--- title: "Does my phone support eSIM? Check it in 30 seconds" description: "There are two conditions, and the second one catches almost everybody out. Here's where to look on iPhone and Android, and what to do if your phone is locked." url: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/does-my-phone-support-esim markdown: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/does-my-phone-support-esim.md lang: en site: Gigapass generated: 2026-10-24 languages: es: https://getgigapass.com/blog/mi-movil-admite-esim de: https://getgigapass.com/de/blog/ist-mein-handy-esim-fahig it: https://getgigapass.com/it/blog/telefono-compatibile-esim fr: https://getgigapass.com/fr/blog/telephone-compatible-esim pt: https://getgigapass.com/pt/blog/telemovel-compativel-com-esim nl: https://getgigapass.com/nl/blog/telefoon-geschikt-voor-esim ja: https://getgigapass.com/ja/blog/esim-taio-kakunin ko: https://getgigapass.com/ko/blog/esim-jiwon-hwagin zh-hans: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hans/blog/shouji-shifou-zhichi-esim pl: https://getgigapass.com/pl/blog/telefon-obslugujacy-esim sv: https://getgigapass.com/sv/blogg/telefon-som-klarar-esim no: https://getgigapass.com/no/blogg/telefon-som-takler-esim da: https://getgigapass.com/da/blog/telefon-der-kan-klare-esim tr: https://getgigapass.com/tr/blog/esim-destekleyen-telefon ru: https://getgigapass.com/ru/blog/podderzhivaet-li-telefon-esim zh-hant: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hant/blog/shouji-zhichi-esim-ma ar: https://getgigapass.com/ar/mudawana/hal-yadam-hatifi-esim he: https://getgigapass.com/he/blog/haim-hamachshir-tomech-esim index: https://getgigapass.com/llms/en.txt --- # How to tell whether your phone supports eSIM (and what to do if it doesn't) > There are two conditions, and the second one catches almost everybody out. Here's where to look on iPhone and Android, and what to do if your phone is locked. [Home](https://getgigapass.com/en) › [Blog](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog) › How to tell whether your phone supports eSIM (and what to do if it doesn't) Before you buy There are two conditions, and the second one catches almost everybody out. Here's where to look on iPhone and Android, and what to do if your phone is locked. **Dani Requena** 2 Aug 2026 7 min Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash In this article › Check it on your own phone, in 30 seconds › The list by model, as a rough guide › If your phone is locked to an operator › Four reasons the option doesn't show up › It supports it. What now? Before buying any eSIM you need to be sure your phone will accept it, and here's the most common misunderstanding in the industry: it isn't one condition, it's two, and you need both. 1. The phone has to have the chip. That depends on the model and is easy to check. 2. It has to be carrier unlocked. That doesn't depend on the model but on how it was bought, and it's the one that leaves most people halfway there. A modern phone locked to an operator has the chip in perfect working order and still won't install anything. That's why a list of models isn't enough on its own. ## Check it on your own phone, in 30 seconds You don't need to look up the spec sheet or the model number. The handset itself will tell you, and that check beats any list. ### On an iPhone Open Settings and go into Mobile Data (on some versions it's called Mobile Service or Cellular). If you see Add eSIM or Add Data Plan, your iPhone supports it. If it doesn't appear anywhere, either the model doesn't have it or the phone is locked. ### On Android The path varies a little between manufacturers, but it's always in the same place: Settings, then Connections or Network & internet, and from there SIM manager or SIMs. If you see an option to add an eSIM or download a SIM, it supports one. ### The dialler shortcut On many phones, dialling \*#06# brings up the handset's identifiers. If a code called EID appears on that screen, your phone has an eSIM chip. It's a useful second clue, though it says nothing about whether the phone is locked. ## The list by model, as a rough guide It's handy for a quick idea before you pick up the phone, but the check above still wins: some models had regional variants built without eSIM. | Brand | From | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Apple | iPhone XS, XR and later | US iPhones from the 14 onwards are eSIM only | | Samsung | Galaxy S20 and later | Also Z Flip and Z Fold; some regional variants don't have it | | Google | Pixel 3 and later | Broad, reliable support | | Xiaomi | 12T, 13 and later | Depends on the market it was sold in | | Huawei | P40 and Mate 40 | The P40 Lite does NOT have it | ## If your phone is locked to an operator A locked handset only accepts lines from whoever sold it, and that includes eSIMs. It usually happens with phones that came subsidised as part of a contract. Unlocking is done by that operator, and across most of Europe it's free once your minimum term is over or the handset is paid off. It's normally sorted with a phone call or from your online account, and can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Until then no eSIM will work, ours or anyone else's. ## Four reasons the option doesn't show up - The model doesn't have it. The simplest case, and there's no way around it. - It's locked to an operator. That one is fixable: ask whoever sold it to you. - The software is badly out of date. On some older Android phones the option arrived in a later update. - It's a regional variant without eSIM. This happens with handsets bought in Asia and in some Latin American markets. ## It supports it. What now? Next comes choosing how many days and how much data, which is where almost everyone buys more than they need just in case. Here are the real numbers for what a day of travelling uses, in case they help you avoid overpaying: [how much data you actually use on a trip](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/how-much-data-do-i-need-to-travel). There's a compatibility checker in the Gigapass header with the list of models: type yours in and it tells you whether it's there. If it isn't, message us on WhatsApp and we'll look at it with you before you buy anything. We answer in Spanish and English. Know where you're going? Pick your destination, days and data. Install it before you leave and pay once. [See destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en#destinos) Dani RequenaNetworks and coverage He comes from the engineering side of telecoms. He translates what operators say into what you'll actually notice on your phone. ## Frequently asked questions **How do I know if my phone supports eSIM?** Go into your mobile data settings. If you see an option to add an eSIM or a data plan, it supports one. On iPhone that's Settings, Mobile Data; on Android, Settings, Connections or Network & internet, SIM. **What is the EID code?** It's the identifier of your phone's eSIM chip. Dialling \*#06# brings it up on screen if the handset has one. Its presence means the phone has the chip, though it says nothing about whether it's carrier unlocked. **My phone is compatible but it won't let me install one. Why?** The most likely reason is that it's locked to an operator. A subsidised handset only accepts lines from whoever sold it until it's unlocked, and that includes eSIMs. The owner has to request the unlock from that operator. **Do US iPhones work with eSIM in Spain?** Yes, and in fact since the iPhone 14 the ones sold there only take eSIMs, because they have no tray for a physical card. They work normally in Spain as long as they're carrier unlocked. **Does an unlocked phone always support eSIM?** No. Unlocked means it accepts any operator, but the eSIM chip has to be there in the hardware. An unlocked phone from 2017 doesn't have one. ## Keep reading - [Before you buy](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/how-much-data-do-i-need-to-travel) | How much data you actually use on a trip | 8 min - [Before you buy](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/what-is-an-esim) | What an eSIM is, and how it differs from the SIM card you know | 8 min [Before you buy How much data work video calls use 6 min](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/how-much-data-does-a-video-call-use)