How Do I Know if My Phone Supports eSIM: A Detailed Guide

How do I know if my phone supports eSIM? We have three answers or ways to help you figure it out:

According to the GSMA Intelligence Operator Smartphone Survey 2020, by 2025, about 60% of smartphone unit sales will be eSIM-compatible.

You can check eSIM support on your phone via:

1. EID
2. Settings Menu
3. Device Name Identification via EsimSurf Compatibility Tool

This article will further expand on the 3 methods with step-by-step instructions. But before that, let’s understand...

What’s eSIM Technology

As per The Mobile Economy 2024 Report, an eSIM, or embedded SIM, is a built-in electronic SIM card inside a mobile device. It enables flexible and remote management of mobile subscriptions without the need for a physical SIM card.

An eSIM gives you, as a customer, benefits like:

• Improved security as it can’t be physically accessed 
• No risk of damaging and losing your “SIM” card
• Easily switch networks without the hassle of ordering and switching
• Conveniently add an international plan - no need to buy a new sim 
• Same-day activation 
• Smooth, remote, and instant enrolment and subscription delivery

How to Check eSIM Support on Your Phone

Here are three ways to verify whether your phone supports eSIM.

Way #1 - Check eSIM Compatibility with EID on iPhone & Android

This is a universal way to easily & quickly check eSIM compatibility on any phone. If your phone contains EID, it supports eSIM.

What’s EID?

EID (Embedded Identity Document) is a unique 32-digit code found in eSIM devices. Similar to ICCID, which is found in a phone that supports physical SIM, EID is equivalent to it with eSIM-compatible smartphones.

Method 1: Via Dial Pad

Here’s how to find EID on your phone via your dial pad:

1. Dial a USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) code on your phone app, *#06#.
   
   
2. As soon as you enter #, a menu will appear. If you see EID, among other info, it means your phone supports eSIM.
   
   

Method 2: Settings Menu

Explore EID from your phone’s About menu:

iPhone

1. Go to Settings.
   
   
2. Click General.
   
   
3. Open About.
   
   
4. Scroll down and look for EID. If it’s available, your iPhone supports eSIM.
   
   

Android

1. Open Settings.
   
   
2. Scroll all the way down and select About phone. 
   
   
3. Swipe down to go to Device details. Under it, you’ll see EID, which means your Android phone supports eSIM.
   
   

Way #2 - How Do I Know if My Phone Supports eSIM via Settings

Here are detailed instructions on how to check eSIM compatibility for every famous brand based on Counterpoint's global smartphone market share.

iPhone

The first iPhone with eSIM support was the iPhone Xr/Xs in September 2018. Follow the steps below to learn if your phone supports eSIM.

1. Go to Settings.
   
   
2. Click Cellular.
   
   
3. If your iPhone shows Add eSIM, your phone is eSIM compatible.

Samsung

The first Samsung smartphone to provide eSIM support was the Galaxy S20 lineup, launched in February 2020. To find out whether your Samsung phone has eSIM, use the following steps:

1. Open Settings.
   
   
2. Go to Connections.
   
   
3. Select Sim card manager.
   
   
4. If you see an Add Mobile Plan or Add eSIM(older models) option, your Samsung smartphone supports eSIM.
   
   

Huawei

Huawei has yet to get comfortable with the concept of eSIM as it only has a few devices that support it.

Does your Huawei phone support eSIM? Here’s how to find out:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select Mobile Networks.
3. Explore SIM Management.
4. If you see Add SIM / Add eSIM, your Huawei smartphone supports eSIM.

Xiaomi

With the release of 12T Pro in October 2022, Xiaomi entered the eSIM space. Since then, the company has been releasing phones with eSIM support. Here are the steps to see if your Xiaomi phone has eSIM:

1. Open Settings.
2. Head to Network.
3. Look for an option that says Add eSIM - if it’s unavailable, your phone doesn’t support it.     

Oppo

Similar to Huawei, we see limited Oppo phone models that support eSIM. To see if your phone makes it to the list, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Mobile Network.
3. Check if there’s an Add eSIM option. You can’t use an eSIM on your Oppo if you don't find the option. 

Google Pixel

Google was ahead of its competition in the eSIM space as it introduced the feature in Google Pixel 2 in October 2017. To confirm whether your phone supports eSIM, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
   
   
2. Go to Network & internet.
   
   
3. Select SIMs.
   
   
4. If you see the Add SIM option, your Pixel device supports eSIM. 
   
   

Vivo

Vivo introduced eSIM functionality with X90 Pro back in November 2022. To see if your Vivo phone contains eSIM support, check out the following instructions:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Network & internet.
3. Click Mobile network.
4. Look for the option - Download a SIM instead. If it’s there, your phone is eSIM compatible.

Motorola

Since the Razr 2019, the first phone with only eSIM, Motorola has released several smartphones with eSIM support. To see if your Moto has eSIM support, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
   
   
2. Click Network & internet.
   
   
3. Go inside Mobile network.
   
   
4. Select Advanced.
   
   
5. If you don’t see the Carrier option, your phone doesn’t support eSIM - like ours.
   
   

Sony

The Xperia 10 III Lite release by Sony included eSIM support. And since then, we have seen a bunch of Sony phones with eSIM support. Unsure about yours? Follow the steps below:

1. Launch the Settings app. 
2. Open Mobile & Internet.
3. Go to SIMs.
4. If you see the Download a SIM instead option, your Sony phone is compatible with eSIM.  

Nokia

To check if your Nokia phone supports eSIM, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click Network & internet.
3. Select SIMs.
4. If you see Download eSIM instead or Add eSIM, your phone supports eSIM.

Way #3 - Device Name Identification via EsimSurf Compatibility Tool

Still wondering how do I know if my phone supports eSIM? You can use EsimSurf’s compatibility tool to enter your phone’s model name and find the answer:

Part #1 - Check Your Device Name

First, know your device name:

1. Go to Settings.
   
   
2. Scroll down to the bottom and select About phone.
   
   
3. Your phone name is under Device name. We have Pixel 6a.
   
   

Part #2 - Use the EsimSurf Compatibility Tool 

Now, we’ll use the device name to check whether it supports eSIM on the EsimSurf free online compatibility tool:

1. Visit EsimSurf.com and click Compatibility.
2. Click the input box that says Search Compatible Phones.
   
   
    
3. Enter your Device Name and select it from the drop-down menu.
   
   

Note: If your Device Name doesn’t appear in the drop-down menu, it means your phone doesn’t support eSIM.

4. A pop-up will appear confirming that your device supports eSIM. To buy an eSIM from us, click Yes, Buy eSIM.
   
   

Final Words

GSMA Intelligence’s baseline scenario predicts around 1 billion eSIM smartphone connections globally by the end of 2025, growing to 6.9 billion by 2030. Use our comprehensive guide to learn whether your phone supports eSIM. And if your device is compatible, don’t forget to check out our eSIM plans, which start at as low as USD 1.99.