There are various reasons why an eSIM not working, and several common troubleshooting steps can effectively address these issues.
eSIMs offer convenience, but like any technology, they can come with trouble sometimes. To address those issues, we compile a comprehensive guide on eSIM not working, including common eSIM issues, possible reasons, and ways to troubleshoot and fix it so you can smoothen out your eSIM connectivity experience.
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There are a lot of reasons why your eSIM is not working, but common eSIM issues often involve the following factors:
These issues can be related to devices or mobile carriers or both.
It can be your device is eSIM incompatible, your carrier does not support eSIM services, or your phone and your chosen carrier just does not sync up well.
Problems can be related to wrong digit of activation code, expired codes, inability to scan the QR code or a temporary issue on the carrier’s end.
You may see error messages like “Invalid activation code” or “Activation failed”.
eSIMs also need stable network signals to work properly. If you are in an area with poor coverage or your carrier has an outage, your eSIM cannot be connected.
You may see something like “No Service” or “Searching…” endlessly or experience slow internet, dropped calls, trouble sending messages.
Outdated software prevents the eSIM from activating and working properly.
If using an eSIM for international travel, you need to enable roaming for accessing networks. Any failure to roam can lead to connectivity problems.
Understanding the basic checks can be helpful when your eSIM is not connecting on your device. No matter why your eSIM is not working, you should still carry out basic checks. These steps ensure everything is in place for your eSIM to function correctly.
Your first step is to confirm the eSIM compatibility of your phone because not all phones are equipped with eSIM technology. If you use an incompatible device, you cannot use an eSIM.
For example, while most iPhone sold internationally support eSIMs, models specifically manufactured for mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao might not.
What to do: Utilize Gigago’s eSIM compatibility checker or eSIM-compatibile device list. You have two ways:
It is important to verify if your phone is unlocked or not. Having an unlocked phone is very important when you travel abroad because you can use your phone with different network carriers and different eSIM plans for travel.
The easiest way to check your phone’s lock status is to remove the current SIM card and add the SIM card of another network carrier, then try to make a call or text messages. If possible, chances are your phone is carrier unlocked.
► Read more ways to check if your phone is unlocked.
It is crucial to ensure that your carrier has activated your eSIM. Especially if you have switched carriers or plans, the eSIM may not be activated yet.
What to do: Contact your mobile carrier to confirm that your eSIM is active and ready to use.
The older operating system version may have bugs or compatibility issues that prevent eSIMs from working properly.
What to do: You need to check for updates of your device’s operating system by going to Settings and looking for “Software update”.
► You can learn how to update iOS, perform Samsung Android update, and Pixel Android update.
Even when your eSIM is properly installed and activated, you may get connectivity issues if you are in the area with poor network coverage. Also, be aware of any network restrictions that may apply to eSIM usage in your region.
What to do:
Now, we collect common eSIM issues and how to troubleshoot and fix them one by one. By reading our troubleshooting guide, you will not have to struggle with an eSIM that does not work as expected and enjoy a smoother and better eSIM experience.
Here are 10+ common ways to fix common eSIM not working issues related to installation, activation, connectivity, etc.
Make sure that your eSIM is turned on in the Settings menu.
Another way to fix eSIM not working is to switch on and off your eSIM line. This can refresh your eSIM connection and resolve some minor eSIM issues.
If you travel internationally and use a travel eSIM from a foreign carrier, you might need to turn on data roaming and mobile data to use your eSIM correctly.
By turning on data roaming, you can access data services when you are not in the coverage of your home network carrier. Hence, if data roaming is off, your eSIM will not work.
Note: Be aware of high roaming charges, which vary by carrier and plan.
► See a detailed guide to data roaming.
APN stands for Access Point Name, which are essential for establishing mobile data connectivity and ensuring that your phone can access the Internet through the carrier network. If APN is set incorrectly, there will be problems like no data connection or slow internet speeds.
Switching on and off airplane mode can be a surprisingly effective method to resolve when your eSIM connectivity is not working. This action forces your phone to disconnect from all networks (both cellular, Bluetooth and WiFi) which may address minor software issues.
Just simply push down the quick access path of your phone, look for the symbol of airplane, tap it on (the color, wait for a minute,and tap it off.
In some cases, your phone may not automatically connect to the best available network, causing your eSIM not working. To solve it, you can manually select the network and see if that helps.
If things do not work, you can try to reset your network settings to clear any corrupted data which may affect and result in eSIM not working.
But, be aware that this will erase your WiFi passwords and some cellular preferences, so you had better backup before executing this fix.
A reboot, or hard reset, goes a step further when compared with restarting your device. It can resolve issues that a simple restart cannot, including eSIM not working problems.
This old-fashioned troubshooting method is always recommended when nothing works.
Simply turn off your phone, wait a minute, then turn it back on.
This is not the most recommended method to fix eSIM not working. Because this option requires you to delete all data on your device, as indicated, restoring the device to the factory setting.
Whether you use a physical SIM or eSIM during your trip, this guide will walk you through the simple process of reconnecting with your home network and avoid any unwanted roaming charges.
Using one eSIM in multiple countries simplifies international travel and connectivity. Modern eSIM technology lets travelers stay connected across borders without switching physical SIM cards or paying high roaming fees.
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