eSIM, explained: what it is and how to use one abroad

An eSIM is a SIM card that lives inside your phone as software. Instead of pushing a tiny plastic card into a tray, you download a mobile plan to the phone, usually by scanning a QR code from your carrier or provider. For travel this is handy: you can buy and install a local or regional plan before you board, and there is no card to lose or swap.

What an eSIM can and cannot do

• It stores plans, called profiles. A phone can hold several and switch between them. Supported models can keep two active at once, for example your home line and a travel line.
• It still needs a plan. An eSIM is only the container. You still need a plan from a carrier, or from a provider that sells eSIM plans.
• Data only, or with a number. Local carrier plans often come with a local phone number. Plans from worldwide providers are often data only, which means no calls or texts on that plan.

Check these before you buy

1. Your phone supports eSIM. Most phones from recent years do, but not every regional model does. Check the manufacturer's support page for your exact model.
2. Your phone is not locked to a carrier. On an iPhone, open Settings, then General, then About, and look for "No SIM Restrictions" next to Carrier Lock. On Android, ask your carrier. A locked phone will not accept another carrier's plan.
3. You have Wi-Fi for setup. The phone usually needs an internet connection to download the plan, so install it at home or at your hotel rather than in a crowded airport.
4. The plan covers where you are going, for as long as you need and with enough data. Some plans start counting days when you install them and others when they first connect, so read when the clock starts.
5. You may need ID. In some places you are asked to show a passport or other ID to buy a local plan.

Set it up in a safe order

1. Install the plan on Wi-Fi. On an iPhone, go to Settings, then Cellular, then Add eSIM, then Use QR Code, and scan the code. On a Pixel phone, go to Settings, then Network & internet, then SIMs, then Add SIM, then Set up an eSIM. Other Android phones use similar menus.
2. Give the new line a clear name, such as "Travel", so you do not mix it up with your home line.
3. At your destination, turn the travel line on and choose it for mobile data. Follow the provider's instructions for anything else, such as turning on data roaming for that line.
4. Decide what your home line does. Keep it on if you still want calls or texts there. If you use both lines, your phone uses the travel plan for data, but roaming charges from your home plan can still apply, so check the plan or turn off data roaming for the home line.
5. Keep the travel plan until the trip is over. Many providers give you a code that works only once, so deleting the plan can mean buying it again. Ask the provider before you remove it.

Keep your home number reachable

Banks, airlines and apps often send one-time login codes by text message to your home number. Before you leave, either keep your home line on and check what your carrier charges to receive texts abroad, or move your important accounts to an authenticator app, so that you are not locked out in another country.

Local plan, travel plan or roaming?

• Roaming with your own carrier. The easiest, because nothing changes, but prices vary a lot. Check whether your plan includes some countries or offers a travel pass.
• A prepaid plan from a local carrier. Often good value for a long stay, and it usually comes with a local number. You may need ID.
• A data plan from a worldwide provider. Convenient for short trips or for several countries in a row, but usually data only.

Rules differ by region

Some regions limit how eSIM can be used. For example, Apple says that an eSIM from a mainland China carrier cannot be used on an iPhone bought outside mainland China, and that eSIM support in mainland China is limited to certain iPhone models. Look at your phone maker's page for your destination before you buy a plan.

For paying once you arrive, see Paying abroad.