How to Add an eSIM on Samsung Galaxy Phones

Samsung tucks its eSIM settings inside a menu called SIM manager, and once you know where it is, adding a travel eSIM is straightforward. The catch is that menu names shift slightly between One UI versions and regions, so this guide describes what to look for as well as where to tap.

You will add the eSIM at home, decide which SIM handles calls, texts and data, and switch on roaming for the travel line only when you land.

Check your Galaxy is ready

Recent Galaxy S and Galaxy Z phones and many Galaxy A models support eSIM. However, the same model name can be sold in different versions depending on the country or carrier, and not every version includes eSIM. The quickest test is the one in the next section: if your SIM manager offers an option to add an eSIM, your phone can use one.

Two more things to sort out before you start:

• Carrier unlock. The phone must be unlocked to accept an eSIM from another provider. If you bought it through a carrier and are unsure, ask them, or try a SIM card from a different network.
• Wi-Fi and the QR code on another screen. The phone needs an internet connection to download the eSIM, and its camera cannot scan its own display. Open the QR code on a laptop or tablet, or print it.

Find SIM manager

On most current Galaxy phones the path is:

Settings → Connections → SIM manager

On older software you may see SIM card manager instead. If you cannot find it, open Settings, tap the search icon and type "SIM" or "eSIM". Inside SIM manager you will see your current SIM and an option labelled Add eSIM or similar.

Add the eSIM with the QR code

Your HelloSIM QR code arrives by email straight away after payment, and it is also saved in your HelloSIM account. With it open on another screen:

1. 1Go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager.
2. 2Tap Add eSIM.
3. 3Choose the option to scan a QR code from your service provider.
4. 4Hold the camera steady over the code until it is recognised.
5. 5Confirm when the phone asks whether to add the eSIM, and wait for the download to finish. Stay on Wi-Fi throughout.

The new line appears in SIM manager next to your physical SIM. If the download stops with an error, do not delete it and try again repeatedly; get in touch with support so they can check what happened.

Entering the code manually instead

If scanning does not work, look for an option to enter the activation code yourself on the same screen. Your HelloSIM email contains the SM-DP+ address and the activation code. Some Galaxy models show a single activation code field; this field usually expects the full code in the form LPA:1$ followed by the SM-DP+ address, another $ and the activation code, with no spaces. Copy and paste rather than typing by hand.

Decide which SIM does what

A HelloSIM eSIM is data-only, so it should handle mobile data and nothing else. In SIM manager, find the Preferred SIM section:

• Calls: your home SIM.
• Text messages: your home SIM.
• Mobile data: your home SIM while you are still at home, switched to the HelloSIM line when you arrive.

While you are here, tap each SIM to give it a clear name, such as "Home" and "Travel". Galaxy phones also let you choose an icon for each one, which makes the status bar easier to read.

Many Galaxy models also have an automatic data switching setting in SIM manager, which can use the other SIM's data when your preferred SIM struggles. Turn it off before you travel, so your phone never falls back to roaming on your home line.

On arrival: data SIM and roaming

When you land:

1. 1Open SIM manager and make sure the HelloSIM line is switched on.
2. 2Under Preferred SIM, set Mobile data to the HelloSIM line.
3. 3Go to Settings → Connections → Mobile networks. On dual-SIM Galaxy phones this screen usually has a tab or selector for each SIM at the top.
4. 4Select the HelloSIM line and turn Data roaming on. It is required for the eSIM to connect to local networks, and there is no extra cost because the data is prepaid.
5. 5Select your home SIM and make sure Data roaming is off.

The plan's validity starts the first time the eSIM connects to a network at your destination, not when you installed it.

If your Galaxy will not connect

Run through these checks before assuming anything is wrong with the eSIM:

• Toggle Airplane mode from the quick settings panel, wait a few seconds, then switch it off.
• Confirm the setup: the HelloSIM line is on, it is the Mobile data SIM, and Data roaming is on for it.
• Restart the phone, especially after a long flight.
• Choose a network yourself: in Mobile networks, open Network operators, turn off automatic selection, search, and pick a network listed for your destination.
• Leave Access Point Names alone. The APN is usually set automatically; only change it if support gives you exact settings.
• Network mode: 4G/LTE works everywhere HelloSIM sells. 5G only shows up where the networks listed for your destination are marked 5G and your Galaxy supports it.

Still stuck? Email [email protected] with your order details; emails are answered within 24 hours.

Topping up and coming home

If your data runs low, add more to the same eSIM from the Check / Top up page or your HelloSIM account. The eSIM stays exactly where it is, with no reinstalling.

Back home, set Mobile data to your home SIM again, turn off roaming for the HelloSIM line and switch the line off in SIM manager. Keep the eSIM on the phone if you might top it up for a future visit.