How to Add eSIM to iPhone & iPad

eSIM activation on iPhone has no set time. The eSIM download needs a working internet connection. If the install fails, restart your iPhone and try again on a different Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot. Your plan's days start when the eSIM first connects to a supported network in your destination. When you land, turn on the HelloRoam line and Data Roaming, and pick it under Cellular Data. If data does not start, restart your iPhone, turn Wi-Fi off and wait 2 to 5 minutes.

Yes. HelloRoam eSIM plans work on Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad models with eSIM. Apple lists the iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd to 6th generation), iPad Pro 13-inch (M4 and M5), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (7th generation and later) and iPad mini (5th generation and later). To install, open the Camera app, scan the QR code from your HelloRoam email and tap the Cellular Plan Detected notification. Then tap Continue and Add Cellular Plan.

Remove a HelloRoam plan from iPhone only if its eSIM has never connected, or its plan has ended. Go to Settings > Cellular and tap the HelloRoam line. Tap Delete eSIM, or Delete Plan when your iPhone holds several plans. Before its first connection, you can reinstall it with the same QR code. After that, removing it means your HelloRoam eSIM is gone for good. To stop the eSIM being used without removing it, flip Turn On This Line to off.

Renaming a HelloRoam plan on iPhone works through Settings > Cellular. Tap the line, tap Cellular Plan Label, then pick a preset or type a custom name. This helps when your iPhone has two or more lines.

iPhone XS and newer store eight or more eSIM profiles, but only 2 can be active at once. iPhone 13 and later can run 2 eSIMs, while older models run 1 eSIM plus 1 physical SIM. Stored profiles stay in Settings > Cellular even when off, so you can switch between country plans without reinstalling each time.

Data Roaming must be on for your HelloRoam plan to work abroad. When you land in your destination, go to Settings > Cellular, tap your HelloRoam line, and toggle Data Roaming to ON. Roaming turned on for your home SIM does not turn it on for the eSIM. Keep Data Roaming OFF on your home carrier SIM to avoid unexpected charges.

Selecting a network manually on iPhone works through Settings > Cellular. Tap your line, then Network Selection, and turn Automatic off. Wait for the full list of networks to load, then pick your preferred carrier. If data is slow, try a different carrier. Turn Automatic back on when you finish, because it is the normal setting.

Your iPhone must be unlocked (no carrier restrictions) to use HelloRoam. Check at Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock: an unlocked phone shows No SIM restrictions. If your iPhone is locked, contact your carrier to lift the restriction. Only your carrier can unlock it, and Apple cannot do it for you.

Setting HelloRoam as your primary data line on iPhone goes through Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. In your destination, pick the HelloRoam line there. To keep your home number for calls, tap Default Voice Line and choose your home SIM. This way you use affordable HelloRoam data abroad while your home phone number stays active for calls.

You cannot transfer an installed HelloRoam eSIM from your old iPhone to a new iPhone. Quick Start and Quick Transfer during iPhone setup do not work for it. Scanning its QR code again does not work either. A HelloRoam eSIM stays on the phone you install it on. Don't delete the eSIM from the old iPhone. Before its first connection to a network your plan covers in your destination, email help@helloroam.com. Installing it at home does not count as that connection. HelloRoam can issue a new eSIM. After that first connection, its code cannot be used again. HelloRoam does not issue a new one for a change of phone.

Check the basics before resetting network settings for eSIM connectivity issues on iPhone. In your destination, turn on the HelloRoam line and Data Roaming, and pick it under Cellular Data. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings, enter your passcode, and confirm. This clears saved WiFi passwords and VPN settings but keeps your eSIM profiles intact. After the reset, turn Data Roaming back on for the HelloRoam line at Settings > Cellular.

VPN apps can run over a HelloRoam eSIM on iPhone. Install the VPN app, connect to the VPN, and HelloRoam eSIM handles cellular data underneath it. A VPN can also stop your eSIM data from working. If data fails in your destination, turn the VPN off and load a page again. Check local laws first because countries like China and Russia restrict VPN use.

iMessage works with a HelloRoam eSIM on iPhone. With dual SIMs active, choose your home number for iMessage at Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive. HelloRoam provides the data connection that carries iMessage traffic. Your iMessage identity stays linked to your Apple ID regardless of which line delivers the data.

iOS updates do not delete installed eSIM profiles on your iPhone. Your HelloRoam plan stays on the device after any software update. After updating iOS, go to Settings > Cellular and tap your HelloRoam line. In your destination, confirm Data Roaming is ON and the correct line is set for Cellular Data.

WiFi calling runs through your primary home carrier, not HelloRoam. At Settings > Cellular, tap your home SIM line, tap Wi-Fi Calling, and turn on Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone. Your home carrier must offer Wi-Fi Calling for this to work. HelloRoam carries data only, not normal voice calls.

