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HelloRoam eSIM stopped working: check data, days, network and line

Short answer

A HelloRoam eSIM that worked and then stopped can have run out of data or days, lost its network, or been switched off. Check data left and the Expires on date in the HelloRoam app. If both look fine, restart the phone once, then run a manual network scan. Never reinstall or delete it: its QR code is spent.

What changed since it last worked

What you seeWhat to do
Data has run out on the eSIM's card in the appOpen the HelloRoam app's My eSIM tab, where the card shows data remaining and where you add more.
The card reads EXPIRED, or has moved to the Expired tabThe days ran out. They counted from the eSIM's first connection, not from the day you installed it.
No service, or emergency calls only, since you movedRestart the phone once, then run the manual network scan for your phone below.
The HelloRoam line is off, or another line took over mobile dataTurn the line back on and set it as your mobile data line again.
3G or E on the line, and data crawlsYou are on a network, just a weak one. Run a speed test with Wi-Fi off.

An eSIM that has worked already connected once

Your eSIM has worked, so it already made its first connection to a supported network in your destination. That single event puts it in use: the plan's days started counting from it, and its QR code went dead at the same moment. The website is where you can see that state. Its My eSIMs page shows the card as Active, or Activated with an Activated On date in the details. Do not judge it from the app, which carries no label for in-use state at all. On iPhone, the app's Install eSIM on this device button can stay on screen after first use, and it is not proof that you can install the eSIM again. Because yours is in use, taking it off the phone and scanning the same QR code will not bring it back. Keep it installed while you work through this page.

Restart, then scan networks on your phone

iPhoneSamsungPixelOther Android

iPhone

Restart the phone once. If data does not come back, work down this list instead of restarting again. The manual scan at the end is only a test: once a network connects, turn automatic network selection back on.

  1. Restart the phone once and see whether data comes back.

  2. Open Settings > Cellular and check Turn On This Line is on.

    Clip

  3. Check Data Roaming is on for that line.

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  4. Set Cellular Data to the HelloRoam line.

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

  6. Turn Wi-Fi off and switch off any VPN.

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  7. Open the line's network selection setting and turn the automatic option off.

  8. Wait for the full list of networks, then screenshot it before you pick one.

Recorded on iPhone · 0:10

Recorded on iPhone in UK English, where Cellular is called Mobile Service. Tap the HelloRoam line, then switch on Turn On This Line.
Step 1 of 8

Samsung

Restart once, then work through the settings. Galaxy phones can switch Select automatically back on partway through a scan. If yours does, restart before you turn it off again. The scan is only a test: once a network connects, turn Select automatically back on, as Samsung advises.

  1. Restart the phone once and see whether data comes back.

  2. Open Settings > Connections > SIM manager and check the HelloRoam line is on.

  3. Check that Mobile data points to the HelloRoam line.

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

  5. Turn Wi-Fi off and switch off any VPN.

  6. Open Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Network operators, then turn Select automatically off.

  7. Wait for the scan to finish, then screenshot the full list.

  8. If Select automatically flips back on, restart and turn it off again.

Illustration

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

Pixel

Restart once before anything else. If data does not come back, the checks below show where the line stands. The manual scan is only a test: once a network connects, turn Automatically select network back on.

  1. Restart the phone once and see whether data comes back.

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

  3. Check the line is on, with Roaming on for it.

  4. Go back to SIMs and turn off Automatic data switching if you see it.

  5. Turn Wi-Fi off and switch off any VPN.

  6. Tap the HelloRoam line again and turn off Automatically select network.

  7. Wait for the full list of networks, then screenshot it before you choose one.

  8. If automatic selection switches back on, restart and turn it off again.

Illustration

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

Other Android

Menu names change from brand to brand, so look for the closest wording. Restart once, then work down the list. The manual scan near the end is only a test: once a network connects, turn the automatic option back on. Restart again only if that option switches itself back on during the scan.

  1. Restart the phone once and see whether data comes back.

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

  3. Check the HelloRoam line is on, with Roaming on for it.

  4. Turn Wi-Fi off and switch off any VPN.

  5. Open the HelloRoam line again and turn off Automatically select network.

  6. Wait for the scan to finish before you read the list.

  7. Screenshot the full list before you tap a network.

  8. If the automatic option switches back on, restart and turn it off again.

Illustration

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

If it drops again after a restart

  1. 1

    Think about where you were when it last worked. Moving to another city, island or border area changes which networks your eSIM can use.

  2. 2

    If you crossed into another country, check your plan covers it. A country plan covers one destination, while regional and global plans cover a set list.

  3. 3

    With several eSIMs on the phone, match the ICCID in the app against the line you are testing.

  4. 4

    Try the networks from your list one at a time, and wait 2 to 5 minutes after each one.

  5. 5

    If data still works but crawls, run a speed test with Wi-Fi off and the HelloRoam line picked for data.

  6. 6

    If it comes back after a restart and drops again an hour or two later, stop restarting. Log each drop instead: the time, the place, the network name, and the signal type before it went.

