Install
How to install an eSIM on an iPhone
One tap on iOS 17.4 or later, a QR code on older iPhones, or the details typed in by hand. Do it at home, keep your home SIM in, and label the new line.
Updated 2026-11-13
Before you start
Install at home, on wifi. An eSIM needs the internet to download, and the first thing you will not have when you land is the internet. The plan does not start when you install it; it starts when the eSIM first connects to a network abroad, so there is nothing to lose by doing this a week early.
Your iPhone must be unlocked (not tied to one carrier) and must support eSIM: that is every iPhone from the XS and XR onwards. Keep your home SIM in. It stays for calls and texts; SimPig only does the data.
The one-tap way (iOS 17.4 or later)
Your order page, and the eSIM’s own page on simpig.com/me, have an “Install on iPhone” button. It opens Apple’s own eSIM setup with the details filled in.
- Tap “Install on iPhone” on your order or on the eSIM’s page.
- Tap “Allow”, then “Continue” through Apple’s screens. Leave “Default line” on your home SIM.
- When asked which line to use for mobile data, choose the new SimPig line.
- Give the line a label (Settings → Mobile Service → tap the line → Label) so you can find it later.
The QR way (any iPhone with eSIM)
If your phone is older, or you are installing on a different phone from the one you bought on, scan the QR code instead. Show it on another screen and point the camera at it.
- Open Settings → Mobile Service (or Mobile Data) → Add eSIM.
- Choose “Use QR Code” and scan the code from your order page.
- Tap “Add eSIM”, then follow the prompts. Choose the SimPig line for mobile data.
Typing it in
No camera handy? Under the QR code we show the SM-DP+ address and the activation code with a copy button each. In Settings → Mobile Service → Add eSIM, choose “Enter Details Manually” and paste them in. The confirmation code is usually blank.
Once installed, leave Data Roaming off until you land. Then turn it on for the SimPig line only, and your home SIM stays off roaming so your bank does not get a cut of our sale.
Questions
Can I install the eSIM before I travel?
Yes, and you should. The plan starts when the eSIM first connects abroad, not when you install it.
Do I take my home SIM out?
No. It stays in for calls and texts. The SimPig eSIM is a second line that only does data.
Can I install it on two phones?
No. An eSIM profile installs once, on one phone. If you delete it, it is gone; contact us before you do.