How to Install an eSIM on Samsung Galaxy (Step-by-Step Guide)

You bought a travel eSIM, you have the QR code sitting in your inbox, and now you're staring at your Galaxy wondering which menu it hides in. Samsung buries eSIM setup two levels deep and the wording changes between One UI versions, which is why so many travellers give up and buy a physical SIM at the airport instead. This guide shows you exactly how to install an eSIM on a Samsung Galaxy, in the right order, with the settings most people forget.

The whole process takes about three minutes. Do it at home, on Wi-Fi, before you fly.

Before you start: check your Galaxy actually supports eSIM

Not every Galaxy has an eSIM chip. Samsung ships region-specific variants, and some models sold in China, Hong Kong and certain carrier channels are physical-SIM only — even when the same model number supports eSIM elsewhere.

The 10-second check that always works

Open your phone dialler and type *#06#. A panel appears with your IMEI numbers. If you also see an EID (a 32-digit number), your phone has an eSIM chip. No EID means no eSIM, regardless of what a spec sheet says.

As a second check, go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager. If there's an Add eSIM option, you're good.

Galaxy models that generally support eSIM

• S series: Galaxy S20, S21, S22, S23, S24 and S25 families (S20 FE 5G yes, S20 FE 4G no)
• Note series: Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra
• Foldables: Z Flip and Z Flip 3 through 7, Z Fold 2 through 7
• A series: selected models such as the A54 and A55, depending on region

Anything older than the S20 generation almost certainly won't work. If you're unsure about your exact variant, our device compatibility list is the fastest way to confirm before you buy.

How to install an eSIM on Samsung Galaxy: step by step

These steps cover One UI 5 through One UI 8 (Android 13 to Android 16). The menu labels shift slightly between versions — the sequence doesn't.

1. Connect to Wi-Fi

An eSIM profile is downloaded over the internet. Without a connection, the install fails. Never wait until you land to do this.

2. Open SIM manager

Go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager. On older One UI versions this is called SIM card manager, and on some Android 12 builds it sits under Settings → Connections → Mobile networks.

3. Tap "Add eSIM"

Depending on your build, the button reads Add eSIM, Add mobile plan or Add network plan. Some Galaxy phones then ask you to choose between "Scan QR code from service provider" and "Search for available plans" — pick the QR code option.

4. Scan the QR code

Point the camera at the QR code your provider emailed you. If the code is on the same phone's screen, you can't scan it — use Enter activation code manually instead and paste the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your confirmation email.

5. Confirm the download

Tap Add or Confirm. The profile downloads in 20 to 60 seconds. Don't lock the screen or switch apps while it works.

6. Name the plan

Samsung will ask you to label it. Call it something obvious like "Travel" or "Umrah" — you'll be toggling between lines and generic names like "SIM 2" get confusing fast.

The settings almost everyone gets wrong

Installing the eSIM is the easy part. These three settings are where travellers actually get stuck, usually while standing in an arrivals hall with no signal.

Turn on data roaming for the travel eSIM

This is the single most common failure. A travel eSIM connects to a foreign network as a roaming partner, so roaming must be enabled or nothing works. Go to Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Data roaming and make sure it's on for the travel line. Turning it on for the travel eSIM does not enable roaming charges on your home line.

Set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line

In SIM manager → Preferred SIM card → Mobile data, select your travel eSIM. Leave calls and messages on your home number if you still want to receive them — that costs nothing as long as you don't answer or dial.

Switch your home line's data off

In SIM manager, tap your home carrier's line and toggle it off, or disable its mobile data. This is what stops your normal carrier from quietly charging international roaming rates in the background while your travel plan sits unused.

When to install: home or destination?

Install at home. Activate on arrival. Those are two different things, and the distinction matters.

The download step needs internet, so do it before you leave while you're on reliable Wi-Fi. Most travel eSIM plans only begin counting your validity period once the profile connects to a network in the destination country — so installing early doesn't burn your days. Check your specific plan's terms; the details are laid out on our how it works page.

One thing to know: a QR code can normally only be used once. Once the profile is installed on a device, that same code won't install on a second phone, and it usually won't reinstall after a factory reset. Save the confirmation email and don't delete the eSIM profile unless you're certain you're finished with it.

Troubleshooting: what to do when it doesn't connect

• "Unable to add eSIM" or "Invalid QR code" — you're offline, the code has already been used, or the phone is carrier-locked. Check Wi-Fi first, then contact your provider.
• No signal after landing — toggle Airplane mode on for 15 seconds, then off. This forces a fresh network scan and fixes the majority of arrival problems.
• Still no signal — go to Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Network operators, turn off "Select automatically", and manually pick a supported local network from the list.
• Connected but no internet — the APN may be missing. Your provider's setup instructions will list the correct APN to enter under Mobile networks → Access Point Names.
• Phone won't show Add eSIM — your handset is likely carrier-locked. Contact your original carrier to unlock it; eSIM won't work on a locked device.

More fixes are collected in our FAQ.

Quick reference

Step	Where to go
Check eSIM support	Dial *#06# → look for EID
Install profile	Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM
Enable roaming	Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Data roaming
Choose data line	SIM manager → Preferred SIM card → Mobile data
Disable home data	SIM manager → tap home line → toggle off

Ready to get connected

Once you've done this once, every future trip takes under two minutes — the eSIM slot stays on your phone and you just add a new plan. Data packages start at $3.99 and cover more than 190 destinations, including full coverage across Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Hajj.

Browse the available plans at umradata.com and have your eSIM installed before you pack.