How to Install an eSIM Before You Travel (iPhone, Samsung, Pixel)
How to install an eSIM at home before you travel: scan the QR code on iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel, then switch it on when you land. Steps and fixes.
ArriGo team 10 min read Updated
To install an eSIM before you travel, connect to Wi-Fi at home, scan the eSIM QR code from your phone’s mobile settings and leave the new line switched off until you land. On iPhone that starts in Settings → Cellular, on Samsung Galaxy in Settings → Connections → SIM manager, and on Google Pixel in Settings → Network & internet → SIMs.
Doing it a day or two before the flight gives you time to fix a locked phone or a typo while you still have home Wi-Fi and a calm evening. This guide covers each phone step by step, citing Apple, Samsung and Google’s own instructions, then explains exactly what to switch on when the plane touches down.
Key takeaways
- Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, one to two days before you leave; the QR code needs a second screen or a printout to scan.
- Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked; check both before you buy.
- ArriGo plan days only start when the eSIM first connects at your destination, so installing early costs you nothing.
- When you land: turn on the travel line, turn on data roaming for it, set it as your mobile data line, and turn data roaming off on your home line.
Why install your eSIM before you travel?
The download needs an internet connection. Apple’s eSIM setup guide lists Wi-Fi or a hotspot as a requirement, and Google and Samsung assume the same. Airport Wi-Fi works, but it is slow, crowded and sometimes asks for a login page that needs, of course, a working connection.
Installing at home also means any problem shows up while you can still fix it. The most common one is a phone locked to a Canadian carrier, and that is a phone call to Bell, Rogers or Telus, not something you want to discover at a baggage carousel.
There is no downside on timing. With ArriGo, the plan’s validity days start when the eSIM first connects in the destination country, not when you install it. Your QR code arrives by email within about a minute of ordering, so you can buy and install in the same sitting.
Before you start: a five-point checklist
- Confirm your phone supports eSIM. Apple supports eSIM from the iPhone XS and XR onward, Google from the Pixel 3a, and Samsung from the Galaxy S20 family plus recent foldables and selected A models. Our eSIM compatibility checker lists every model.
- Check it is unlocked. On iPhone, Apple’s guide to using eSIM while travelling says to look in Settings → General → About for “No SIM Restrictions” next to Carrier Lock. On Android, if you bought the phone through a carrier, ask them.
- Connect to stable Wi-Fi. Home or hotel Wi-Fi is ideal.
- Put the QR code on another screen. Open the email on a laptop or tablet, or print it. Your phone’s camera cannot scan its own screen.
- Keep the email. It also contains the details for manual entry if the scan fails.
How to install an eSIM on iPhone
Apple offers several ways to add an eSIM. For a travel eSIM sent by QR code, these are the two that matter. All steps are from Apple’s eSIM setup guide.
Option 1: scan the eSIM QR code with the Camera
- Open the Camera app and point it at the QR code on your other screen.
- Tap the Cellular Plan Detected notification that appears.
- Tap Continue, then Add Cellular Plan.
- If you are asked for a confirmation code, enter the one from your order email.
Option 2: press and hold the QR code (iOS 17.4 or later)
If the email is open on the iPhone itself, Apple says you can press and hold the QR code in Mail or a browser and tap Add eSIM. This avoids the need for a second screen.
If the scan does not work: enter details manually
Go to Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Data) → Add Cellular Plan → Enter Details Manually, then type the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your email.
Finish the iPhone setup
When iOS asks how you want to use the new line, keep your home line as your default for calls and messages. Give the new line a clear label: Apple’s Dual SIM guide explains that you can rename it under Settings → Cellular → [the line] → Cellular Plan Label. “Travel” is fine.
Leave cellular data on your home line for now. You will switch it over when you land.
How to install an eSIM on Samsung Galaxy
These steps come from Samsung Canada’s Galaxy eSIM support page. Menu names can differ slightly between One UI versions and regions.
- Open Settings and tap Connections.
- Tap SIM manager.
- Tap Add eSIM, then Scan QR code.
- Scan the QR code on your other screen. Samsung says the eSIM then downloads and activates on the phone.
- If you have an activation code instead of a QR code, tap Enter activation code after Scan QR code and type it in.
- Back in SIM manager, you can tap the new line to change its name (for example “Travel”) and settings. Leave your home SIM as the line for calls and data for now.
Samsung adds one caveat worth noting: some Galaxy models sold in certain countries do not support eSIM even if the same model name does elsewhere. If Add eSIM is missing from SIM manager, your phone may be one of them.
How to install an eSIM on Google Pixel
Google’s Pixel dual SIM help page gives the path for adding an eSIM:
- Open Settings and tap Network & internet.
- Tap SIMs, then Add SIM.
- Choose the option to set up or download an eSIM, then follow the prompts to scan the QR code from your other screen.
- When asked about SIM preferences, tap Get started, then follow the screens to choose which SIM handles calls, texts and data. Keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
Google says the Pixel 3a and later can use a physical SIM and an eSIM together, and the Pixel 7 and later can run two eSIM profiles if the carrier allows it. Some steps need Android 11 or later, so update the phone first if it has been sitting on an old version.
