Devices

iPhone 15 eSIM: which versions exist and how to add a travel eSIM

Does the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro or Pro Max support eSIM, how the SIM + eSIM version differs from the US one, how to check your phone and set up an eSIM for travel.

Published September 24, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 · 7 min read · MoreSim editorial team

Every iPhone 15 — the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max — supports eSIM, except most versions made for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. US versions are eSIM-only with no SIM tray, while in most other countries the iPhone 15 is sold with a tray for one nano-SIM plus eSIM. Any eSIM-capable version works for travel as long as it isn’t carrier-locked: the travel eSIM sits as a second line next to your home number.

Does the iPhone 15 have eSIM, and what decides the version?

The SIM setup of an iPhone 15 depends on the country it was built for, not on the model. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus handle SIM cards the same way as the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. The details below are based on Apple’s specifications at launch in September 2023; check your specific phone by its model number on Apple’s website.

Searches like “iPhone 15 SIM eSIM” and “15 Pro eSIM” usually come from people choosing between the first two rows of the table. For travel there’s almost no difference between them. For everyday life there is one, and it’s about your home number, not about data.

How do I tell which iPhone 15 version I have?

The easiest way to identify an iPhone 15 version is the model number in Settings: unlike a listing description, it points to one specific market.

1. Open Settings > General > About.
2. Tap “Model Number”: the part number switches to a number that looks like A-xxxx.
3. Look up that number in the iPhone 15 specs on Apple’s website — it shows the market and supported SIM types.
4. Go back to the part number: the letters at the end hint at the market, e.g. LL/A for the US, CH/A for mainland China.
5. Dial *#06#. If an EID appears on screen, the phone has eSIM.
6. Check the “Carrier Lock” line: for a travel eSIM it needs to say “No SIM restrictions”.

Using a US iPhone 15 vs one with a SIM tray outside the US

An iPhone 15 with a SIM tray works like any regular phone: your plastic SIM goes in the tray, and the eSIM stays free for a second number or a travel plan. That’s the simplest setup if your home number is still on a physical card.

A US iPhone 15 without a tray works outside the US too, but you’ll have to move your home number to eSIM. Many carriers worldwide issue eSIMs — including the major Russian ones — but the process varies by carrier and changes over time, so check your carrier’s website or app. We cover the main Russian carriers in our article on Russian carriers’ eSIMs.

A US iPhone 15 has one practical catch: if the phone breaks or you switch devices, you can’t just move the SIM card over in a minute. Transferring an eSIM between iPhones is possible, but it depends on your carrier and iOS version, so know how to restore your number through your carrier.

How to add a travel eSIM to an iPhone 15 as a second line

A travel eSIM installs on an iPhone 15 as a second line: your home number stays on and receives calls and texts, while mobile data runs through the eSIM. On a tray version that’s a “physical SIM + eSIM” pair; on a US version it’s two eSIMs.

1. Check your phone with the automatic compatibility check in the @moresim_bot bot, or by its EID.
2. Order a plan for your destination on the website or in the bot and pay with Telegram Stars from any country, right in the bot (bank card and SBP payments currently work with cards issued in Russia).
3. Get the QR code in the chat — in about 30 seconds.
4. At home, on Wi-Fi, open Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM and scan the code.
5. Give the line a clear label, such as the country name.
6. After landing, choose the eSIM under Cellular Data and turn on data roaming for it: a travel eSIM usually runs on a local carrier’s network as a roaming line, so you won’t get data without it. Turn off “Allow Cellular Data Switching”.

The plan starts counting on your first connection to a network in the destination, so an eSIM installed early doesn’t burn any days. MoreSim plans are mobile data only, with no phone number: calls and texts stay on your home line, and the data allowance and validity for each country are shown on its catalog page. If you run out of data, top up without a new eSIM: use “Top up data” on the eSIM card in your account or in the bot’s app, if top-ups are available for that plan.

If your home number is already on eSIM: how to keep two lines straight

When both your home number and your travel plan are eSIMs, the iPhone 15 lists them as two lines under Cellular, and it matters which one does what. The handiest setup for a trip: calls and texts on the home line, cellular data on the travel line.

• Turn off mobile data on your home line so your data doesn’t go through your home carrier. Keep the line itself on if you’re expecting bank texts; for that, your carrier has to offer roaming where you are.
• Under Cellular Data, choose the travel eSIM.
• Keep your home number for iMessage and FaceTime so people see the contact they know.
• Profiles from past trips can stay switched off, but no more than two lines can be active at a time.

Buying a used or imported iPhone 15: a pre-purchase checklist

Every iPhone 15 version turns up on the secondhand market, and you can’t tell them apart from photos. Run through this list before you pay — it takes five minutes.

• Model number and market: will it have a SIM tray, and does it have eSIM?
• EID via *#06#: without one, there’s nowhere to install a travel eSIM.
• “Carrier Lock” should read “No SIM restrictions”. Phones from the US are sometimes sold on contract and locked to a carrier — more in our article on locked phones.
• Signed out of Apple ID and Find My turned off — otherwise you can’t activate the phone for yourself.
• Other people’s eSIM profiles: the seller should delete their lines before handing the phone over.

If you’re choosing between an iPhone 15 and an iPhone 16, they’re equal as far as eSIM goes: the same versions, two active lines and the same way to check. A summary table for every generation is in our article on which iPhones support eSIM. If something goes wrong during installation, MoreSim support is reachable via /support in the bot, a ticket in your account and email.