How to transfer an eSIM to a new phone (iPhone and Android)

Wondering how to transfer an eSIM to a new phone? The short answer: an eSIM cannot simply be "moved" like a plastic SIM card. You either use your phone's built-in eSIM transfer feature (iPhone to iPhone, or Android to Android on recent devices), or you ask the carrier or eSIM provider to deactivate the old profile and issue a new QR code or activation link for the new device.

Which route applies to you depends on which phones you are switching between, whether your carrier supports device-to-device transfer, and whether the eSIM is your regular plan or a travel eSIM. People phrase this differently, "transfer eSIM to new phone", "move eSIM to new phone", "switch eSIM to another device", but the question is the same: how do I get my digital SIM working on the phone I will actually use? This guide covers every scenario, including the honest answer for travel eSIMs.

Key concept: an eSIM is a digital profile written into a secure chip inside one specific phone. Transferring it really means deactivating the profile on the old device and activating a fresh copy on the new one. Everything below is just different ways of doing that.

Quick answer: which method fits your situation

Use this table to jump straight to the section that matches your switch:

Two things are true in every scenario. First, the new phone must support eSIM, which you can verify in seconds with our eSIM compatibility checker. Second, only one device can hold the active profile at a time. A successful transfer always deactivates the eSIM on the old phone.

Transfer eSIM from iPhone to iPhone (eSIM Quick Transfer)

Apple has made this the smoothest scenario by far. Since iOS 16, iPhones support eSIM Quick Transfer, which copies your eSIM from the old iPhone to the new one wirelessly, no QR code needed.

There are two moments you can do it:

During initial setup (Quick Start)

1. Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to your old one. Bluetooth must be on for both.
2. Follow the Quick Start prompts to set up the new iPhone using your old one.
3. When you reach the mobile service step, choose to transfer your eSIM (and physical SIM numbers, if offered) from the old iPhone.
4. Confirm on the old iPhone when it asks for approval, or enter the verification code shown on the new device.
5. Wait for activation to finish. The line goes live on the new iPhone and stops working on the old one.

After setup, via Settings

Already finished setting up the new iPhone? You can still transfer:

1. On the new iPhone, go to Settings, then Mobile Data (called Cellular on US devices).
2. Tap Add eSIM, then choose Transfer From Nearby iPhone.
3. Keep the old iPhone nearby, unlocked, with Bluetooth on.
4. Approve the transfer on the old iPhone and follow the prompts.

One important caveat: your carrier must support eSIM Quick Transfer. Most large carriers do by now, but not all of them everywhere in the world. If the transfer option does not appear, or it fails, contact your carrier. They can deactivate the old profile and send you a new QR code or push the eSIM directly to the new device, often free of charge through their app.

If you end up installing from a fresh QR code instead, our step-by-step guide to installing an eSIM on iPhone walks you through it.

Transfer eSIM on Android (Samsung, Pixel)

Android has caught up with its own built-in eSIM transfer, but the experience varies more by brand and carrier than on iPhone.

Google Pixel

On recent Pixels running Android 14 or later, eSIM transfer is offered during device setup. When you set up the new Pixel and copy data from your old Android phone, the setup wizard asks whether you want to transfer your SIMs. Select the eSIM you want to move and follow the prompts. The profile activates on the new Pixel and deactivates on the old device.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung offers SIM transfer in One UI. On the new Galaxy, go to Settings, then Connections, then SIM manager, and look for the option to transfer SIMs from your old device. Both phones need to be nearby with Bluetooth enabled, similar to Apple's approach. This works best between two recent Samsung phones on an up-to-date One UI version.

The honest caveat for Android

Support is not universal. Whether built-in transfer works depends on three layers at once: the Android version, the manufacturer's software, and whether your carrier has enabled the feature. Moving between different Android brands, for example from a Samsung to a Pixel, is less reliable than staying within one brand. If the transfer option is missing or fails, do not keep retrying. Contact your carrier, ask them to release the eSIM from the old device, and install a fresh profile on the new phone. Our guide to installing an eSIM on Android covers that installation step by step.

