Travel eSIM Checklist: What to Do Before, During and After Your Trip

Eleven steps from checking your phone to the day you are back home. Tick them off; this browser remembers your progress.

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Before you buy

Confirm your phone has an eSIMiPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later support it. On Android an EID, found by dialing *#06# or in the SIM settings, shows the phone has one. Run the phone check.
Confirm the phone is not locked to a carrierOn iPhone, Settings, General, About shows No SIM Restrictions when it is unlocked. On Android, ask the carrier that sold the phone.
Pick a store and read its refund termsCompare windows and conditions first. Open the refund counter or use the store finder.
Check what the plan includesSeveral stores sell data-only plans with no phone number or SMS. TonMobile's terms say a plan may have no number and no SMS, and unlimited plans may slow down after a usage threshold.

Buy and install

Buy from the store's website or app before you leaveApple notes you can buy a prepaid plan from a provider's website or app before you travel, with digital activation, usually by QR code or the provider's app.
Connect to Wi-Fi or a hotspot for setupApple requires a Wi-Fi or hotspot connection to set up an eSIM on iPhone, with exceptions for some eSIM-only models in certain regions.
Install the eSIM profileScan the QR code or follow the in-app steps. Keep the profile until you are sure the plan works: TonMobile's terms say profiles deleted or installed incorrectly by the user are not refundable.
Know when the package starts countingTonMobile's terms say the package is consumed from the moment the eSIM is activated on a device. Ask other stores before you switch the line on early.

On the trip

Choose the travel line for mobile dataOn iPhone, Settings, Mobile Service (Cellular), Mobile Data. Your home line stays on, so iMessage and FaceTime on the home number keep working.
Keep the home SIM for calls and textsA data-only travel eSIM does not replace your number.

After the trip

Switch the home line back onMake sure Turn On This Line is on for the home line and turn off travel lines you no longer use.

The steps follow the setup pages of Apple and Google and the terms of the stores we compare, read on October 27, 2026. Menu names vary by phone brand and software version, so if a path differs, follow the store's own install guide.