On the road
What to do with your eSIM when you get home
There is nothing to return and nothing to cancel. What to switch back after landing, whether to delete the profile and what happens if you go back.
Nerea Aguilar 5 min Photo by Einar H. Reynis on Unsplash A travel eSIM is not a contract: it is a prepaid plan that runs out or expires on its own. When you get home there is nobody to call, nothing to cancel and nothing to return. All it takes is two settings, ten seconds each.
Two settings once you land at home
- Set your usual number back as the data line.
- Turn off the travel eSIM's line.
And everything is as it was before you left. This is the most common mistake of the return leg: getting home, seeing the phone crawl or fail to connect, and not realising it is still trying to go out through an eSIM that has no data left or no coverage here.
Does the profile need deleting?
No. A profile that is switched off uses nothing, draws no battery and gets in nobody's way. It can stay saved indefinitely.
It is worth deleting in two cases: when you sell the phone, and when the chip is filling up, since the number of profiles is limited. In that case delete the expired ones, not the one you can still use.
And mind the button: deleting a profile cannot be undone. If the plan was still valid, it is gone.
If you go back to the same country
It depends on whether the plan is still valid and whether it can be topped up. If it has expired, the saved eSIM no longer gives data even though it stays on the phone, so a new plan is needed. If it is topping-up capable and has not expired, you can top it up without installing anything again.
That is a detail of the plan, not a general rule, and it is stated on its page.
What happens to unused data
It goes when the plan expires, as in every prepaid travel plan. The days are calendar days and they run even if you do not use the phone, so they are not saved for the next trip.
That is why it pays to get the size right at the point of buying rather than taking extra just in case.
To get it right next time, the maths is in how many gigabytes a trip really uses.
And a quick look at the bill
It is worth checking the first bill after the trip, especially if you were outside your own zone. If roaming usage shows up and you were using an eSIM, it means data roaming on your number was switched on at some point. You dispute that with your operator, with the date and the country.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to cancel my eSIM when I get home?
No. It is a prepaid plan that expires on its own. It is enough to set your usual number back as the data line and switch the eSIM off.
Should I delete the eSIM profile?
There is no need: switched off it uses nothing and gets in the way of nothing. It is worth deleting when you sell the phone or need room for another profile.
Can I reuse the eSIM on my next trip to the same country?
Only if the plan is still valid or can be topped up. If it has expired you need a new one, even though the profile stays on the phone.
Is unused data saved?
No. Travel plans expire by calendar days and the balance does not carry over to the next trip.
Why doesn't my phone connect when I get home?
Almost always because the travel eSIM is still set as the data line. Switch to your usual number and turn the other one off.
