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 and support eSIM.

Samsung Galaxy

• Galaxy S20, S21, S22, S23, S24 series (and later)
• Galaxy Note 20 series
• Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip series
• Galaxy A54 and selected A-series models

A regional caveat worth knowing: a small number of Samsung models sold in specific markets shipped without eSIM hardware even though the global version has it. If the settings check doesn't show Add eSIM, that's the likely reason.

Google Pixel

• Pixel 3 and later (with the exception of some early regional variants)
• Pixel 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 series all support eSIM

Other Android phones

Many recent phones from Motorola, Oppo, Huawei, Sony, Nothing and others include eSIM on their flagship and upper mid-range models. Because Android is so varied by brand and region, the settings check and the *#06# code are the quickest way to be certain for your exact handset.

What to do if the check fails

If none of the checks show an eSIM option, work through these in order:

1. Confirm the unlock status. A carrier-locked phone can hide or block the eSIM flow. Ask your home network to unlock it.
2. Check your exact model and region. Two phones with the same name can differ by market — a phone bought in one country may lack the eSIM chip its global sibling has.
3. Update your software. Rarely, an older OS version hides the option; installing the latest update can surface it.

If your phone genuinely has no eSIM support, a physical travel SIM is your alternative — but for the great majority of travellers with a phone from the last few years, eSIM is ready and waiting.

Once you've confirmed

If your phone passed the check, you're all set. You can keep your home SIM in place for calls and texts and add a travel eSIM for data alongside it — both active at once. When you're ready, browse travel eSIM plans for 190+ destinations, and follow our iPhone install guide or Android install guide to set it up in a couple of minutes.