Install at home, activate on arrival: getting the timing of your eSIM right

Two moments, not one

Installation is when your phone downloads the eSIM profile — usually by scanning a QR code or entering an activation code. It needs an internet connection, typically home Wi-Fi. Activation is when the plan begins working on a network at your destination, and for many plans that is also when the validity period starts.

Treating these as separate steps removes most of the stress of arriving somewhere new. You do the fiddly part at home, calmly, with good Wi-Fi; you do the simple part — switching the line on — when you land.

Why install before you leave

Installing needs a data connection. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow, require a phone number to sign in, or simply not exist on a late-night arrival. If something unexpected happens — a typo in a manual code, a phone that turns out to be carrier-locked — you'd much rather discover it at home with time to contact support than at passport control.

Keep in mind that an eSIM profile can often only be installed once. Don't delete it after installing, and avoid scanning the same QR code on several devices.

How to avoid starting the clock early

Read the activation policy on your plan. If validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network, you can usually install it at home and simply leave the line switched off until you arrive. If validity starts at installation, install closer to departure.

After installing, turn the travel line off until you need it, following the plan's activation instructions. Turning data roaming off alone may not prevent a network connection from starting validity. On arrival, select the travel eSIM for mobile data and enable its data roaming if the plan requires it. Disable data roaming and automatic data switching on your home line. Calls and texts on the home line remain subject to your home carrier's tariff.

On arrival

• Turn the travel eSIM line on and select it for mobile data.
• Enable data roaming on the travel line only.
• Give it a few minutes; if nothing connects, toggle airplane mode on and off.
• If you have the APN details from your installation instructions, check they match.
• Still stuck? Use the support form with your order number so we can look into it.