Can one plan be installed on two devices?
No. A profile installs once and lives on one device. To get another device online, share a hotspot from the phone that has it, or buy a separate plan for that device.
The question of whether one plan can be installed on two devices comes from assuming an eSIM profile works like an account you can log into from several phones at once, but in reality a profile behaves very differently — in practice it binds permanently to whichever device installs it first. This page explains why that is the case, the real options available if you want a second device online too, and what to be careful of before scanning a QR code, so you do not lose the chance to install it on the device you actually meant to use.
It is written for anyone with two phones who wants both online during the same trip, anyone about to switch devices before installing who wants to know if that is still possible, and anyone who has already scanned a QR code on the wrong device and is looking for a way out. Everything here refers to the general principle of how an eSIM profile behaves, not a case-by-case exception.
Why one profile binds to one device
An eSIM profile lives inside a dedicated chip built into each individual phone, unlike a physical SIM card that can be pulled out and swapped between phones. The moment you scan a QR code for the first time, the profile's data is written directly onto that phone's chip, and there is no mechanism to copy or move that same data to be written again onto a different phone's chip.
Because of that, 'installing' an eSIM means binding the profile to that device permanently in practice, not logging in temporarily in a way that can be logged out and logged back into on another phone. That difference is the key reason the answer to this question is no in almost every case.
Hotspot sharing is not the same as installing again
If you want a second device to have internet too during the same trip, the actual way to do it is to switch on a hotspot from the device that has the profile installed, and let the second device connect through that hotspot the way it would connect to any Wi-Fi. This route needs no additional profile installed at all, since the second device gets all its internet through the first.
The limitation with this route is that all the data comes from the single pool of the one plan, with no separate quota for the second device, and the first device needs to keep its hotspot switched on for as long as the second one needs to use it, which drains the battery faster than usual. Bring a power bank or a charger if you plan to use this route for an extended period.
Buying a separate plan for the second device
If you want the second device to have its own data without relying on a hotspot from the first, the option is to buy a separate plan specifically for that device, then scan the new plan's QR code on the second device itself. This gives both devices their own data instead of sharing one allowance.
The destination and data amount chosen for the second plan do not need to match the first at all. If the two devices have very different usage habits — say one only checks chat occasionally while the other runs navigation all day — choosing a data amount that fits each device's actual habits usually gives better value than buying the same amount for both.
If the same QR is accidentally scanned a second time
An eSIM's QR code can be used for installation only once. Once the first device has scanned and installed it successfully, scanning that same QR again on a second device usually returns a message that it has already been used or cannot be installed, since the profile has already bound to the first device.
If this happens and you actually intended to install it on the second device from the start, do not try scanning it repeatedly to fix it yourself. Contact the team with your order number straight away, so they can confirm which device the installation actually succeeded on, and what options exist for your specific case.
Changing your mind before scanning is still fine
If the QR has not yet been scanned at all, you can change your mind about which device to install it on at any point, since the one-device restriction only kicks in once a scan actually succeeds. Before that, the QR is simply a file not yet bound to any device.
What to watch out for is that if anyone else can access the same order page or QR image — say, forwarded in a family chat — whoever scans it first is the one who ends up with the profile installed. Keep the QR restricted to the person who is actually meant to use it.
Once installed, moving it to another device is difficult
Once installation has succeeded on one device, moving that same profile to a different device is generally not possible, even if it is your own new phone you have just switched to. That is because the profile is already bound to the first device's chip. If you change devices mid-trip, contact the team to check what options exist for your specific case, rather than assuming either way.
Some phones carry an 'eSIM transfer' feature between devices from the same manufacturer in certain situations, but that feature depends entirely on the handset manufacturer and operating system version. It is not something that can be guaranteed to exist on every model, and it is not a mechanism our plan controls directly.
