You tapped "Add eSIM" and got an error instead of a working connection. The three checks below catch the majority of activation failures. Work through them in order.
This is the most common cause. A carrier-locked phone restricts which SIM profiles you can add. Even if your phone hardware supports eSIM, the carrier lock blocks new profiles from downloading.
How to check on iPhone: Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock. If it says anything other than "No SIM restrictions," your phone is locked.
How to check on Android: The setting varies by manufacturer, but if the "Add eSIM" option is missing from your SIM manager entirely, the phone is likely locked or does not support eSIM.
If your phone is locked, contact your carrier to request an unlock. Most carriers will unlock phones that are paid off, but the process can take 24-72 hours. See our
locked vs. unlocked phones guide for carrier-specific instructions.
eSIM QR codes are single-use. If you scanned the code before -- even partially or on a different phone -- the server marks it as consumed and will not allow a second download.
Check your SIM manager (Settings > Cellular on iPhone, Settings > Connections > SIM Manager on Samsung, Settings > Network & internet > SIMs on Pixel) to see if the profile is already installed. If it is there, you do not need to scan again -- just configure the settings.
If you previously installed and then deleted the profile, the code is permanently used. See
what to do if your eSIM was deleted.
The eSIM profile downloads from a provisioning server over the internet. A weak WiFi signal or flaky connection can cause the download to fail partway through.
- Switch to a stronger WiFi network if available.
- Move closer to the router.
- Avoid public WiFi that requires a captive portal login (hotel/airport WiFi that shows a web page before connecting) -- these often block the provisioning connection.
Try these steps in sequence:
- Restart your phone and attempt the installation again. A fresh start clears stuck network states.
- Use manual activation instead of QR scanning. Some activation failures are caused by the camera misreading the code, not by a server-side issue. Manual entry bypasses the camera entirely. See our manual activation guide.
- Check for OS updates. Older versions of iOS and Android occasionally have eSIM bugs that were patched in later releases. Install any pending updates and retry.
- Verify device compatibility. Phones purchased in Mainland China often lack eSIM hardware entirely, even if they are the same model number as phones sold elsewhere. Check our device compatibility list.
If you have worked through all the steps above and activation still fails, contact us with:
- A screenshot of the exact error message
- Your phone model and OS version
- Your order number
We can check the provisioning status on our end and determine whether the issue is on the server side or the device side.
