How do I scan the eSIM QR code?

Show the QR on another screen or print it. On the phone that will use the plan open cellular settings, choose to add an eSIM or cellular plan, then scan. Do this on Wi-Fi, and never scan the same QR on a second phone — one QR can only be installed once.

Scanning a QR to install an eSIM sounds like a simple step, but there are several small details that trip people up in practice — scanning on the wrong device, or scanning the same QR twice on a second phone because it seemed shareable. This page explains both the correct method and the reasoning behind each step, so the process makes sense rather than being followed blindly.

The single most important principle to understand before starting is that one QR ties to exactly one eSIM profile. Once a scan has succeeded, that QR is technically consumed even if no data has been switched on yet. Understanding this up front prevents the single most common mistake — scanning the same code again on a second device.

Getting ready before you scan

Three things are worth having ready before scanning: a screen that displays the QR clearly, a stable Wi-Fi connection, and a few unhurried minutes. Installing in a rush is a common cause of skipping a step or tapping the wrong menu. If you are travelling and Wi-Fi is unstable, it is worth waiting for a steadier connection before starting.

How to display the QR so it scans easily

If the QR is in an email or on the order page, open it on a screen belonging to a different device — a computer or a second tablet, not the phone that will be installed — so the phone's camera can frame the QR fully. Printing the QR onto paper works just as well. What to avoid is trying to scan a QR from the same screen as the device being installed, which is not physically possible anyway.

The scan and install steps in detail

1. 1Open the QR on a second screenShow the QR from the email or order page on a computer, tablet, or printed paper — not on the device you are about to install it on.
2. 2Connect the device being installed to Wi-FiConfirm it is connected to the internet, since the next step needs to download the profile.
3. 3Open cellular or mobile settingsThe menu name varies by manufacturer and OS version — look for wording like cellular, mobile network, or SIM.
4. 4Choose to add an eSIM or a cellular planWording differs by OS — add eSIM, add a data plan, or use a QR code to activate.
5. 5Scan the QR with the device's cameraFrame the QR in the centre without glare blocking it, and wait for the device to read it successfully.
6. 6Wait for the system to download and install the profileDo not lock the screen or switch apps during this step — let it finish completely first.
7. 7Label the profile and enable it as neededMany devices let you name the profile to tell it apart from your existing SIM, and choose whether it is primary or data-only.

Why do this on Wi-Fi rather than the existing SIM's mobile data

Downloading an eSIM profile needs reasonably stable internet for a short window. Wi-Fi generally gives better stability than mobile data, particularly in an area with a weak signal or while travelling. Wi-Fi also avoids spending your existing SIM's data allowance on the install step unnecessarily, even though in many cases the existing SIM's mobile data can technically be used for the download too.

The most common mistakes

If scanning shows it has already been used

A message saying the QR has already been used or is invalid usually comes from one of three causes: it was already scanned successfully once before and possibly forgotten, someone else scanned the same QR first, or the displayed QR image was corrupted and read incompletely. The simplest check is to look at whichever device might have scanned it before and see whether the profile is already installed there. If a check turns up no installation anywhere, contact us with a screenshot of the error and the order number.

When to contact us instead of retrying the scan repeatedly

Retrying once or twice is fine if the code might have been read incompletely. But if the same message keeps appearing, retrying indefinitely is not the fix, since the cause may not be something a retry can solve. Send a screenshot of the error along with the order number for us to check the real status — that is faster than repeated blind retries.

Contact us with a screenshot of the error

Menus differ by manufacturer and OS version

Menu wording and button placement change by device manufacturer and OS version. Some phones call it add an eSIM, others call it add a cellular plan, and some tuck the option inside a SIM settings submenu. This page deliberately avoids brand-specific steps, since OS versions update faster than a guide could keep pace with. Instead, look in the main settings app for anything mentioning cellular, mobile, or SIM, then work through the sub-options from there.

