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Turn on data roaming for the HelloRoam line, not your home line

Short answer

Turn on data roaming for the HelloRoam line, make it your mobile data line, and turn off automatic data switching. Turn the home line's roaming off where it has its own switch, then restart and wait 2 to 5 minutes. Your home carrier can charge for roaming on the home line. Test with Wi-Fi and any VPN off.

What the roaming icon and each switch mean

What you seeWhat to do
Nothing loads, and data roaming is off for the HelloRoam line.Turn it on. iPhone and Pixel keep a switch inside each line. Galaxy phones have one for the whole phone.
The HelloRoam line looks grayed out or switched off.Turn the line on first. Data roaming and mobile data do nothing until the line itself is on.
Two lines look alike, so you cannot tell which one is HelloRoam.Match the line's ICCID with the one in the HelloRoam app, then rename that line.
The HelloRoam line shows 4G, 5G or a roaming icon, but pages time out.Those icons only mean a network was found. Work through the no-internet guide next.
The line shows SOS or emergency calls only.The phone has not registered on a supported network yet. Use the no-service guide for that.

Where the data roaming switch is on each phone

iPhoneSamsungPixelOther Android

iPhone

Data Roaming sits on the HelloRoam line's own page, and Cellular Data sits one level up.

  1. Open Settings > Cellular and tap the HelloRoam line.

  2. Turn on Turn On This Line so the line is active.

    Clip

  3. On that same page, turn on Data Roaming.

    Clip

  4. Go back, tap Cellular Data, and choose the HelloRoam line.

    Clip

  5. Then turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching, so your data stays on the HelloRoam line.

  6. Open your home line and turn its Data Roaming off.

  7. Restart the phone, leave Wi-Fi off, and wait 2 to 5 minutes.

Illustration

Illustration. Menu names can differ by model and software version.
Step 1 of 7

Samsung

Galaxy phones keep one Data roaming switch, under Mobile networks. Set the line and Mobile data in SIM manager first.

  1. Open Settings > Connections > SIM manager.

  2. Turn the HelloRoam eSIM on in that list.

  3. Set Mobile data to the HelloRoam eSIM.

  4. Turn off the switch that moves mobile data to another SIM by itself.

  5. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks.

  6. Turn on Data roaming there. Galaxy phones show one switch, not one per SIM.

  7. Back in SIM manager, check Mobile data still points to the HelloRoam eSIM.

  8. Restart the phone, leave Wi-Fi off, and wait 2 to 5 minutes.

Illustration

Illustration. Menu names can differ by model and software version.
Step 1 of 8

Pixel

Pixel puts Use this SIM and Roaming on the HelloRoam line's own page. Mobile data and Automatic data switching sit one level up, on the SIMs screen.

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs and tap the HelloRoam line.

  2. Turn on Use this SIM.

  3. Turn on Roaming.

  4. Go back to SIMs, tap Mobile data, and choose the HelloRoam line.

  5. On that screen, turn off Automatic data switching if you see it.

  6. On SIMs, tap your home line and turn its Roaming switch off.

  7. Restart the phone, leave Wi-Fi off, and wait 2 to 5 minutes.

Illustration

Illustration. Menu names can differ by model and software version.
Step 1 of 7

Other Android

Menu names change by brand and Android version, so look for the closest wording on your phone.

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, or Mobile network on older phones.

  2. Tap the HelloRoam line so you are on its own page.

  3. Turn on Roaming for that line.

  4. Set the HelloRoam line as the one used for mobile data.

  5. Turn off Automatic data switching if your phone shows it.

  6. Open your home line's page and turn its Roaming switch off.

  7. Restart the phone, leave Wi-Fi off, and wait 2 to 5 minutes.

Illustration

Illustration. Menu names can differ by model and software version.
Step 1 of 7

Next steps when the switches look right

  1. 1

    Turn Wi-Fi off and turn any VPN off, then load a page again. With Wi-Fi on you cannot tell whether the HelloRoam line is carrying data.

    Clip: finding the VPN switch
  2. 2

    Open the line you changed and confirm it is the HelloRoam line. Names like Primary, Secondary or Travel are only labels, and Primary is not always your home line.

  3. 3

    If the names still look alike, compare ICCIDs. The HelloRoam app shows yours under My eSIM > More Detail > About Your eSIM. On iPhone and Galaxy phones, Settings also lists the ICCID under About. Rename the line once you know which is which.

  4. 4

    Check the HelloRoam line is still the chosen mobile data line, and that automatic data switching is still off. That switch hands your data back to the home line.

