Two independent things determine whether a phone can use a travel eSIM: the hardware has to include an eSIM chip, and the phone has to be free of carrier locks. This guide covers how to verify both in under a minute, plus the fine print — regional model differences, dual-SIM behavior and other devices.
The 30-second check that settles it
Open the dialer and dial *#06#. The phone immediately shows its identifiers — no call is placed. If an EID number appears in the list, your phone has eSIM hardware. This works on iPhone and Android alike, and it beats any model list, because it checks your actual device.
What is an EID, anyway?
The EID is a 32-digit serial number that uniquely identifies the eSIM chip built into your phone — think of it as the "address" networks use when delivering an eSIM profile to your device. You never need to type it during a normal installation, but support may occasionally ask for it when diagnosing an issue.
Carrier locks: the hidden blocker
A phone locked to a carrier can have perfect eSIM hardware and still refuse to add our eSIM — the lock blocks profiles from other providers. On iPhone, check Settings → General → About → Carrier Lock: it should say No SIM restrictions. On Android there is no universal indicator; if the phone came from a carrier (especially on an installment plan), ask them whether it is unlocked.
If the phone is locked, only the carrier that locked it can release it — usually once the device is fully paid off.
Which models have eSIM?
As a rule of thumb: iPhone XR/XS (2018) and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, plus many recent models from other brands. But the model name alone is not a guarantee — variants sold in some markets ship without eSIM, and a few carrier versions disable it. That is exactly why the *#06# check wins: it tests the phone in your hand, not a spec sheet. Our compatibility page keeps a fuller, up-to-date list.
Buying a used or imported phone? Check twice
Second-hand and imported phones are where surprises live: a model that has eSIM in one market may lack it in another, and a used phone can carry its previous owner's carrier lock — a factory reset does not remove it. Before relying on such a phone for a trip, run the *#06# check, confirm Add eSIM appears in Settings, and verify the lock status. Sixty seconds of checking beats discovering the problem at the airport.
Dual SIM in practice
Your physical SIM and the eSIM run side by side: you choose which line carries data (the eSIM, abroad) while calls and SMS keep arriving on your regular number. Phones can store several eSIM profiles, but only one or two lines are active at a time. Labeling the lines clearly — Home and AirPlans Travel — makes the settings much easier to navigate.
Tablets, laptops and watches
eSIM-capable tablets (like cellular iPads) and some laptops can use travel data plans just like a phone. Smartwatches are the exception: a watch eSIM piggybacks on your home carrier subscription, so travel data plans cannot be installed on it.
