How to Install an eSIM on Your iPhone 📱✈️

How to Install an eSIM on Your iPhone 📱✈️

There are a few things we like to sort out before we leave for a family holiday.

Passports? Check.
Travel insurance? Check.
Suitcases? Usually still half open on the bedroom floor. 😂

And these days, there is one more thing we always arrange before flying: our eSIM.

Having mobile data from the moment we arrive makes travelling so much easier. No searching for a SIM card at the airport, no standing around trying to understand which local data plan you need and, most importantly, no arriving somewhere with absolutely no internet when you’re trying to find your hotel with two tired children.

We’ve used eSIMs on our travels and now consider them one of those small travel preparations that makes a surprisingly big difference.

If you’re wondering how to install an eSIM on your iPhone, here’s exactly how we do it.

What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is basically a digital SIM card that lives inside your phone.

Instead of taking out your physical SIM card and replacing it with another one, you download a mobile plan directly onto your phone.
That means you can keep your normal SIM active for calls or messages while using the eSIM for mobile data, depending on your phone and your chosen plan.

For us, the biggest advantage is simple:

We can arrange everything before we leave home.
And that’s exactly what we prefer when travelling with children.

Why we use an eSIM when travelling
Think about arriving somewhere after a long flight.

You have your suitcases. The kids are tired. You still need to find your hotel.
You might need Google Maps, a taxi app, your booking confirmation or a translation app.

The last thing you want to do is start looking for a local SIM card.

When we arrived in Tokyo, for example, having mobile data immediately was incredibly useful. Japan’s train system is fantastic, but when you’re standing in a huge station with children and several possible exits, being able to check maps and directions on your phone makes everything easier.

We actually wrote about this in our Tokyo with Kids guide, because getting connected before exploring Tokyo was one of those little practical things that made a difference.

Before you install your eSIM

There are three things you need to check first.

1. Does your iPhone support eSIM?

Most newer iPhones do, but check your specific model before buying an eSIM.

2. Is your iPhone carrier unlocked?

Your phone needs to be unlocked so that you can use another network.

3. Are you connected to Wi-Fi?

This one is important.

We recommend installing your eSIM before you leave home, while you have a reliable Wi-Fi connection.

It is much easier to sort it out from your sofa than while sitting at an airport trying to connect to questionable Wi-Fi. 😉

We use Airalo
For our travels, we use Airalo for our travel eSIMs.

What we like is that you can choose a plan for the country or region you’re visiting and arrange it before you leave. That means you can land, switch to your travel data and get on with your holiday instead of looking for a SIM card.

Check Airalo eSIMs for your destination, before your trip and see which plans are available for where you’re going.

The exact data allowance, validity and price depend on your destination, so make sure you choose a plan that fits the length and type of your trip.

Once you’ve bought your eSIM, you’re ready to install it.

How to install an eSIM on your iPhone

Step 1: Find your eSIM details

Log in to your Airalo account.

Then:

1. Open My eSIMs
2. Select the eSIM you purchased
3. Tap Details
4. Choose Install eSIM / Access Data
5. Open the Manual tab
6. You’ll see your SM-DP+ Address and Activation Code

Keep these details available.

You can leave them open on another device or simply make a note of them.

You’ll need them during the installation.

Step 2: Add the eSIM to your iPhone

Now grab your iPhone.

Go to:

Settings → Cellular / Mobile Data → Add eSIM

Depending on your iPhone and iOS version, the wording can be slightly different.

Choose the option to enter the details manually.

Then enter the:

• SM-DP+ Address
• Activation Code

Follow the instructions on your screen.

And that’s it.

Your eSIM is installed. 🎉

Should you install the eSIM before you travel?Yes we do.

But there’s an important difference between installing an eSIM and using it.
Installing it at home doesn’t necessarily mean your travel data plan immediately starts running.
Most travel eSIMs activate when they connect to a supported network at your destination, although this depends on the provider and specific plan.

So check the activation conditions of your particular eSIM before installing it.
We’d much rather have everything ready at home than try to install it after a ten-hour flight.

