Is My Phone eSIM Compatible? How to Check

Before you buy a travel data plan, there's one thing worth confirming: does your phone actually support eSIM? The good news is that almost every phone released from 2019 onward does, and checking takes under a minute. This guide shows you the fastest ways to be sure — the settings menu, a dial code that confirms the hardware, and the model lists — so you can buy with confidence rather than crossing your fingers.

The 60-second check

You don't need any special tools. There are three quick checks, and any one of them is a strong signal on its own — together they're conclusive.

1. Look in your settings

This is the most reliable check, because it tells you what your specific phone can do right now:

• iPhone: open Settings → Cellular (called Mobile Service in some regions) and look for Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan. If it's there, you're compatible.
• Android: open Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs and look for Add eSIM or Download a SIM instead. On Samsung it's Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM. If the option appears, you're compatible.

2. Dial *#06#

Open your phone's dialler and type *#06#. Your device identifiers appear on screen. If you see an EID — a long 32-digit number — listed alongside the IMEI, your phone has an eSIM chip built in. No EID usually means no eSIM.

3. Check it's unlocked

An eSIM connects to a local network abroad, so — exactly like a physical SIM — it needs a carrier-unlocked phone. Phones bought outright are almost always unlocked. If yours came as part of a contract, a quick message to your home network will confirm it. This is the single most common reason a compatible phone still won't add a travel eSIM, so it's worth checking before you fly.

Which phones support eSIM

Most flagship and mid-range phones from the last few years qualify. The lists below cover the common models — if yours isn't named but the settings check above passes, trust the settings check.

iPhone

Every iPhone from the XS, XR (2018) onward supports eSIM, including:

• iPhone XS, XS Max, XR
• iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 series (all variants)
• iPhone SE (2nd generation, 2020) and later

One important note: US iPhone 14 models and later are eSIM-only — they have no physical SIM tray at all, which makes a travel eSIM the natural fit. iPhones sold outside the US in that range keep the physical tray support eSIM.