Hotspot sharing versus a separate plan for the second device
| Method | Suits | What you manage yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing a hotspot from the device that has it installed | Light or occasional use on the second device during the trip | Managing the first device's battery, and the data usage shared from one pool |
| Buying a separate plan for the second device | Heavy use on the second device, or wanting its own independent data | Scanning the new QR with the second device itself, and managing two separate plans |
Common symptoms when trying to use one plan on two devices
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning the QR on the second device says it has already been used | The profile has already been installed successfully on the first device; the QR only works once | Continue using the internet on the first device, and consider buying a separate plan for the second one instead |
| Hotspot switched on but the second device cannot connect | The hotspot setting may be off, or the hotspot password was typed incorrectly, which is a device setting matter, not related to the plan | Check the hotspot menu on the first device and confirm the password matches on both devices |
| Data runs out faster than expected while sharing a hotspot | The data is shared from one single pool for the plan, with no separate quota for the second device | Check whether a top-up option exists for that plan, or consider a larger allowance next time |
Confirming which device currently holds the profile
If it is not clear which device the QR was actually scanned on, the most direct way to check is to open the network menu on each device and see which one shows the profile name or destination network for that plan. The menu to check differs slightly between iOS and Android.
- 1iOS: check the list of lines in CellularOpen Settings → Mobile Service / Cellular on each device to see which one shows this plan's eSIM line. The exact wording of this menu can vary slightly by your iOS version.
- 2Android: check the list of profiles on the SIMs screenOpen Settings → Network & internet → SIMs on each device to see which one has this profile installed. Menu names and positions vary by handset manufacturer and Android version.
- 3Check the order pageOpen the order history page in your account to see how the system recorded the installation status, and compare that against what each device actually shows.
- 4If still unsure after checkingSave screenshots of the network menu from both devices as evidence, then contact the team with your order number so they can look into it.
If the QR was accidentally scanned on the wrong device
If the QR was accidentally scanned on a device that was not actually intended from the start, do not delete the profile from that device yourself first, since deleting it does not bring the QR back to being scannable on another device. Contact the team with your order number straight away to ask what options exist for this specific case.
Reporting it quickly makes a real difference, since some situations may still have a fix if the profile on the wrongly scanned device has not actually started being used yet, unlike a case where it has already connected and used data, which usually cannot be undone at all.
Before scanning the QR, check these
- The device about to scan is the one actually intended for use, not a borrowed phone used just to test
- If a second device also needs internet, decide in advance whether to share a hotspot or buy a separate plan
- The QR has not been forwarded to anyone else who might scan it first by accident
- The compatibility of the device about to scan has been checked through the device checker tool
- The order number is somewhere easy to find, in case the team needs to be contacted
FAQ
If a plan has been bought but it is not yet decided which device to install it on, is there a need to scan quickly?+
No rush is needed. As long as the QR has not been scanned, you can still change your mind about which device to install it on. The one-device restriction only begins once a scan actually succeeds.
Does sharing a hotspot use up data faster?+
Data used through a hotspot counts against the same single pool as the plan. If the second device is used heavily, such as streaming video, the combined data will run out faster in proportion to the actual usage of both devices together.
Does a separate plan for the second device have to be for the same destination?+
Not necessarily. The destination and data amount for the second plan can be chosen freely to match what is actually needed, and does not have to match the first plan at all.
What should I do if the QR was accidentally scanned on a friend's borrowed phone just to test it?+
Do not delete the profile from that device yourself. Contact the team straight away with your order number to ask what options exist, since a test scan counts as a genuine installation under how an eSIM actually works.
My two devices are the same brand — is there a feature to move the eSIM between them?+
Some models carry this feature in certain situations, but it depends entirely on the handset manufacturer and operating system version, and it is not a mechanism our plan controls. Check that device's own settings menu directly, or contact the team if unsure before trying it.
Should compatibility be checked before scanning, even if eSIM has been used on a different phone before?+
It is worth checking every time, since compatibility depends on the device model and sometimes on the carrier the phone is locked to as well. The device checker tool on the site helps confirm this before actually buying or scanning.