Tech

eSIM on Xiaomi, Honor and Huawei: how to check and set it up

Whether a Xiaomi supports eSIM depends on the firmware, not just the model. Where to find the eSIM option in MIUI, HyperOS, MagicOS and EMUI, and what to do if it isn’t there.

Published September 16, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 · 7 min read · MoreSim editorial team

Whether a Xiaomi, Honor or Huawei phone supports eSIM depends on the regional firmware version as well as the model, so two identical-looking phones can give different answers. The reliable way to know is to check your own phone: search Settings for “eSIM” and look for an EID after dialing *#06#. If the option is there, a travel eSIM installs from a QR code in the SIM cards section, as a second line next to your home SIM.

Why is eSIM on Xiaomi, Honor and Huawei so confusing?

With many brands, eSIM support is tied to the model: if you have that phone, you have the feature. Xiaomi, Honor and Huawei follow a different logic. The same smartphone ships in versions for different markets, each with its own firmware. One regional build has eSIM enabled, another doesn’t, even though the hardware inside may be identical.

Then add the renaming. Product lines move from brand to brand, the Android skin changes its name with a major update, and menu items move from one section to another. That’s why a guide you found online a year ago often doesn’t match what you see on your screen. It’s not a fault or a bug; it’s just a different system version.

The takeaway is simple: don’t trust lists that say “model X supports eSIM, model Y doesn’t”. Check the phone in your hand, not the name on the box.

How do you check whether your Xiaomi supports eSIM?

You can check eSIM support on a Xiaomi in a couple of minutes: the feature exists on phones whose current firmware has it enabled. There are several ways to check, and they complement each other, so it’s best to go through all of them.

1. Open Settings and use the search bar: type “eSIM”. If the section exists, it shows up right away.
2. Look in SIM card management: next to the physical slots there’s usually an option to add an eSIM.
3. Dial *#06# in the Phone app. If there’s an EID in the list (a long number next to the IMEI), the phone has an eSIM chip physically installed.
4. Open “About phone”: it shows the skin and build version. That info comes in handy if you need to ask support.
5. Run your model through the compatibility check in the @moresim_bot bot; it answers the same question without digging through menus.

An EID is a good sign, but not a 100% guarantee: sometimes the chip is there but the firmware has no interface to set it up. The deciding factor is a working menu option that actually lets you add an eSIM profile.

Where is the eSIM option in MIUI, HyperOS, MagicOS and EMUI?

The section names below are a guide, not exact labels: wording differs between versions of each skin, and the option may sit one level deeper or higher. Search by meaning: “add”, “SIM cards”, “mobile network”.

If settings search comes up empty, don’t scroll through the menus a second time. Chances are the section really isn’t there; what to do in that case is covered below.

How to install an eSIM on Xiaomi, Honor and Huawei

Installing an eSIM works the same way on all three Android skins: the phone reads a QR code and downloads the profile from a server. Only the menu names along the way differ.

1. Connect to stable Wi-Fi: the profile downloads from the internet, and you don’t want it cutting out halfway.
2. Open the SIM cards section and choose to add a new one. Depending on your system version it’s called “Add eSIM”, “Download profile” or something similar.
3. Point the camera at the QR code. With MoreSim, the code arrives in the chat about 30 seconds after you order.
4. Wait for the profile to download.
5. Give the new line a clear name, such as the country, so you don’t confuse it with your home SIM.
6. Select the eSIM for cellular data and turn on data roaming for it: most travel eSIMs connect to a local carrier’s network as roaming SIMs, so without it you won’t get data.
7. Turn off cellular data on your home SIM so your data doesn’t go through your home carrier.

It’s best to install the eSIM at home. The plan doesn’t start counting when you install it but on its first connection in your destination, so an eSIM installed in advance doesn’t use up any days. Hunting for Wi-Fi at the arrivals airport just to download a profile is no fun.

Your home number isn’t going anywhere: the eSIM installs as a second line, and your physical SIM stays in its slot. Calls and texts to your home number keep coming in as long as that line is switched on; for bank texts to reach you abroad, your carrier has to offer roaming in the country. Our separate article on using two lines covers the details.

Why is there no eSIM option in your settings?

If the eSIM section isn’t in the menu or in settings search, it usually comes down to one of four reasons.

• The phone was built for a market where eSIM is disabled: the hardware is there, the interface isn’t.
• The firmware is outdated. An official system update sometimes helps, but don’t count on it as the fix.
• It’s a dual physical SIM version that doesn’t support eSIM at all.
• The phone runs an unofficial ROM, so its behavior is unpredictable and nobody guarantees the feature works.

What you definitely shouldn’t do is install a “universal ROM with eSIM” on the advice of some forum. The risk of bricking the phone or voiding the warranty is higher than the chance of switching the feature on. If eSIM isn’t available on your phone, the usual travel options remain: a local SIM card, a pocket router or hotel Wi-Fi.

What should you check on a phone bought abroad or secondhand?

On a phone bought abroad or secondhand, check two things: the regional firmware version and whether it’s locked to a carrier. Phones brought back from a trip or ordered from another country are the biggest source of surprises: it looks like the same model, but the firmware is for a different market, and the feature set can differ either way.

Secondhand phones add a second question on top of the regional version: is the phone locked to a specific carrier? Carrier versions sometimes block other carriers’ eSIM profiles. Check the actual menu on the switched-on phone when you meet the seller, not the description in the listing.

If you’re buying a phone specifically for travel, check two things in Settings: whether there’s an option to add an eSIM, and whether an EID shows up in the device info. Both checks take a minute and settle most questions before you hand over any money.

If there’s no eSIM option in your menu, message us via /support in the bot with your model and the skin version from “About phone”. We’ll tell you whether it’s the regional firmware or the section is just somewhere else. Support is available via /support in the bot, a ticket in your account and email.