  7. 7

    When nothing on the list works, or the list stays empty, stop trying. Send us the screenshot and your exact location instead.

  8. 8

    Sometimes a network problem hits many people at once and nothing on your phone is wrong. Keep the eSIM installed and write in.

Leave the APN settings alone. Do not delete the eSIM and do not scan its QR code again, because that code was spent the first time it connected.

This eSIM already connected, so that path is closed

  • Reinstalling a HelloRoam eSIM with the same QR code or activation code works only before its first connection to a supported network in your destination. Even then, an unused HelloRoam eSIM left off your phone does not stay available forever.
  • Yours has already connected, so the code behind it is spent and will not install it a second time.
  • Never delete this eSIM to fix a connection problem. Keep it installed while you and support sort it out.
  • If you think it has to come off this phone, write to help@helloroam.com first and keep it installed while you wait.

Tell us what changed, and when

When data, days, location and the line settings all check out and it still will not work, email help@helloroam.com. Send these with your first message, because screenshots tell us more than a description does.

  • Your order number.
  • Your phone make and model.
  • The country and city you are in now, plus a zoomed-out map screenshot if you're near a border, on an island or at a port.
  • When it last worked, when it stopped, and where you were each time.
  • Whether you moved city or country before it stopped.
  • A screenshot of the eSIM's card in the app showing data remaining and the Expires on date.
  • A screenshot of the HelloRoam line's settings showing the line on, data roaming on and the mobile data choice.
  • A screenshot of the full manual network list, taken before you pick anything.
  • If it keeps dropping: your log of drop times, places, network names and signal types.
  • If it's slow: a speed test result taken with Wi-Fi off.
  • What you already tried, including the restart.
  • If you have more than one eSIM: the ICCID shown for the HelloRoam line.

Crop any QR code out of your screenshots before you send them.

help@helloroam.com

Questions when a working eSIM quits

How do I restart my eSIM?

Restart the phone itself, once. That is how you restart a HelloRoam e SIM. Then give it 2 to 5 minutes with Wi-Fi off before you judge it. If data does not come back, move on to the next check on this page. Restarting again and again will not fix it. Reinstalling is not a restart. Never remove the eSIM to try it, because its QR code is already spent.

Why did my eSIM stop working on my Samsung?

On a Galaxy phone, a HelloRoam eSIM can stop when its line is off or Data roaming is off. Another SIM taking over mobile data can stop it too. Check those 3 first, then run a manual network scan. Select automatically can switch itself back on mid-scan. If it does, restart the phone and turn Select automatically off again. Once a network connects, switch it back on. Our no-signal guide has the full manual network scan steps.

Can I just reinstall or rescan my eSIM to fix it?

No. A HelloRoam eSIM that has worked already made its first connection, so its QR code is spent. The same-code path exists only before that first connection. Apple's own help also says not to erase an eSIM as a troubleshooting step unless your eSIM provider tells you to. Keep the e-sim on your phone and email help@helloroam.com instead.

Why is my eSIM suddenly not working?

Something changed since your HelloRoam eSIM last worked, so check 4 things in this order. First, read the data left and the Expires on date on its card in the HelloRoam app. If the data ran out, top up in the app. Second, think about whether you moved city, island or country. Third, check the HelloRoam line is still on and still carries mobile data. Last, restart once and run a manual network scan.

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. If you see SOS, No Service, or Searching on your iPhone or iPad, Apple. Retrieved
  2. How to erase an eSIM on your iPhone or iPad, Apple. Retrieved
  3. Using Dual SIM with an eSIM, Apple. Retrieved
  4. Use cellular data on your iPhone or iPad, Apple. Retrieved
  5. Connect iPhone to the internet, Apple. Retrieved
  6. Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone, Apple. Retrieved
  7. Use Airplane Mode on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro, Apple. Retrieved
  8. If you can't connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad, Apple. Retrieved
  9. If your device has network connectivity issues, check for VPN and other third-party security software, Apple. Retrieved
  10. Use Dual SIM on iPhone, Apple. Retrieved
  11. Set up eSIM on iPhone, Apple. Retrieved
  12. How to troubleshoot Mobile data issues, Samsung. Retrieved
  13. Manage data usage on your Galaxy phone, Samsung. Retrieved
  14. SIM cards for your Galaxy phone or tablet, Samsung. Retrieved
  15. Connection options for your Galaxy phone or tablet, Samsung. Retrieved
  16. Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Edge and S25 Ultra User Guide, Samsung. Retrieved
  17. Fix mobile connectivity issues, Google. Retrieved
  18. Connect to mobile networks on a Pixel phone, Google. Retrieved
  19. Keep your Android’s wireless connections on in Airplane mode, Google. Retrieved
  20. Android Settings app strings, res/values/strings.xml (android16-release), Android Open Source Project. Retrieved
  21. 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 a HelloRoam eSIM that worked and then stopped or keeps dropping, and nothing else. Steps cover iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other Android phones. Setup is in our install guides.
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.

Last updated
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The clips
From the HelloRoam app's own tutorials, recorded on iPhone
Spot a mistake?
Email help@helloroam.com and we will fix it