eSIM setup · the easy bit

Right then — let's get you online.

No plastic SIM to lose, no shop to queue in, no faff. Your travel eSIM lives on your phone and takes about two minutes to set up. We'll hold your hand the whole way. 🤝

Show me how ↓ Browse eSIM plans
⏱️ About 2 minutes · works on iPhone & Android

How it works, start to finish

Whether you've just bought or you're still deciding, here's the whole journey. Spoiler: it's short.

1🧭

Pick your plan

Choose your destination and a data plan, then check out. Takes about a minute.

2✉️

Check your inbox

Your eSIM lands by email the moment you pay — QR code and a one-tap install link inside.

3📱

Install before you fly

Add the eSIM while you're on Wi-Fi at home. Two minutes, done.

4✈️

Land & connect

Flip on data roaming for the travel eSIM and you're online. Your normal number keeps working.

Install your eSIM, step by step

Pick your phone below. Do this bit on Wi-Fi before you travel — you need internet to add the eSIM (after that you're set).

  1. Get on Wi-Fi.

    You need internet to download the eSIM, so set it up before you leave home.

  2. Open your "Your eSIM is ready" email.

    On the iPhone you're setting up, just tap the one-tap install link and jump to step 4. Prefer to scan the QR code? Open the email on another screen and carry on.

  3. Add the eSIM.

    Head to:

    Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Use QR Code

    Then point your camera at the QR code in your email.

  4. Follow the prompts & give it a name.

    Label it something like "Travel" so it's easy to spot. Keep your normal SIM as your main line for calls and texts.

  5. When you land, switch it on.

    Turn on your travel line and data roaming:

    Settings → Cellular → Travel eSIM → Turn On This Line + Data Roaming

    You'll be online within a few minutes.

💡 "Data Roaming" sounds scary but it just tells your phone to use the local network abroad. For your travel eSIM that's exactly right — and it won't cost extra, because your data is already paid for.
  1. Get on Wi-Fi.

    You need internet to download the eSIM, so do this before you leave home.

  2. Open Settings and find the SIM section.
    Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add eSIM

    On Samsung it's Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM. Look for "Add eSIM", "Add mobile plan" or "Download a SIM instead".

  3. Scan your QR code.

    Choose "Scan QR code" and scan the code from your email — or pick "Enter manually" and copy the details across from the email.

  4. Follow the prompts & give it a name.

    Call it "Travel" so it's easy to find. Keep your normal SIM for calls and texts.

  5. When you land, switch it on.

    Select the travel eSIM and turn on data roaming:

    Settings → Travel eSIM → Data roaming (on)

    You'll be connected within a few minutes.

💡 Android words things slightly differently on every phone. The magic words to look for are "eSIM", "Add plan" or "Download a SIM". Find those and you're in the right place.

Genuinely, that's it. 🎉

People expect eSIMs to be fiddly. They're really not. Here's what you don't need to worry about:

✓

You keep your number. Calls, texts and WhatsApp all stay on your normal SIM.

✓

No app to download. It's built right into your phone's settings.

✓

Nothing to carry. No SIM card to pop out, swap or lose down the back of the sofa.

✓

Set up early, use later. Install now — it only starts once you switch it on abroad.

Questions people always ask

Short, honest answers. Still stuck? We're one email away.

Will I keep my normal number and WhatsApp?
Yes. A travel eSIM is data only and sits alongside your existing SIM. Your number, calls, texts and WhatsApp all carry on exactly as normal.
Do I need Wi-Fi to set it up?
Yes — you need internet to download the eSIM profile, so add it before you fly. Once it's installed you don't need Wi-Fi again; it connects to the local network the moment you land.
When should I install it?
Any time before you travel. Installing doesn't start the clock — most plans begin when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination. Setting up early just means one less thing to think about at the airport.
My eSIM won't connect — help!
Nine times out of ten it's data roaming. Make sure Data Roaming is ON for the travel eSIM and that it's picked as your data line. Then toggle Aeroplane mode off and on, or restart your phone, and give it a couple of minutes to find the network. Still stuck? Email us and we'll sort it.
Is my phone compatible?
Most phones from 2019 onwards support eSIM, and they need to be carrier-unlocked. That covers iPhone XS/XR and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and Samsung Galaxy S20 and later. To check, open Settings → About and look for "eSIM" or "Digital SIM".
Can I use my hotspot?
Usually, yes — most of our plans support personal hotspot, so you can share your connection with a laptop or tablet.
I've run out of data. Now what?
Just buy another plan and install it the same way — the whole thing takes under a minute. Browse plans →
I can't find my eSIM email!
Give it five minutes, then check your spam or junk folder — and in Gmail, the Promotions tab. Still nothing? Don't panic: your eSIM is safe and we can re-send it any time. Just get in touch below.
Can I get a refund?
If your eSIM didn't arrive or won't work because of a fault on our side, absolutely. The full details are in our refund policy.

Still need a hand? 👋

We're real humans and we actually reply — usually within one business day. Email Support@esimsfortravel.co.uk with your order reference (it's in your confirmation email), or call us on 0330 043 1991, and we'll get you sorted.

✉️ Email support 📞 Call 0330 043 1991 Browse eSIM plans