From iPhone to Android (or the other way)

Here is the honest answer most articles dance around: cross-platform eSIM transfer is generally not supported. Apple's Quick Transfer only talks to iPhones, and Android's transfer tools only talk to Android devices. There is no built-in bridge between the two ecosystems.

That does not mean you are stuck. It just means the carrier does the work instead of the phones:

1. Contact your carrier, via their app, website or support line. Many carriers let you order a new eSIM for the same number in a few taps.
2. The carrier deactivates the eSIM on your old phone and issues a new QR code or activation link.
3. Scan or tap it on the new phone, and your line is live again.

Most carriers do this free of charge, and with a good carrier app the whole process takes a few minutes. Expect a short gap in service between deactivation and activation, so avoid switching at a moment when you are waiting for an important call or verification code.

What about a travel eSIM (like the one from esimzu)?

Travel eSIMs work differently from carrier eSIMs, and it is worth being precise here, because this is where travelers most often get caught out.

A travel eSIM QR code is typically single-install. The first time you scan it, the profile is written to that specific phone and the code is used up. Once installed, the profile cannot be transferred to another phone, not with Quick Transfer, not with Android's SIM tools, not manually. This is a security property of eSIM provisioning, and it applies to travel eSIMs from virtually every provider, including esimzu.

What this means in practice:

• Not yet installed? No problem. A QR code you have not scanned yet is not tied to any device, so simply install it on the new phone instead.
• Already installed, and you are switching phones? The profile cannot follow you. At esimzu, just reply to your order confirmation email and we will help you get connected on the new device.
• Switching phones mid-trip? Do not delete the eSIM from the old phone on your own, contact support first. Deleting an installed travel eSIM is permanent, and support has far more options while the profile still exists.

Golden rule for travel eSIMs: install the eSIM on the phone you will actually carry on the trip, and never delete an active travel eSIM before checking with support.

Switching phones right before a trip? Do this

A new phone a few days before departure is a classic scenario. This checklist keeps it painless:

1. Check eSIM support on the new phone first. Use the eSIM compatibility checker, it takes under a minute. Also confirm the phone is carrier-unlocked, because a locked phone can refuse eSIMs from other providers.
2. Set up the new phone completely before touching any eSIMs, including email, since your travel eSIM QR code arrives by email.
3. Move your regular carrier eSIM using the matching method from the table above: Quick Transfer for iPhone to iPhone, built-in transfer for Android to Android, or a new QR code from your carrier for a cross-platform switch.
4. Only then install your travel eSIM, directly on the new phone. If you had not installed it yet, scan the QR code on the new device. If you had already installed it on the old phone, contact your provider's support before doing anything else.
5. Test before you leave. Confirm the travel eSIM appears in your SIM list and that data roaming is enabled for that line. With most travel eSIMs the validity only starts when you first connect at the destination, so installing at home is safe.
6. Keep the old phone intact until everything works. Do not factory reset or trade it in until every line is confirmed working on the new phone. A reset wipes its eSIMs for good.

Does your number move too?

A common worry, and the answer is reassuring. An eSIM carries a plan, not your phone hardware. When you transfer your carrier eSIM to a new phone, your number, plan and balance move with that profile, because they belong to your carrier account, not to the old device.

Your travel eSIM is a completely separate line. It provides data at your destination and has nothing to do with your home number. That is exactly why dual SIM is so useful when traveling: your home SIM (physical or eSIM) stays active for calls and verification codes, while the travel eSIM handles your internet at local rates. When you switch phones, treat it as two separate jobs: move your home line with your carrier's method, and handle the travel eSIM by the rules above. How to run both lines side by side is covered in our guide to dual SIM with eSIM.

Other Android brands: OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola, Nothing and more

Pixel and Samsung are the exception on Android, not the rule. As of mid-2026, most other Android brands support eSIM but ship no phone-to-phone eSIM transfer tool. That changes what "moving" your eSIM means in practice:

The pattern is simple: if your brand has no transfer tool, the move is always a reissue. You contact your carrier, they invalidate the old profile and send a fresh QR code, and you install it on the new phone like a brand-new eSIM. Plan for this before travel days, because some carriers only reissue via a service desk that keeps office hours. Software updates change this picture regularly, so check your brand's latest settings under SIM or Mobile network first.

