Setting Up a Taiwan eSIM Before You Fly, From Phone Check to Landing

Check your phone first

Not every phone supports eSIM, and a handset bought on a carrier contract can be tied to that carrier. A locked phone will refuse an eSIM from another provider, so check both points a few days before the flight.

• iPhone: open Settings > General > About, look for an EID number and the Carrier Lock line. "No SIM restrictions" means it is not locked.
• Android (Samsung): Settings > About phone > Status information and look for an EID, or open Connections > SIM manager, where an Add eSIM option appears.
• Android (Pixel and others): Settings > Network & internet > SIMs and look for Download a SIM instead. If it is missing, check your model with the manufacturer.
• Phones sold in some other markets or special editions may omit eSIM, so rely on the EID, not just the model name.

Install the QR over home Wi-Fi before flying

Installation downloads the eSIM profile, so do it at home or anywhere with stable Wi-Fi rather than at a crowded airport. Model-specific menus are covered in the guide on how to install an eSIM; the core steps are below.

1. 1Open the confirmation email on a second screenShow the QR on a computer or tablet, because one phone cannot scan its own screen. Some providers offer a manual code or an install link instead.
2. 2Scan and add the planiPhone: Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM, then scan. Android: SIM manager > Add eSIM > scan the QR.
3. 3Nadaj linii wyraźną nazwęName it Taiwan and rename the Thai SIM to Thai so you never mix up the lines when choosing mobile data.
4. 4Leave the data switch off until you landAfter installing, switch the eSIM line off. Some plans start their validity clock on first network connection, so confirm the rule with your provider.

Keep the Thai SIM, but turn its roaming off

Data-only eSIM plans have no Taiwanese phone number. Thai banks and apps still send OTP codes by SMS to your Thai number, so leave that SIM on to receive texts, but stop it from using roaming data.

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular > tap the Thai line > turn off Data Roaming.
• Android: Settings > SIM manager > Thai SIM > turn off Data roaming, and set Mobile data to the eSIM line.
• If you want to receive Thai calls, check international call-receiving charges with your Thai carrier first, or use Wi-Fi calling as covered in the related guide.

What to do after landing at Taoyuan or Kaohsiung

1. Turn off airplane mode, open Settings > Cellular (or SIM manager) and switch the Taiwan line on.
2. Enable Data Roaming on the Taiwan line, because most travel eSIMs connect through a partner network.
3. Set Mobile Data or Cellular Data to the Taiwan line and turn off any option that switches lines automatically.
4. Wait two or three minutes and check for a 4G or 5G indicator. Open Google Maps to confirm data works.

APN basics: when you need to touch it

An APN is the access point name your phone uses to request an internet connection. Most eSIMs configure it automatically, so leave it alone unless data fails after roaming is on and your provider's email lists a specific APN.

• iPhone: Cellular > select the Taiwan line > Cellular Data Network, then type the APN your provider specifies.
• Android: SIM manager > Taiwan line > Access point names > add new, then enter the values given.
• Type it exactly, including capitalisation, save, then toggle airplane mode once.

Troubleshooting no signal or No service

To pick a network manually, turn off Automatic in the Carrier or Network menu, wait for the scan, then choose Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile or Far EasTone, whichever your plan supports. The scan often takes a minute or two.

Hotspot and tethering for your group

Most eSIMs allow tethering, but some plans restrict or forbid it, so read the terms first. Sharing with several devices drains data faster than people expect.

• iPhone: Settings > Personal Hotspot, with a password that is hard to guess.
• Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile hotspot and tethering.
• If a friend connects but has no internet, check that the host phone is using the Taiwan line for mobile data.

For which package suits your trip, read “Taiwan eSIM: there's no country-only plan, so which regional package do you pick?”, which covers that choice directly.

Plany — Check the Taiwan eSIM

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