Does Your Phone Support eSIM? The 10-Second Check
Find out in seconds if your phone supports eSIM: the iPhone dial-code check, the Android settings path, which models qualify, and the unlock caveat.
You found a travel data plan you like. You are ready to skip the airport SIM kiosk. Then the doubt creeps in: does my phone even support eSIM?
Good news — you do not need to dig through spec sheets or search your exact model number. Your phone will tell you itself, and the check takes about ten seconds. Here is exactly how to do it on iPhone and Android, which models made the cut, and the one caveat that catches travelers who bought their phone through a carrier.
The iPhone check: dial *#06#
Open the Phone app and dial *#06# — no need to press call, the screen appears on its own. You will see a list of your phone's hardware identifiers.
Look for a line labeled EID. That is a 32-digit number, and it is the fingerprint of the embedded SIM chip inside your phone. If an EID appears, your iPhone supports eSIM. If there is no EID line, it does not.
Prefer menus to dial codes? Go to Settings → General → About and scroll down. An EID entry there means the same thing.
As a rule of thumb: every iPhone from the XS, XS Max, and XR (2018) onward supports eSIM. That covers the iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 families and the SE from the second generation on. If your iPhone is newer than 2018, you almost certainly pass.
The Android check: look for "Add eSIM"
Android menus vary by manufacturer, so instead of one dial code there is one question: does your SIM settings screen offer to add an eSIM?
- Google Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs. If you see Add eSIM (or a + next to SIMs), you are set. Pixel 3 and later support eSIM.
- Samsung Galaxy: Settings → Connections → SIM manager. Look for Add eSIM. Galaxy S20 and later flagships support it, along with recent Z Flip, Z Fold, and Note models.
- Other brands: Settings → search for "eSIM". If a result like "Add eSIM" or "Download a SIM instead?" appears, your phone supports it.
The *#06# dial code works on many Android phones too — an EID in the list is the same green light as on iPhone.
Which phones support eSIM?
The short version: most flagship phones released since 2019–2020 support eSIM, and it has been trickling into mid-range models ever since.
| Brand | eSIM support starts around |
|---|---|
| Apple iPhone | XS, XS Max, XR (2018) and later |
| Google Pixel | Pixel 3 (2018) and later |
| Samsung Galaxy | Galaxy S20 (2020) and later flagships |
| Most other flagships | Roughly 2019–2020 onward |
Treat the table as a rule of thumb, not a verdict. The ten-second check on your own phone is always the final word — which is exactly why it is worth doing before you buy a plan, not at the departure gate.
The caveat: your phone must be unlocked
This is the step travelers skip, and it is the one that actually bites. Supporting eSIM is not enough — your phone also has to be unlocked, meaning it will accept SIM profiles from providers other than the carrier that sold it.
Phones bought outright or direct from the manufacturer are typically unlocked. Phones bought on an installment plan through a carrier are often locked until the device is paid off.
How to check:
- iPhone: Settings → General → About → scroll to Carrier Lock. "No SIM restrictions" means you are unlocked.
- Android: there is no universal indicator, so the reliable route is your carrier's app or account page — most have an unlock status or unlock request option.
If your phone is locked, contact your carrier. Many will unlock a fully paid-off device on request, sometimes within a day or two. Just do not leave it until the night before your flight.
A few regional exceptions
A small wrinkle worth knowing: the same model name does not always mean the same hardware everywhere. A few regional models ship without eSIM support even when the global version has it — typically variants sold in certain markets with dual physical SIM slots instead.
This is another reason the on-device check beats any compatibility list, including the table above. The EID line and the "Add eSIM" menu reflect the exact phone in your hand, not the spec sheet of its international sibling. Ten seconds of checking outranks an hour of forum threads.
What if your phone fails the check?
No EID, no "Add eSIM" option, no luck with the carrier unlock? Then an eSIM is not an option on this device — and it is far better to know that now than after buying a plan.
The practical workarounds: a physical local SIM at your destination, or borrowing a hotspot from a travel companion whose phone did pass the check. And if a phone upgrade is on your horizon anyway, essentially any current model will be eSIM-ready — worth folding into the decision if you travel more than once a year.
You passed — here's what comes next
An EID on the screen or an "Add eSIM" button in settings means the hard part is over. Everything after that is genuinely quick: pick a destination plan, get a QR code by email, and scan it from a Wi-Fi connection — full setup takes under five minutes. Our step-by-step guide to installing and activating an eSIM walks through every screen, and the pre-trip connectivity checklist covers the smartest timing: install at home, activate when you land.
From there, travel data stops being an errand. No roaming fees. No physical SIM. No surprises. When you are ready, browse Sonet's plans — prepaid data in 190+ countries, with your home number still active alongside it for calls, texts, and bank codes.