Does my phone support eSIM? A one minute check before you buy

It takes about a minute to find out, and it is worth doing before you buy anything. Two things need to be true: your phone has an eSIM chip, and it is not locked to your home carrier.

Step one: the EID check

1. Open the Phone app (the dialer).
2. Type *#06#.
3. Look for a line labelled EID.

If an EID appears, your phone has an eSIM chip. If you only see IMEI numbers and no EID, your phone cannot use an eSIM.

You can also find it in settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and scroll to EID. On Android, look under Settings > About phone > Status or SIM status, depending on the brand.

Step two: is your phone carrier unlocked?

A phone bought on a plan or a contract is sometimes locked to that carrier. A locked phone shows an EID but refuses eSIMs from anyone else, including travel eSIMs.

• iPhone: go to Settings > General > About and find Carrier Lock. It should say No SIM restrictions.
• Android: the menu varies by brand and carrier. Ask your carrier, or check your account on their website.

If your phone is locked, ask your carrier to unlock it before you travel. Many do this free once the phone is paid off, but it can take a few days, so do not leave it to the airport.

Which phones usually support eSIM

As a rough guide, and always confirmed by the EID check:

Some phones sold in certain countries leave eSIM out even when the same model elsewhere includes it, which is why the list is only a guide and the EID check is the answer.

Which Google Pixel phones support eSIM

Every Google Pixel from the Pixel 4 onwards supports eSIM, and the Pixel 2, 3 and 3a depend on where and how they were bought. Google's Pixel help page sets it out model by model:

So the usual "from the Pixel 3 onwards" advice is a rule of thumb, not a promise. On a Pixel 3 or 3a, find out where it was bought and with which carrier before you buy an eSIM, because two phones that look identical can differ. A Pixel 4 or later still has to be carrier unlocked to take a travel eSIM.

How to check a Samsung Galaxy for eSIM

On a Samsung Galaxy, the quickest proof of eSIM is an EID, which Samsung says you can find on the phone's box or in Settings. The same page says that some Galaxy phones come with an eSIM. Samsung's model list warns that, depending on the country of origin, eSIM may be missing even on a listed model, and it limits some A series phones to certain regions, so the model name alone does not settle it.

Two checks settle it:

1. Look for an EID on the box label or in Settings > About phone > Status.
2. Open Settings > Connections > SIM card manager (or SIM manager) and look for the option to add a mobile plan or an eSIM. If it is there, the phone has eSIM. It still has to be carrier unlocked.

The box label helps when you buy a used Galaxy that still has its original box, because you can read it before you pay. Menu names shift a little between regions and software versions.

How to test an Android phone for a carrier lock yourself

You can test an Android phone for a carrier lock yourself, using a SIM card from a different provider. Telstra describes the test, and the same idea works on most phones, though the error wording varies by phone and carrier:

1. Borrow a SIM from someone who uses a different provider, ideally one on a different network, and put it in your phone.
2. Wait a few minutes, then restart the phone.
3. Look at the status bar. If the other provider's name appears, your phone is unlocked. If you get an error instead, such as a request for a valid SIM or an unlock code, and you cannot call, text or browse, it is locked.

Run the test a few weeks before you fly, not the night before. Telstra, for example, says unlocking can take 7 to 10 days, and it charges a fee to unlock a prepaid phone that has been active for less than two years. The test needs a SIM tray, so on a phone without one, ask the carrier.

Can your home SIM and a travel eSIM be on at the same time?

Yes, on most eSIM phones your home line and a travel eSIM can be active together, so adding a travel eSIM does not remove or replace your home number. The feature is called Dual SIM. Apple says that an iPhone with a SIM tray can use a physical SIM and an eSIM together while travelling, and that supported iPhone models can have two eSIMs active at the same time. Android phones with eSIM generally work the same way, and how many lines can be active at once depends on the model.

What this means for a trip:

• Your home line keeps calls and texts, with its data roaming off. The RoamMore eSIM, which is data only, carries the data.
• Most eSIM phones can store more eSIMs than they use at once (Apple's eSIM setup page says an iPhone can manage eight or more), so one left over from an earlier trip does not usually block a new one.

Our guide to keeping your home number has the exact switches.

Phones with no SIM tray: does a travel eSIM still work?

Yes, a phone with no SIM tray can use a travel eSIM, because it is added as a second eSIM beside your home one. Google says that in the US a Pixel 10, 10 Pro or 10 Pro XL cannot use a physical SIM. Apple's page on travelling with eSIM refers to eSIM only iPhone models, and says supported iPhones can have two eSIMs active at once.

• Your home line is an eSIM too. Never delete it to make room. Turn its data roaming off and leave it on for calls and texts.
• You cannot test for a carrier lock by borrowing another provider's SIM, because there is no tray. On iPhone, check Carrier Lock in Settings > General > About (the label varies by region; it should say No SIM restrictions). On Android, ask your carrier.
• You cannot fall back on a local plastic SIM at the airport, so check the phone and install the eSIM before you leave home. A few small trial plans start their days on install, and say so on the plan.

Tablets and watches

Cellular iPads and some Android tablets support eSIM and work with travel eSIMs in the same way. Smartwatches usually do not: a watch with its own cellular line shares a number with your home carrier and cannot take a travel eSIM.

Checks for the rest of the setup

Once you know your phone supports eSIM:

• Install the eSIM at home on wifi, because installing downloads the profile. Our install guide covers iPhone and Android step by step.
• Keep your home SIM in for calls and texts if you want to. Our guide on keeping your home number shows the settings.
• Read the landing day checklist before you fly, so you know which settings to switch when you arrive.

If your phone turns out not to support eSIM

Ask for a full refund within 30 days of purchase, as long as the eSIM has not been installed. Checking with *#06# before you buy costs nothing and keeps that option open.

Prices for popular trips

• Japanfrom US$3.60
• United Statesfrom US$3.80
• Australiafrom US$3.60
• Europefrom US$3.40

Cheapest plan with 1GB or more, in US dollars from our catalogue, updated 27 Sep 2026.