How to Transfer eSIM Between Phones

You bought a new phone. Your eSIM is still on the old one. There’s no SIM tray to swap. What now?

This guide covers the three scenarios that 99% of people hit: same-platform transfer (iPhone-to-iPhone or Android-to-Android), cross-platform transfer (iPhone-to-Android or back), and the specific case of travel eSIMs like Simsimsim — which work differently from your home carrier eSIM.

The three scenarios

Transfer rules depend on where the eSIM came from and what you’re moving to.

Same platform is the easiest case. Apple’s Quick Transfer (iOS 16+) and Google’s eSIM Transfer Tool (Android 13+) both work for most carriers. Done in 2 minutes.

Cross platform has no built-in tool. You delete the eSIM on the old phone and ask the carrier to reissue a new QR for the new phone. Usually free, but it requires a phone call or email.

Travel eSIMs (Simsimsim, Airalo, Holafly, Saily) are technically device-bound. Same process as cross-platform: contact the provider, get a new QR, install on new phone.

iPhone-to-iPhone: Quick Transfer (iOS 16+)

This is the slickest path. Both phones present, both on iOS 16 or newer, both signed into the same Apple ID.

1. On the new iPhone, go to Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM
2. Tap Transfer From Nearby iPhone
3. The old iPhone shows a verification code; confirm it on both
4. The new iPhone shows a list of eSIMs available to transfer; pick which ones
5. Wait 30–60 seconds; the old phone deactivates that eSIM and the new phone activates it

Works for: most US/EU/UK/Japan carrier eSIMs. Sometimes fails for prepaid eSIMs or low-tier carrier plans — fall back to “via Apple ID restore” below.

iPhone-to-iPhone: via Apple ID restore (no Quick Transfer)

If Quick Transfer doesn’t show your eSIM:

1. On the new iPhone, during setup choose Restore from iCloud Backup (or Quick Start from old iPhone)
2. After restore completes, iOS prompts you to re-activate cellular plans
3. Confirm; iOS re-downloads the eSIM profile from your carrier’s servers

This works if your carrier supports “eSIM in the cloud” — most major US/UK/EU carriers do. Some smaller MVNOs don’t, and you’ll have to contact them for a new QR.

Android-to-Android: Google’s eSIM Transfer Tool

Pixel 7+ and recent Samsung Galaxy phones support direct eSIM transfer via Google’s tool.

On Pixel (Android 13+): 1. Pull up Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs → Add eSIM 2. Tap Transfer SIM from another device (or Bring SIM from a previous device) 3. Follow prompts; new phone gets a QR-equivalent token, old phone confirms

On Samsung Galaxy (One UI 6+): 1. Settings → Connections → SIM Manager → Add eSIM 2. Tap Move eSIM from another device 3. Bluetooth-pair the two phones; profile transfers

Works for most carriers in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea. Coverage outside those is patchy as of 2026.

Cross-platform: iPhone ↔ Android (the manual way)

Apple’s Quick Transfer doesn’t talk to Google’s tool. There’s no automated cross-platform path. You do it manually:

1. On the old phone, delete the eSIM (Settings → Cellular → tap eSIM → Remove)
2. Contact your carrier — phone, chat, or email. Tell them you’re moving to a new device (mention the platform) and need a new QR or activation code
3. Most carriers do this for free; a few charge a “SIM swap fee” of $5–20
4. Install the new QR on the new phone (iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM; Android: Settings → SIMs → Add eSIM → Scan QR)

If your carrier offers a self-service eSIM portal, you can sometimes do step 2 yourself without a support call. Check the carrier’s app first.

Travel eSIMs specifically (Simsimsim)

Simsimsim eSIMs are device-bound to the EID you installed them on. If you move to a new phone, the old QR won’t work — eSIM profiles are typically one-time-use.

The Simsimsim transfer process: 1. Email us at support@simsimsim.net with: your order ID, the new phone’s EID (Settings → General → About on iPhone; Settings → About Phone on Android), and your new phone’s model 2. We deactivate the old eSIM and issue a fresh QR within a few hours (business hours: usually under 1 hour) 3. Install the new QR on the new phone like any new eSIM 4. Cost: free. We don’t charge transfer fees. Unused data balance transfers with you.

Same rules apply if you broke your phone, factory-reset it without backing up the eSIM, or did anything that lost the profile. As long as you have the order ID, we can reissue.

Airalo, Holafly, Saily transfer policies

Other travel eSIM providers handle transfers differently — quick reference:

• Airalo: Free reissue if eSIM is unused. If activated and partially used, they may decline transfer (varies by case). Contact support via app.
• Holafly: Free reissue if unused. Activated plans are non-transferable per their policy.
• Saily: Reissue available via app for unused plans. Activated plans require support ticket.
• Yesim: Free reissue, including for partially-used plans (most generous policy in this market).

If you bought multi-country plans and traveled with them, transfer eligibility is provider-specific — always check before assuming.

Common mistakes that cost people their eSIM

Deleting the eSIM before requesting a new QR. Some carriers tie the QR to your active line; once you delete the eSIM the line goes inactive and reissue requires a phone call. Order: get new QR first, install on new phone, then delete old.

Trying to rescan a previously-used QR. eSIM activation tokens are one-time-use by default. The QR you got last month already activated; it can’t activate twice. You need a fresh one from the provider.

Not enabling Wi-Fi during activation. eSIM install needs network access to download the profile. If you delete your old eSIM, lose cellular, and have no Wi-Fi nearby — you can’t install the new one. Always activate the new eSIM while you still have a working connection.

Forgetting Apple Watch. If your Watch is paired to a phone with a cellular plan and you move to a new phone, you have to set up Watch cellular again (separate from phone setup). The Watch line is provisioned by your carrier, not transferred by Apple’s tool.

Factory-resetting without backing up. A factory reset wipes the eSIM profile. For carrier eSIMs this is fine — your carrier re-issues from the cloud. For travel eSIMs it usually means contacting the provider for a reissue.

FAQ

Can I have the same eSIM on two phones at once? No. eSIM profiles are 1-to-1 with a device EID. Some carriers offer “MultiSIM” for watches/tablets — that’s a separate provisioned line, not the same eSIM.

Does transferring use data I already paid for? On Simsimsim, yes — unused MB transfers with the new QR. On most carrier eSIMs you keep your monthly allowance regardless of device.

My carrier wants to charge me $20 for a SIM swap. Is that legitimate? Annoyingly, yes — some carriers charge an “activation fee” for any new SIM or eSIM. It’s a billing policy, not a technical requirement. Try chat support first; they sometimes waive it.

I lost my phone and don’t have the eSIM details. Can I recover? For carrier eSIMs: yes, contact the carrier with your account info. For travel eSIMs: yes, contact us with your order email/purchase date.

Does eSIM transfer work internationally? Same-platform transfer (Apple’s tool, Google’s tool): yes, as long as both phones can connect to Wi-Fi during transfer. Carrier reissue: depends on whether the carrier supports international reissue requests — most major carriers do.

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Need to transfer your Simsimsim eSIM? Email support@simsimsim.net with your order ID and new device EID — we’ll have it sorted within hours. Or browse new plans for your destination if you’re starting fresh on a new phone.