How-to
How to install and activate an eSIM on iPhone and Android
Step by step for iPhone, Samsung and Google Pixel: install your travel eSIM at home from a QR code, switch it on with data roaming when you land, and fix a missing network.
The easiest way to install an eSIM is at home over Wi-Fi: open the QR code from the chat on a second screen, scan it in your phone’s cellular settings and give the new line a name. You switch the eSIM on for mobile data, with data roaming, after you land, and your home SIM stays in the phone as a second line. The plan starts counting down from the first connection to a network in your destination country, so installing early doesn’t cost you any paid days.
What to have ready before you install an eSIM
Before you install an eSIM, you need stable Wi-Fi, the QR code on a second screen and a compatible phone that isn’t carrier-locked.
- Stable Wi-Fi: the profile downloads from the internet. If the connection drops mid-download, the QR code may not work a second time, so don’t install on the go or on a weak signal.
- The QR code from the chat, open on a second device or printed out. You can’t point your camera at the same phone’s screen; newer OS versions can read the code from a saved image, but a second screen is easier.
- A charged phone and a few spare minutes, so the profile download isn’t interrupted.
- Confidence your phone is compatible. You can check your model in the bot @moresim_bot, which has an automatic compatibility check.
- A phone that isn’t carrier-locked: a locked phone may reject another carrier’s eSIM.
It’s best to install your eSIM at home, before you fly. The plan starts counting down from the first connection to a network in your destination country, so installing early doesn’t cost you a single paid day. Your home SIM stays put, too: the eSIM goes on as a second line.
How to install an eSIM on iPhone
On iPhone, you add an eSIM under Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM, using the QR code option. According to Apple, on iOS 17.4 and later you can also scan the code with the Camera app: tap the notification, then Continue and Add Cellular Plan.
- Open Settings, then Cellular (Mobile Data in some regions), then Add eSIM.
- Choose the QR code option and point the camera at the code from the chat.
- Confirm adding the cellular plan and wait for the profile to download.
- Give your lines clear names, such as “MoreSim” and “Home”.
- Keep your home line for calls. When asked about cellular data, you can pick your home line for now and switch to “MoreSim” when you land.
After installation, a second line with its own toggle appears in the Cellular section. You can turn it on and off separately without touching your home SIM. That’s also where you later choose the line for cellular data and turn on data roaming for the eSIM.
If you have nothing to scan from, the same menu offers manual entry: the SM-DP+ address and the activation code. If you can’t find these details in the message with the QR code, contact support and they’ll help.
How to install an eSIM on Samsung and Google Pixel
On Samsung, you usually add an eSIM under Settings → Connections → SIM manager. On Google Pixel, according to Google, the path is Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM, then Set up an eSIM. Other Android phones follow a similar logic, but the menu wording varies quite a bit.
- Open the SIM menu and choose to add an eSIM.
- Scan the QR code or enter the details manually.
- Wait for the profile to download without turning off Wi-Fi.
- Check that the new line appears in your list of SIMs.
- Keep mobile data on your home SIM for now and switch it to the eSIM when you land.
On Android, the SIM menu usually lets you pick separate lines for calls, texts and mobile data. Data roaming is turned on in the eSIM line’s own settings, so you won’t need to hunt for it in the general network menu.
| Phone | Where to add an eSIM | Where to pick the data line and roaming |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM | Cellular → Cellular Data; Data Roaming is in the eSIM line’s settings |
| Samsung Galaxy | Settings → Connections → SIM manager | Mobile data in SIM manager; roaming in the mobile network settings |
| Google Pixel | Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM | Network & internet → SIMs: the data line and roaming are in each SIM’s settings |
How to activate your eSIM when you land
Activating your eSIM after landing takes a few steps: turn off airplane mode, pick the eSIM for mobile data, turn on data roaming for it and turn off data on your home SIM.
- After landing, turn off airplane mode.
- Make sure the eSIM line is on.
- Select the eSIM as your cellular data line.
- Turn on data roaming for it: most travel eSIMs connect to the local carrier’s network as a roaming SIM, and without it you won’t get data. If your plan’s instructions say otherwise, follow them.
- On your home SIM, turn off mobile data so you don’t go online through your home carrier. Keep the line itself on if you’re expecting texts from your bank: that requires roaming to be available on your home plan.
- Wait a couple of minutes for the phone to register on a network.