When the transfer fails: quick fixes

The same handful of problems cause almost every failed eSIM move. Work through these before calling anyone:

• Transfer stuck or the phones do not find each other (iPhone). Keep both iPhones unlocked, side by side, on the same wifi, with Bluetooth on and enough battery. Restart both phones and try again; the second attempt succeeds surprisingly often.
• "This code has already been used." An eSIM QR code is single-install. Once a profile has been written to a phone, the code is spent. You need a reissue from whoever sold you the eSIM; for a travel eSIM, contact the provider's support instead of rescanning.
• Transfer done, but no service on the new phone. Toggle aeroplane mode on and off, then check that the new eSIM is set as the active line for mobile data. If there is still nothing, select the network manually in the mobile-network settings and confirm the APN matches what your provider specifies.
• The plan still shows on the old phone. For a carrier eSIM, delete it there only after the new phone has working service. For a travel eSIM, do not delete anything before checking with support; a deleted travel eSIM is gone for good.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move my eSIM to a new phone myself?

Often, yes. iPhone to iPhone works with eSIM Quick Transfer on iOS 16 or later, and recent Android phones from the same brand can transfer during setup. For cross-platform switches and for travel eSIMs, you cannot do it alone: the carrier or eSIM provider needs to issue a new profile.

Does eSIM transfer delete it from the old phone?

Yes. An eSIM profile can only be active on one device at a time. A successful transfer activates the line on the new phone and deactivates it on the old one automatically. That is expected behavior, not a bug.

My carrier does not support eSIM transfer, what now?

Ask the carrier to reissue the eSIM. They deactivate the old profile and give you a new QR code or activation link, usually through their app or customer support, and usually free. Then install it on the new phone like a fresh eSIM.

Can I transfer an esimzu travel eSIM to another phone?

Not once it is installed, the QR code is single-install and the profile is locked to that device. If the QR code has not been scanned yet, you can simply install it on the new phone. Already installed and switching devices? Reply to your order email and our support will help you find a solution.

Do I need internet during the transfer?

Yes. Both phones should be online, Wi-Fi is fine, and device-to-device transfer also uses Bluetooth between the two phones. The new phone needs a connection to download and activate the eSIM profile, so do this at home or on reliable Wi-Fi rather than mid-journey.

What happens if the transfer fails halfway?

Usually the old profile simply stays active on the old phone, and you can retry. Restart both phones, check Bluetooth and internet, and try again. If the line ends up active on neither device, contact your carrier: they can see the eSIM status and push a fresh activation. Do not delete anything manually while the transfer is in limbo.

How long does an eSIM transfer take?

Phone-to-phone transfer on iPhone or between Samsung Galaxys usually takes a few minutes. A carrier reissue depends on the carrier: some send the new QR code instantly, others take hours or require a support conversation first. That difference is exactly why you should not leave the switch to the evening before a trip.

I lost my old phone (or it is broken). Can I still move my eSIM?

Yes. Phone-to-phone transfer is off the table, but every carrier can invalidate the old profile and reissue your plan to the new device after an identity check; call them or use their app from another device. For a travel eSIM the route is the provider's support; at esimzu, reply to your order confirmation email and we will sort out the new device with you.

Conclusion

Transferring an eSIM to a new phone is easy when you match the method to your situation. iPhone to iPhone: use eSIM Quick Transfer. Recent Android to Android: use the built-in transfer during setup. Crossing between iPhone and Android: let the carrier issue a new QR code. And a travel eSIM: install it once, on the phone you will actually take, and talk to support before deleting anything.

Getting a new phone before a trip? First check that it supports eSIM with our free eSIM compatibility checker, then pick a data plan for wherever you are headed on our destinations page. Your eSIM arrives by email within minutes, ready to install on the right phone the first time.