Airplane mode turns off all cellular connections on iPhone, including both your physical SIM and eSIM. To use Wi-Fi with airplane mode on, enable Airplane Mode in Control Center. Then go to Settings > Wi-Fi and turn it back on. Your HelloRoam eSIM stays installed, and it can connect again once you turn airplane mode off.

Checking HelloRoam eSIM data usage on iPhone works through Settings > Cellular. With Dual SIM, iPhone shows data used on the line picked for Cellular Data. Pick the HelloRoam line there after you land in Japan, Mexico, or Europe. The HelloRoam app also shows your plan's data left in the My eSIM tab.

eSIM settings on iPhone live under Settings > Cellular (called Mobile Data in some regions). From there you can add a plan, manage existing lines, pick your default data and voice lines, or toggle Data Roaming per line. Manual network selection is at Settings > Cellular, tap your line, then Network Selection.

If your HelloRoam eSIM stops working on iPhone, try these 5 fixes. Check your data and days left in the HelloRoam app. In your destination, turn Data Roaming on at Settings > Cellular for your HelloRoam line. Pick that line under Cellular Data. Restart your iPhone once, then pick a network manually under Network Selection. Don't delete or reinstall the eSIM, because its QR code cannot be used again. If none of those work, email help@helloroam.com with your order ID.

Your iPhone eSIM and Apple Watch need separate cellular plans. HelloRoam installs on your iPhone only, though a watch near your iPhone can connect through it. Apple Watch uses its own cellular plan linked to your iPhone carrier. If you travel with a cellular Apple Watch, check whether your home carrier offers Apple Watch international roaming.

Checking iPhone eSIM compatibility comes down to three steps. Open Settings, tap Cellular, and look for Add eSIM, Set Up Cellular or Add Cellular Plan. Then open Settings, tap General, tap About, and check Carrier Lock: an unlocked phone shows No SIM restrictions. Confirm your model is an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR or newer, introduced in 2018 or later. In China mainland, only the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, 17e and Air support eSIM, and some iPhone models from Hong Kong and Macao use two nano-SIM cards.

Ejecting the SIM card from an iPhone uses a SIM-eject tool or a thin paperclip. Push the tool straight into the small pinhole on the side of the iPhone, and the tray pops out. On iPhone 14 and newer US models, there is no physical SIM tray. Those devices are eSIM-only. You do not need to take out your physical SIM card to use a HelloRoam eSIM. Your iPhone runs both lines at once, with your home line for calls and texts.

APN (Access Point Name) settings tell your iPhone which network gateway to use for mobile data. No, you should not add or edit APN settings for your HelloRoam eSIM yourself. If data does not work in your destination, turn on Data Roaming at Settings > Cellular > your HelloRoam line. Then pick that line under Cellular Data. If the issue persists, email help@helloroam.com with a screenshot of your settings.

Buy a HelloRoam plan for your destination in the HelloRoam app or on our website, and we email you a QR code with the activation details. To install it from another screen, open Settings > Cellular on your iPhone, tap Add eSIM, then Use QR Code, and scan the code. On the same iPhone, tap the install button in the email instead, which works on iOS 17.4 or later. Your iPhone must be unlocked and be an iPhone XS or newer.

Turning on iPhone hotspot (Personal Hotspot) works through Settings > Personal Hotspot, then toggle Allow Others to Join to ON. In your destination, set Cellular Data to your HelloRoam line at Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. Then turn on the hotspot. Other devices such as laptops and tablets can then connect to your iPhone over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB and use your HelloRoam data plan. Hotspot sharing counts against your data allowance.

Dual SIM on iPhone lets you run two lines at once, using one physical nano-SIM and one eSIM. iPhone 13 and later can also use two eSIM profiles. With a dual SIM iPhone setup, you keep your home number for calls while HelloRoam handles affordable data abroad. Manage which line is used for data, calls, and SMS at Settings > Cellular. Each line keeps its own plan and data roaming switch.

An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your iPhone, so there is no card to swap. You add a plan by scanning a QR code or typing an activation code, and your iPhone downloads it over Wi-Fi. A HelloRoam eSIM runs next to your home SIM: calls and texts stay on your home line, and HelloRoam carries your data abroad. Install it at home, then turn it on when you land. Your plan's days start when it first connects to a supported network there.

SIM card issues on iPhone that prevent eSIM from working fall into four categories. First, a carrier lock stops any outside plan from activating. Check at Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock. Second, a line setting at Settings > Cellular is off. Once you arrive, switch the line on, allow its Data Roaming, and make it your data line. Third, your iPhone has not found a supported network yet. Leave automatic network selection on, and use a manual network scan only as a test. Fourth, you may not have reached the destination your plan covers. If all four check out, email help@helloroam.com with screenshots, and don't delete the eSIM.