  5. 5

    Restart the phone, keep Wi-Fi off, and give it 2 to 5 minutes before you test again.

Recorded on iPhone · 0:10

Recorded on iPhone: search Settings for VPN, then check that it shows Not Connected.

Don't delete the eSIM while you work through this. It is never the fix, and the settings checks come first.

What to send us if roaming still fails

Email help@helloroam.com with the details below about your eSIM. Crop any QR code out of a screenshot before you send it.

  • Your order number.
  • Your phone brand and model.
  • The country and city you are in right now.
  • A screenshot showing the HelloRoam line switch and the data roaming switch.
  • A screenshot of the mobile data choice, so we can see which line carries data.
  • Whether Wi-Fi and any VPN were off when you tested.
  • Which line is HelloRoam. The ICCID helps when you have more than one eSIM installed.
help@helloroam.com

Data roaming questions from travelers

Where do I turn on data roaming for my eSIM on iPhone?

On iPhone, Data Roaming sits on the HelloRoam line's own page under Settings > Cellular. On UK English iPhones, that menu is called Mobile Service. Tap the HelloRoam line under SIMs, then turn on Turn On This Line and Data Roaming. Your home line's switch does nothing for the e SIM, because each line has its own. iPhone 15 and later models use the same path.

What does the roaming icon mean on iPhone?

Apple's list of iPhone status icons has no roaming icon. A 5G, LTE or 4G icon means that network is available, not that pages load. With two lines, the upper row of bars is the line you use for cellular data. After these steps, that should be your HelloRoam e-sim. Open Control Center to see which label goes with each row. If pages still fail, follow the fix for signal with no internet.

How do I turn on data roaming for an eSIM on a Samsung?

Open Settings > Connections > Mobile networks and turn on Data roaming. Galaxy phones show one Data roaming switch for the whole phone, not one per SIM. In SIM manager, turn the HelloRoam eSIM on and set Mobile data to it. Then turn off automatic data switching, so your home line stays off data. If Data roaming looks grayed out, Samsung's help says to check that mobile data is on.

Do I need data roaming on for a travel eSIM?

Yes, turn data roaming on for your HelloRoam line, or it may carry no mobile data in your destination. Apple's help on cellular data says that with an international data plan, you may need to keep Data Roaming on. The line itself must be on too, and chosen as your mobile data line. Set all three, then test with Wi-Fi and any VPN off.

Should I turn off data roaming on my home line?

Yes, turn data roaming off on your home line if it has its own switch, as on iPhone and Pixel. Your home carrier can charge for roaming on that line. Galaxy phones have one switch for the whole phone, so leave it on. Keep Mobile data set to the HelloRoam eSIM instead, with automatic data switching off. Your home line can stay on for calls and texts on your usual number.

Sources for this guide

The steps and menu names for your phone's settings follow these pages. Each entry shows the date we read it.

  1. Use cellular data on your iPhone or iPad, Apple. Retrieved
  2. Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone, Apple. Retrieved
  3. Using Dual SIM with an eSIM, Apple. Retrieved
  4. Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons, Apple. Retrieved
  5. Use Dual SIM on iPhone, Apple. Retrieved
  6. Connect iPhone to the internet, Apple. Retrieved
  7. Set up eSIM on iPhone, Apple. Retrieved
  8. If you see SOS, No Service, or Searching on your iPhone or iPad, Apple. Retrieved
  9. How to turn international data roaming on or off on my Samsung phone, Samsung. Retrieved
  10. Connection options for your Galaxy phone or tablet, Samsung. Retrieved
  11. SIM cards for your Galaxy phone or tablet, Samsung. Retrieved
  12. Manage data usage on your Galaxy phone, Samsung. Retrieved
  13. Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Edge and S25 Ultra User Guide, Samsung. Retrieved
  14. Connect to mobile networks on a Pixel phone, Google. Retrieved
  15. How to use dual SIMs on your Google Pixel phone, Google. Retrieved
  16. Android Settings app strings, res/values/strings.xml (android16-release), Android Open Source Project. Retrieved
  17. Android Settings app strings, res/values/strings.xml (android-16.0.0_r4), Android Open Source Project. Retrieved

About this guide

Covers
This guide covers data roaming and the mobile data line for a HelloRoam eSIM, and nothing else. Steps cover iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other Android phones. Our eSIM vs roaming page covers costs.
Written by
HelloRoam Editorial Team

The HelloRoam team that writes every help guide, working from the HelloRoam app and the phone makers' own help pages.

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From the HelloRoam app's own tutorials, recorded on iPhone
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