eSIM on Android: Setup, Dual SIM, and Why Support Varies So Much
Android eSIM support is real but uneven — the same model can have it in one country and not another. How to check yours, install a travel plan, and set the two lines correctly.
Android eSIM support is genuinely widespread — and genuinely inconsistent. Two phones with the same model name, bought in different countries, can differ. That's the thing to understand before anything else, because it explains most of the confusion.
The ten-second check
Don't start from a compatibility list. Start from your phone:
- Samsung: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → look for Add eSIM
- Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → look for Download a SIM
- Xiaomi: Settings → SIM cards & mobile networks → Add eSIM
- Oppo / OnePlus: Settings → Mobile network → Add eSIM
If the option is there, you're done checking.
If it isn't, one more test settles whether the hardware exists. Dial *#06# on the keypad. You'll see the IMEI, and on eSIM-capable phones a second number labelled EID.
That distinction matters more on Android than on iPhone:
- No EID → no eSIM hardware. Nothing to be done.
- EID present, but no menu option → the hardware is there and the carrier disabled the feature in software. Common on operator-branded handsets in some markets. This is separate from carrier locking, and only the operator or a firmware change lifts it.
Which models generally have it
| Brand | Supported from |
|---|---|
| Google Pixel | Pixel 3 onwards |
| Samsung | Galaxy S20 onwards, Note 20, all Z Fold and Z Flip |
| Xiaomi | 12T Pro, 13, 14 and later — varies by model |
| Oppo | Find X3 Pro, Find X5, Find N2 |
| Motorola | Razr foldables, Edge 40 onwards |
| Honor | Magic 4 Pro onwards |
| Huawei | P40, P50, Mate 40, Mate 50 |
| Sony | Xperia 10 III, Xperia 1 IV onwards |
Flagships are reliable. The mid-range is where it breaks down — a Galaxy A or a Redmi may or may not have it depending on the model and the country it was sold in, and even the manufacturer's own spec pages are sometimes wrong about regional variants. On those phones, trust the settings menu over any list, including this one.
Installing a travel plan
Do this at home, on Wi-Fi. The profile downloads during installation, so attempting it after landing with no connection cannot work. Installing early costs nothing: validity starts at the first network connection in the destination country, not at install.
- Open your SIM manager (paths above) and choose Add eSIM
- Select Scan QR code from service provider
- Scan the code from your confirmation email
- Give the profile a clear name — the destination works well
If the QR is on the screen of the same phone and you have no second screen, use manual entry instead: the email includes an SM-DP+ address and an activation code that do the same job.
The settings that actually decide whether it works
Installing is the easy half. Android now has two lines and needs to be told what each one does.
In SIM manager you'll find separate assignments for calls, messages and mobile data. The one that matters:
| Line | Mobile data | Roaming |
|---|---|---|
| Your home SIM | No | Off |
| Travel eSIM | Yes | On |
Enabling roaming on the travel eSIM looks wrong and isn't. The travel profile connects by design by roaming onto a local host network — to the phone, that network is a visited one. With roaming off on that line, no data session opens at all.
Leaving roaming off on your home SIM is what keeps it receiving calls and bank codes without your operator charging you.
Samsung also offers a preferred SIM for data with an auto-switch behaviour. Turn auto-switching off while travelling, or the phone may quietly fall back to your home line when the travel signal dips — which is how people come home to a roaming bill.
Where Android differs from iPhone
Fewer profile slots. iPhones hold eight or more; Android handsets typically hold one to seven, and some store only a single profile at a time. If you travel often and installation starts failing without explanation, a full slot is a likely cause. Delete expired profiles — but never one that still has data or days left, because the QR code that installed it is almost certainly spent.
Menu paths vary by manufacturer. There is no single Android path, which is why the instructions above are listed per brand.
Carrier software blocks are more common. The EID-present-but-no-menu situation barely exists on iPhone and is a real scenario on operator-branded Android phones.
Transfer tools are less consistent. Recent Pixel and Galaxy models can move an eSIM between devices, but carrier support for it is patchier than on iOS. This applies to your operator line, not to prepaid travel plans — those generally do not transfer at all.
If it won't install
The usual causes, in order: the phone is carrier-locked, the QR code has already been used, there was no internet during installation, or profile storage is full. The full walkthrough is here.
And if it installed but there's no signal, that's a different problem with different fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Which Android phones support eSIM?
Google Pixel from the Pixel 3 onwards, Samsung Galaxy S from the S20 plus the Note 20 and every Z Fold and Z Flip, and various models from Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Motorola, Honor and Sony. Support in the mid-range is inconsistent even within a series, so on any Galaxy A, Redmi or similar the settings check is far more reliable than a published list.
How do I check if my Android phone has eSIM?
Look for the option first: Settings then Connections then SIM manager on Samsung, or Settings then Network and internet then SIMs on Pixel. If Add eSIM or Download a SIM appears, you have it. The check that works on any handset is dialling *#06# — if a second number labelled EID shows up next to the IMEI, the phone has eSIM hardware.
Why does my Android phone have eSIM hardware but no option to use it?
Because the carrier that sold the phone disabled the feature in software. This is common on operator-branded handsets in several markets, and it is separate from carrier locking. The EID check tells you the hardware exists; if the menu is still missing, the block is in the firmware and only the operator or a firmware change can lift it.
How do I install a travel eSIM on Samsung?
Go to Settings, Connections, SIM manager, then Add eSIM and Scan QR code from service provider. Do this at home on Wi-Fi, because the profile downloads during installation. Once it is added, return to SIM manager and set mobile data to the travel eSIM, leaving your usual line as the default for calls and messages.
Can Android run two SIMs at the same time?
Yes on most eSIM-capable models: your physical SIM and the eSIM both stay registered, which is exactly the setup you want abroad. Your home number keeps receiving calls and bank verification codes while the travel eSIM carries data. You choose which line handles data in the SIM manager, and switching takes seconds.
How many eSIM profiles can an Android phone store?
Fewer than an iPhone, typically between one and seven depending on the manufacturer, and some phones store only a single profile at a time. Storing is not the same as activating: even phones that hold several can usually keep only two lines active at once. If installation fails without explanation, a full profile slot is a likely cause — delete expired ones and retry.
Do I need to remove my physical SIM to use an eSIM on Android?
No, and you should not. Keeping the physical SIM in place is the point: it stays active for calls and SMS on your own number while the eSIM handles data at your destination. The only setting that matters is which line is selected for mobile data, and that is chosen in the SIM manager without removing anything.
