How do I move an eSIM to a new phone?
Newer phones offer a direct transfer during setup. Otherwise the network reissues the profile, usually free and within minutes — but never delete the old profile first.
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Time
- 30 min
- Read
- 5 min
- Safety
- caution
Short answer
If both phones are recent, use the built-in eSIM transfer offered during the new phone's setup, or the add-eSIM option that lists a nearby device. If that is not available, ask your network to reissue the eSIM: most now do it through their app or website and send a QR code or an activation code within minutes. Keep the old phone working until the new one has service, and never delete the profile before you have the replacement in hand.
Do this first
An eSIM is a subscription profile downloaded into a chip soldered into the phone, rather than a piece of plastic you move. That removes the tray and makes travel SIMs trivially easy, and it means switching phones is now a small administrative act with a network rather than a two-second physical swap. Understanding who controls the profile explains everything about the process.
Safety
Step by step
- Check whether your phones support direct transfer.Recent iPhones and recent Android phones can move an eSIM between devices without involving the network, either as part of the new phone's setup assistant or through an add-eSIM option that offers to transfer from a nearby device. Both phones need to be on, unlocked and near each other with Bluetooth on. Try this route first — it takes a minute.
- If that is unavailable, start with your network, not the phone.Log into the network's app or website and look for an eSIM section, often labelled swap device, replace SIM or manage SIM. Most UK networks now self-serve this and it is normally free. Some still require a call or a shop visit, and a small number charge.
- Do it while the old phone still works.Some networks verify the swap by sending a code to the existing number. If you have already deleted the profile, you cannot receive that code, and the recovery becomes an identity check rather than a two-minute task. This is the single most common way people get stranded.
- Scan the code on the new phone.The network gives you a QR code or a manual activation string. On the new phone, the add-eSIM or add mobile plan option in the mobile settings opens a scanner. Scan, confirm, and give it a few minutes to activate. Wi-fi is needed for the download.
- Label the lines if you have more than one.Both platforms let you name each line — personal, work, travel. Do this immediately, because the routing settings that follow all refer to lines by name and unlabelled lines are genuinely confusing.
- Set the routing before you rely on it.Choose which line carries mobile data, which is the default for calls, and which for messages. These are separate settings and they do not default sensibly. Also check that data roaming and wi-fi calling are set as you want them on each line individually.
- Test properly before removing anything.Make a call, send a text, receive a text, and load a web page with wi-fi turned off. Only when all four work should you delete the old profile from the old phone. Deleting it is also the right thing to do before selling that phone.
- Save the activation code somewhere until it is done.Some codes can be scanned only once; others can be reused a limited number of times. Keep the email or screenshot until the new phone is confirmed working, then delete it — it is a credential for your phone line.
If it doesn't work
The QR code will not scan or says already used
Cause: Single-use code already consumed, or a partial activation left the profile in limbo — Fix: Go back to the network for a fresh code. This is common and networks issue replacements routinely. Do not keep re-scanning the old one.
The eSIM activates but there is no service
Cause: The network has not yet completed the swap on their side, or the profile needs the phone to re-register — Fix: Restart the phone, then toggle aeroplane mode. Give it up to an hour before escalating — network-side provisioning is not always instant.
Deleted the eSIM from the old phone by mistake
Cause: The profile is gone from that device and cannot be undeleted — Fix: Contact the network for a reissue. Have identity details ready, because you cannot receive a verification text. Doing this from the network's app on wi-fi, or from a shop with photo identification, is the fastest route.
The new phone has no eSIM option
Cause: The handset does not support eSIM, or it is a network-locked variant — Fix: Ask the network for a physical SIM instead, which they will supply free. Not every model sold in every market supports eSIM even where the same model does elsewhere.
Transfer worked but the second line has vanished
Cause: Some phones support several stored profiles but only one or two active at once — Fix: Check the mobile settings for the full list of profiles and enable the one you want. A stored-but-inactive profile looks identical to a missing one in the status bar.
Questions people ask
Can I have the same eSIM on two phones?
Generally no — a profile is tied to one device. Multi-device arrangements like a watch on the same number are a separate product the network provisions deliberately, not the same profile copied.
Is an eSIM better than a plastic SIM?
For travel, clearly — you can buy and activate a local data plan from your sofa before flying. For switching phones frequently, it is more work than moving a tray. Both have a place, which is why most phones still support one of each.
What if my phone is lost or stolen?
The network reissues the eSIM to the replacement phone after identity checks. It is a bigger deal than a plastic SIM because you cannot simply move it, which is a reason to keep a way of proving identity to your network that does not depend on the phone.
Does moving an eSIM move my contacts or data?
No. An eSIM carries the subscription only — the number and the network authorisation. Contacts, messages, apps and photos move by the phone's own migration process, entirely separately.