What to do when you land

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you generally need to:

1. Turn on your travel eSIM
2. Select it as your mobile data line
3. Enable data roaming for the eSIM if required by the provider
4. Make sure your normal SIM isn’t accidentally being used for mobile data
5. Give it a moment to connect to the local network

Then open Google Maps. Find your hotel. Message the grandparents. Order your taxi. And start your holiday.

One important thing: avoid roaming surprises
This is probably the biggest reason we like setting everything up before we leave.

You don’t want your phone accidentally using your normal SIM for mobile data abroad and coming home to a very unpleasant bill.

Before you fly, check your phone settings and make sure you understand which SIM is being used for mobile data.

And when you arrive, double-check it again.

Especially if you’re travelling with children, because there’s always someone streaming something they absolutely “need” to watch. 😂

An eSIM is just one part of our travel preparation

We don’t see an eSIM as something separate from the rest of our travel planning.

It’s part of the same little routine.
We check our passports.
We arrange travel insurance.
We sort out our eSIM.

And then we start packing.

Our Travelicious Sunny Holiday Packing List is useful here because it brings all those little essentials together from travel documents and electronics to sunscreen, medication and the things that are very easy to forget.

It’s much easier to enjoy your first day when the boring stuff has already been sorted.

Where an eSIM is especially useful
We’ve found an eSIM particularly useful on trips where we move around a lot.

Japan
Maps and public transport information are incredibly useful when travelling around Japan.

From finding the right train platform to checking directions in Tokyo, having data available from the moment you arrive makes things much easier.

Our Japan with Kids: The Ultimate Family Travel Guide (2026) part 1 covers the more practical side of travelling through Japan, including trains, luggage and other things we learned along the way.

Thailand
Thailand is another destination where having data is incredibly handy.

From booking taxis to checking maps, finding restaurants and keeping in touch while moving between Bangkok and the islands, we found having internet access really useful.

If you’re planning Thailand with kids, our Bangkok with Kids: Why Thailand’s Bustling Capital Completely Surprised Us is a good place to start.

🚗 Road trips
For road trips, we’d probably miss our phones even more.

Google Maps, hotel bookings, restaurant searches, parking information and last-minute route changes all depend on having reliable data.

When you’re driving around somewhere unfamiliar, being able to quickly check where you’re going is worth far more than the few minutes it takes to arrange an eSIM before leaving.

What about using Wi-Fi instead? You absolutely can.

Hotels, restaurants and airports often have Wi-Fi. But we don’t like relying on it completely. You don’t necessarily have Wi-Fi when you’re:

• Getting off the plane
• Collecting your rental car
• Driving to your accommodation
• Standing at a train station
• Looking for an address
• Waiting for a taxi
• Exploring a new city

Having your own mobile data means you’re not dependent on finding a Wi-Fi network first.

And that’s particularly useful when you’re travelling with children.

Our Travelicious tip

Install it before you fly.
Don’t wait until you’re standing at your destination airport with 3% battery, four bags, two tired children and absolutely no idea which direction the taxi stand is.

We’ve learned that the best travel hacks are often the boring ones.

Sort it out at home. Then forget about it. Until you need it.

Our pre-holiday digital checklist

Before we leave, we like to check:

✔ Phone supports eSIM
✔ Phone is unlocked
✔ eSIM purchased
✔ eSIM installed
✔ Activation instructions saved
✔ Travel data line understood
✔ Data roaming settings checked
✔ Important travel documents saved offline
✔ Travel insurance arranged
✔ Maps or important information available offline

It takes a few minutes.

And once it’s done, it’s done.

Ready to travel? An eSIM isn’t going to make your holiday magical.

But arriving somewhere and immediately being able to find your hotel, check your route, translate something, message family or book a taxi?

That definitely makes the first few hours easier.

And when you’re travelling with kids, those little things matter.

So install it before you leave, check your settings, put your phone in your bag and get on that plane.

The adventure starts when you land. 🌍✈️

Happy travels,
The Travelicious Team