eSIM basics
Start here — how eSIMs work, the terms you'll meet, and whether your phone is ready.
You get 180 days from purchase to activate an eSIM, separate from your plan's validity clock. What the deadline means and what to do if you're close to it.
One eSIM, no plan to pick. Load credit and data comes off the balance by the megabyte, at a published local rate, in 180+ countries. How it works.
Your travel eSIM shows up with no phone number, and that's normal. Here's exactly what moves to the eSIM, what stays on your home SIM, and how hotspot fits in.
No QR code, no second screen: tap a link on the phone you're setting up and the install screen opens itself, already filled in. Here's what it needs.
One country, a region, or the whole trip? What really separates the three eSIM plan types, and a simple way to pick the one your itinerary needs.
See a carrier name you don't recognize when you land? That's normal. How eSIM roaming networks get picked, and how to check yours before you fly.
Installed a new eSIM every trip and hit a wall? How many profiles your phone can store, how that differs from how many run at once, and what to delete first.
EID and ICCID sound alike but mean different things. Learn what each number is, exactly where to find it on iPhone and Android, and when support asks for one.
You can't run one eSIM on two phones at once, but you can share its data. Here's how tethering works, and when a second eSIM makes more sense.
Zwitchy travel eSIMs run on phones, not iPads, tablets or laptops. The simple, cheaper fix: share your phone's connection over Personal Hotspot.
US iPhone 14, 15 and 16 models are eSIM-only, with no SIM tray. What it means for travelers, how dual eSIM works, and why a Zwitchy eSIM fits perfectly.
5G on a travel eSIM works where the local network has it: dense in cities, thinner in the countryside. What really affects speed, and when good 4G is enough.