or copy it anywhere. Just open the code on a second device — a laptop, a tablet, a travel buddy’s phone — or use manual entry. The one rule: don’t forward the code to strangers and don’t install the profile “just to try”. There’s one of it, and it works once.

Another common reason a code gets “lost” is that it’s scrolled far up the chat or the email landed in the wrong folder. In the bot, all your orders and codes are kept in the history, so there’s no need to dig through messages. If you bought on the website, the same list is in your account.

How to activate an eSIM with a QR code, step by step

To activate an eSIM with a QR code, connect to Wi-Fi, open the add-eSIM option in your cellular settings and scan the code from a second screen. It works the same on any phone; only the menu names differ, so go by meaning: it may say “Add eSIM,” “Add mobile plan” or “Download a SIM.”

1. Connect to Wi-Fi: the profile downloads from a server, and the connection needs to hold for the whole install.
2. Open your cellular or mobile network settings and find the SIM section.
3. Choose the option to add an eSIM or a mobile plan.
4. Open the QR code on a second screen and point the camera at it.
5. Wait for the profile to download and confirm the install without leaving the settings screen.
6. Give the new line a clear name and check that it shows up in the list.
7. Keep the line off until you land: the plan starts counting from its first connection to a network in your destination.

The path to this menu varies by system: on iPhone the section is called Cellular (Mobile Data in some regions), on Samsung it’s SIM manager, and on Pixel it’s Network & internet. Detailed instructions for each system are in other articles in our journal, but the steps with the code itself are the same everywhere.

What to do if your eSIM QR code won’t scan

When an eSIM QR code won’t scan, the most common reason is that it’s open on the same phone you’re trying to install it on: a camera physically can’t capture its own screen. The other cases are best worked through in order, from simple to tricky.

1. Open the code on a different screen: a laptop, a tablet or another phone.
2. Make the image full-screen and turn the brightness all the way up.
3. Wipe the camera lens and get rid of glare — a matte screen under a lamp reads better than a glossy one by a window.
4. Hold the phone steady, about a hand’s width from the image, and give the camera a second to focus.
5. If the scanner in settings doesn’t respond at all, close it and open it again, or restart the phone.
6. Still no luck? Switch to entering the activation details manually — it’s a fully equivalent method.
7. If the details don’t work, contact support rather than trying to guess them.

A different situation is an error message after scanning, when the profile started downloading and then failed. That’s usually a connection issue: check your Wi-Fi and try again. If the error keeps coming back, don’t delete anything manually — contact support right away, or you risk losing the profile.

How to install an eSIM without a QR code: manual entry

You can install an eSIM without a QR code by entering the details manually: the setup menu has an option like “Enter details manually,” where you type in the lines that came with the image. It’s the way to go when there’s no second screen at hand. The exact wording depends on the OS version.

• SM-DP+ address — the activation server address, a long string.
• Activation code — a string of characters that identifies your specific profile.
• Confirmation code — not always needed, but if you got one, keep it handy.
• Copy each line in full, with every dot and hyphen, and don’t add spaces.

Manual entry gives exactly the same result as scanning: the phone contacts the same server and downloads the same profile. The easiest way is to copy the lines straight from the bot chat — that rules out typos, which are the main source of errors here.

How long is an eSIM QR code valid?

An eSIM QR code has two separate time limits, and people mix them up all the time. The first is how long you have to download the profile to your phone. The carrier sets it, it varies by plan and it’s listed in the plan details; if you’re unsure, ask support before you buy.

The second is the life of the plan itself. The plan starts counting from its first connection to a network in your destination — not when you pay or install. That’s why buying an eSIM in advance and installing it calmly at home is standard practice: you don’t lose any days of your trip.

Can I reinstall an eSIM or move it to a new phone?

A deleted profile usually can’t be reinstalled from the same code, and moving an installed eSIM straight to another phone doesn’t always work either: the profile is tied to that phone’s chip. Some systems can transfer lines when you set up a new device, but it depends on the model, OS version and carrier.

If you do get a new phone, don’t delete the profile from the old one “just in case” — contact support first and explain the situation. Sometimes the profile can be reissued; sometimes it makes more sense to finish the trip on the old phone. DIY experiments here usually end with a lost plan.

If your data has run out but your trip hasn’t, there’s nothing to reinstall: top up with “Top up data” on the eSIM card in your account or in the bot’s app, if top-ups are available for that plan, and the data is added to your current profile. That’s the main reason not to mess with a working line — almost anything can be solved without a new install.

If the code won’t scan or the profile won’t download, message us before you delete anything. Most of the time we sort it out in a few minutes: support is available via /support in the bot, a ticket in your account and email at admin@moresim.online.