On iPhone, all of this lives in Settings, then Cellular: tap the eSIM line, turn it on along with Data Roaming, then go back, open Cellular Data, pick the eSIM and turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching. Leave that last toggle on and your iPhone may pull data from your home line, for example during a call on it, and your home carrier will bill that at roaming rates.
The plan starts counting down from the first connection to a network in your destination country. From then on you can check your remaining data in the bot or in your account on the website.
Once the phone registers, a signal indicator and a mobile data icon appear next to the eSIM line. Before you leave the airport Wi-Fi zone, turn off Wi-Fi and open any page in your browser. If it loads, you’re all set.
If there’s no data, first check data roaming on the eSIM line and which line is selected for cellular data. If that doesn’t help, message us via /support in the bot and we’ll sort it out together.
What to do if the network doesn’t show up
If the network doesn’t show up a few minutes after landing, work through this list from the top and check whether data is working after each step. Usually the phone finds a network on its own, and the problem is almost always one of the settings below.
- Toggle airplane mode on and off so the phone searches for a network again.
- Restart the phone.
- Check that data roaming is on for the eSIM line, not your home line.
- Try selecting a network manually in the line’s settings instead of automatic selection.
- Make sure the country you’re in is covered by your plan.
- Check that you haven’t run out of data: your balance is shown in the bot and in your account.
How to top up your eSIM without a new install
A MoreSim plan is topped up in the bot @moresim_bot, with no new eSIM and no reinstall. When your data is running low, there’s no need to buy and install another eSIM.
- Open the eSIM card in your account or in the @moresim_bot app.
- Tap “Top up data” — it’s there if top-ups are available for that plan.
- Choose a plan and pay by bank card or SBP, which currently work with cards issued in Russia (Telegram Stars aren’t accepted for top-ups).
The plan is added to your existing profile with no reinstall, and you don’t need to touch your line settings. Pro tip: check your balance ahead of time, say the evening before a day of driving and navigation, so you can top up calmly rather than in the middle of an unfamiliar city.
FAQ
How do I install an eSIM on iPhone?
Go to Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM, choose the QR code option and point the camera at the code shown on a second device or printed out. According to Apple, on iOS 17.4 and later you can also scan the code with the Camera app and then confirm Add Cellular Plan. The profile download needs stable Wi-Fi, and if you have nothing to scan from, the same menu lets you enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code manually.
How do I add an eSIM on Samsung or Google Pixel?
On Samsung the path is usually Settings → Connections → SIM manager, then add an eSIM. On Google Pixel it’s Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM, then Set up an eSIM. Then scan the QR code or enter the details manually and wait for the profile to download without turning off Wi-Fi; menu wording depends on the OS version.
Should I install my eSIM at home or after I land?
Install your travel eSIM at home before you fly, while you have stable Wi-Fi: the profile downloads from the internet. A MoreSim plan starts counting down from the first connection to a network in your destination country, so installing early doesn’t cost you any paid days. At home the new line will usually say “No Service”, which is normal; when you land, you just turn the line on and enable data roaming for it.
How do I activate my eSIM after landing?
After landing, turn off airplane mode, make sure the eSIM line is on and select it for cellular data. Turn on data roaming for the eSIM: most travel eSIMs connect to the local carrier’s network as a roaming SIM. On iPhone, also turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching so the phone doesn’t fall back to your home SIM for data; within a couple of minutes a signal indicator and a mobile data icon appear next to the line.
Why is my eSIM installed but there’s no internet?
Most often data roaming is off on the eSIM line, or your home SIM is selected for cellular data. If the settings are right, toggle airplane mode, restart the phone, try selecting a network manually, and check that the country is covered by your plan and you haven’t run out of data. If nothing helps, contact MoreSim support via /support in the bot or a ticket in your account; it’s available.
Can I delete my eSIM and install it again?
Better not to: a deleted eSIM profile usually can’t be reinstalled from the same QR code. If that happens, contact support first instead of buying a new plan. If the line just gets in the way, turn it off in settings: MoreSim top-ups are added to your existing profile, so it stays useful even after the plan runs out.
How do I top up my eSIM without buying a new one?
Open the eSIM card in your account or in the app of the Telegram bot @moresim_bot, tap “Top up data” (it’s there if top-ups are available for that plan), choose a plan and pay by bank card or SBP, which currently work with cards issued in Russia; top-ups can’t be paid with Telegram Stars. The plan is added to your existing profile with no reinstall, and you don’t need to touch your line settings. Your remaining data is shown in the bot and in your account on the website.