Managing Multiple eSIMs on Your Phone
How many eSIMs can your phone hold?
Different phones support different numbers of simultaneous eSIM profiles:
| Device | eSIM capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 15, 16 series | 2 active eSIMs | No physical SIM tray — fully eSIM |
| iPhone 13, 14 series | 1 physical SIM + 1 active eSIM | Can store 8+ eSIM profiles, but only 1 active at a time alongside the physical SIM |
| iPhone XS, XR, 11, 12, SE 3 | 1 physical SIM + 1 active eSIM | Same as above |
| Samsung Galaxy S24, S25 | 1 physical SIM + 1 active eSIM | Varies by region |
| Google Pixel 7, 8, 9 | 1 physical SIM + 1 active eSIM | Some models support 2 active eSIMs |
Key distinction: Your phone can store many eSIM profiles but only keep a limited number active at once. You can switch which ones are active in Settings without reinstalling.
Check the full compatible devices list for your specific model.
Installing multiple eSIMs
You can install eSIM profiles for different countries before a multi-stop trip. Each installation requires Wi-Fi and a separate QR code.
- Purchase plans for each country from the destinations page (or one regional plan if it covers your route)
- Install each eSIM one at a time — scan the QR code for each
- Label each one clearly during installation (see below)
- Leave them inactive until you need them
Do this before you travel. You need Wi-Fi to install eSIM profiles, and airport Wi-Fi can be unreliable.
Labeling your SIM lines
Clear labels prevent confusion when switching between lines.
iPhone:
- Go to Settings → Cellular
- Tap the line you want to rename
- Tap Cellular Plan Label
- Choose a preset (Travel, Business) or tap Custom Label to type your own
- Good examples: “Japan Data”, “Europe Trip”, “Home”
Android:
- Go to Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs (or Connections → SIM card manager)
- Tap the SIM you want to rename
- Edit the name
- Use the same clear naming convention
Setting the default data line
Your phone needs to know which SIM to use for mobile data. When you arrive in a new country, switch the default:
iPhone:
- Go to Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data
- Select your travel eSIM for that country
- Turn off “Allow Cellular Data Switching” — this prevents your phone from falling back to your home SIM and racking up roaming charges
Android:
- Go to Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs (or SIM card manager)
- Under Mobile data (or Preferred SIM for data), select the travel eSIM
- Confirm the switch
Switching between plans when crossing borders
If you have separate eSIMs for different countries:
- Open your SIM settings
- Disable the current country’s eSIM (or just switch the data default)
- Enable the new country’s eSIM
- Set it as the default for data
- Make sure Data Roaming is on for the new line
- Toggle Airplane Mode off/on to connect to the new network
With a regional plan, you don’t need to do any of this — it switches networks automatically.
Keeping your home number
The most common setup for travel is:
- Physical SIM (or primary eSIM) — your home carrier for calls and texts
- Travel eSIM — data only
Your travel eSIM from e-sim.onl is data-only. It doesn’t support phone calls or SMS. Your home number stays active on your physical SIM, and people can still call and text you normally.
To set this up:
iPhone:
- Settings → Cellular → Default Voice Line → select your home SIM
- Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data → select your travel eSIM
Android:
- SIM card manager → Calls → select your home SIM
- SIM card manager → Mobile data → select your travel eSIM
Deleting old eSIMs
Once a plan has expired and you no longer need it:
iPhone:
- Go to Settings → Cellular
- Tap the expired eSIM line
- Tap Delete eSIM (or Remove Cellular Plan)
- Confirm
Android:
- Go to Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs
- Tap the expired eSIM
- Tap Delete (or Remove)
- Confirm
Important: Don’t delete an eSIM that still has data remaining or hasn’t expired yet. Once deleted, the profile is removed from your phone and most eSIM profiles cannot be reinstalled with the same QR code. If you accidentally delete an active eSIM, contact [email protected].
Tips for multi-country trips
- Install all eSIMs before departure — you need Wi-Fi, and you may not have reliable access abroad
- Label everything — “Thailand Data” is much clearer than “Carrier 47.2”
- Don’t delete plans early — keep each eSIM until it expires, even if you’ve left that country; you might pass back through
- Consider a regional plan — if visiting 3+ countries in the same region, one eSIM is simpler than managing several. See the regional vs country plan guide
- Monitor usage per plan — each order has its own usage bar in your dashboard
- Keep your home SIM for voice — travel eSIMs are data-only, so always keep your home line enabled for calls