Check whether your device supports eSIM

A checklist before scanning to cut the chance of a mistake

• The QR is displayed on a different screen, not the device being installed
• The device being installed is already connected to Wi-Fi
• This QR has never been scanned on another device before
• There is enough time to finish the process without rushing
• It is decided whether the new profile will be primary or data-only

What to do right after installing

Right after a successful install, check that the profile shows as enabled in the cellular menu, and set it to be the one used for data once you actually arrive at the destination. It is worth keeping the QR screenshot or confirmation email until you are sure the install and connection are working normally — there is no need to delete it immediately after installing.

Installing before travel versus installing on arrival

The scan and install steps are identical whether done before travel or after arriving at the destination. What differs is that some plans start their validity the moment they are installed, while others start counting only once the device first connects to the destination network. If you are unsure which kind your plan is, check the plan's own detail page before deciding when to install, so validity does not start counting ahead of when you actually need to use it.

Travelling as a group where everyone has their own QR

When travelling as a group and each person buys their own separate plan, each person receives their own QR tied only to their own order. What matters is being certain about who scans whose QR, because a mix-up within the group — one person accidentally scanning a QR meant for someone else — installs that profile on the wrong device, and the real owner's scan then fails since it has already been consumed. The simplest safeguard is for each person to open their own email and scan the QR straight from there, rather than forwarding QR images around in a group chat.

Using a device that already has two SIMs with this new eSIM

Many devices support one physical SIM alongside one eSIM profile, or two eSIM profiles at once, depending on the model and OS. If a device already has two SIM slots fully occupied, adding a new profile may require disabling one of them first, or some models may simply not support adding beyond their set limit. The scan steps themselves stay exactly the same regardless of how many SIMs already exist. After installing, though, it is worth checking the cellular menu to see which profile is set to handle data and which is set to handle calls or SMS, so the two do not get switched around unintentionally.

The core things to remember

In the end, three things matter most: show the QR on a screen other than the device being installed, do the whole process while connected to Wi-Fi, and never scan the same QR twice on a second device. If all three are followed and the install still fails, that is the signal to contact us rather than retrying blindly without knowing the cause.

The camera view is dark or freezes when trying to scan

If the camera view opens but looks dark or frozen, the cause is usually lighting or distance rather than a broken camera. Try moving slightly further from the screen showing the QR so the camera can focus, turn up the brightness on the screen displaying the QR, and temporarily turn off battery saver mode if it is on, since some devices throttle camera behaviour under that mode. If all of that is tried and the camera still does not respond, close and reopen the settings app before starting the scan step again from the beginning.

The scan fails because Wi-Fi drops out midway

Sometimes the scan itself succeeds, but the profile download that follows fails because Wi-Fi dropped out partway through. This is different from a failed scan, since the camera read the QR correctly — the internet connection simply was not strong enough to finish the download. If this happens, check first whether the device is still on the same Wi-Fi or switched networks without you noticing, try moving closer to the router, or switch to a steadier Wi-Fi if another one is available, then start the add-eSIM step over from the beginning. A download that stalls midway usually cannot be resumed from where it left off — the whole process needs restarting.

Scanning at the airport or a busy public place

Scanning at an airport or a busy public place adds two extra challenges: public Wi-Fi is usually less stable than home Wi-Fi, and displaying the QR screen in a crowded area means being mindful of who might glance at the screen nearby. Where possible, do this step somewhere with a more settled seat, such as a quieter corner, and avoid leaving the QR displayed on a public screen for longer than needed. Even though the QR only works once, closing the screen right after a successful scan is still a good habit in a crowded space.

Where is best to keep the receipt and QR after installing

Even though the QR cannot be reinstalled once it has been scanned successfully, the order confirmation email is still worth keeping for a while, since it holds the order number needed if you have to contact us later — whether about a connection issue or a question about validity. It is worth leaving that email in the regular inbox rather than deleting it right after installing, and if the QR file was downloaded separately, there is no need to delete that either, since keeping an already-used file poses no security risk on its own.

Read the full eSIM install guide