We looked for an official Samsung or Google video for installing an eSIM from a QR code and did not find one; Google’s own videos cover moving an existing eSIM between phones, which is a different task. The written steps above are the official route.
eSIM installation steps by phone at a glance
| Step | iPhone | Samsung Galaxy | Google Pixel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where to start | Camera app, or Settings → Cellular | Settings → Connections → SIM manager | Settings → Network & internet → SIMs |
| Add the eSIM | Tap Cellular Plan Detected → Continue → Add Cellular Plan | Add eSIM → Scan QR code | Add SIM → set up an eSIM → scan the code |
| If scanning fails | Enter Details Manually | Enter activation code | Follow the on-screen prompts |
| Rename the line | Cellular Plan Label | Tap the line in SIM manager | Tap the SIM under SIMs |
| Official guide | Apple | Samsung Canada |
Tip: After installing, the travel line will show “No Service” in Canada. That is expected: a travel eSIM only connects to networks at your destination. Do not delete it to “try again”.
How to switch on your eSIM when you land
The install is the slow part. Switching on after landing takes under a minute, as long as you set four things.
- Turn off Airplane mode once you are allowed to use your phone.
- Turn on the travel line and switch on Data Roaming for it. Your phone sees every foreign network as roaming, so this is required even though you are using a plan you already paid for.
- Select the travel line for mobile data. On iPhone, Apple’s travel guide points to Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data. On Samsung, it is under SIM manager; on Pixel, under SIMs.
- Turn Data Roaming off on your home line. This is the step that protects your bill.
On iOS 26 and later, Apple says you may see a Turn On Travel eSIM notification on arrival that walks you through the first three steps. If you choose to keep both lines on, Apple notes that the travel eSIM handles data but your home line may still incur roaming fees. That is why step four matters.
The phone usually connects within a minute or two. Many plans can use more than one local network; the plan page lists them, and our mobile networks page shows every operator.
Why turning off home roaming matters
Canadian carriers charge roaming by the day as soon as your phone uses data abroad. As of October 2026, those daily rates (in Canadian dollars) are:
| Carrier | Plan | US, per day | International, per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell | Roam Better | $13 | $16 |
| Rogers | Roam Like Home | $16 | $18 |
| Telus | Easy Roam | $16 | $18 |
At $16 a day, a seven-day trip adds up to $112 per phone, so one forgotten toggle can wipe out the saving. Our Bell, Rogers and Telus roaming comparison has the full numbers.
How to fix common eSIM installation problems
Most eSIM problems are settings, not faults. Work through these in order.
- “Add eSIM” is missing. The phone may not support eSIM, or may be a regional model without it. Check our compatibility list.
- An error saying the code is invalid or already used. The code may already have been installed on another phone. Each eSIM installs on one device only.
- The phone says it cannot add the plan. Check that the phone is unlocked (see the checklist above) and that you are on Wi-Fi, then try again.
- “No Service” after landing. Make sure the travel line is on and Data Roaming is enabled for it. Then turn Airplane mode on and off, or restart the phone.
- Connected, but no internet. The travel line is probably not selected for mobile data. Fix it in your mobile data settings.
- Hotspot not working. Most ArriGo plans allow hotspot; the plan page shows it under “Coverage & networks”.
If you are still stuck, our help centre has step-by-step fixes.
Installing eSIMs for the whole family
Every phone needs its own eSIM, because each one installs on a single device. ArriGo lets you buy up to 10 eSIMs in one order and choose whether all the QR codes come to you or each goes to its own email address. Sending each code to its owner means everyone can install on their own phone, on their own Wi-Fi, before the trip.
If you install for someone else, use their phone, not yours: a QR code that has already been used generally cannot be installed again on another device. Our guide to sharing mobile data with family abroad compares one eSIM each with sharing a hotspot.
Keep your eSIM installed until you get home
Do not delete the travel eSIM during the trip, even if you are switching between networks or troubleshooting. Erasing it removes the profile from the phone, and the same QR code may not install again. If you want the line out of the way, switch it off; on iPhone, turn off Turn On This Line, and on Android, turn the SIM off in SIM manager or SIMs.
Back in Canada, switch your home line back to mobile data and turn the travel line off. Apple says iOS 26 and later may do this for you automatically in some regions.
Ready to set up your eSIM
Installing an eSIM before you travel takes a couple of minutes: check the phone, scan the code on Wi-Fi, and switch the line on after landing. If you are new to eSIMs, start with how an eSIM works; if you are heading somewhere soon, compare plans for the United States, Mexico or Japan, or find your destination.
Frequently asked questions
Will installing the eSIM early use up my plan days?
Not with ArriGo. The validity days start when the eSIM first connects at your destination, so you can install it at home days before your flight without losing any of the plan.
Can I install the same QR code on two phones?
No. Each eSIM installs on one phone only. If several people are travelling, buy one eSIM per phone; you can order up to 10 in a single checkout.
How long does it take to install an eSIM?
Usually a couple of minutes on a good Wi-Fi connection. The download itself takes seconds; most of the time goes into reading the prompts and naming the line.
Can I scan the QR code from a screenshot on the same phone?
Not with the camera, because the phone cannot photograph its own screen. Open the code on a second screen, print it, or on iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later press and hold the QR code in the email and choose Add eSIM.
Should I turn off my home SIM while travelling?
You can leave it on for calls and texts, but turn data roaming off on your home line. Otherwise your Canadian carrier may start a daily roaming charge.
What if the eSIM was installed but shows No Service at home?
That is expected. A travel eSIM only connects to networks at your destination, so it will show no service in Canada until you land.
