How to Install and Activate an eSIM on iPhone

Installing a Yatelo  travel eSIM on an iPhone takes about five minutes, and you can do it at home before you fly. You add the plan, give it a name, choose which line handles mobile data, and you're ready to switch it on when you land. The only part people stumble on is the order of steps, so here it is in plain order.

Yatelo gives you three ways to install: a direct install link, a QR code, or manual details. Any of them works. Use the first one that's available on your screen.

Before You Start

• Check your iPhone supports eSIM. Apple says travel eSIMs need an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR or later, with regional exceptions. See Apple's travel eSIM requirements and our iPhone compatibility list.
• Make sure it's unlocked. A carrier-locked iPhone may reject a plan from another provider. Our guide on checking if a phone is unlocked takes two minutes.
• Get on reliable Wi-Fi and keep your phone charged. Don't interrupt the install once it starts.
• Keep the QR code or manual details on another screen if you're not using the direct link.
• Know when your plan starts. Yatelo's validity begins when the eSIM first connects to a supported network, not when you install it. See when to install and activate a travel eSIM.

One warning matters more than the rest: most eSIMs can only be installed once. If you delete the eSIM from your iPhone, you may not be able to reinstall it. Complete the setup carefully and don't remove the profile as a troubleshooting step.

Option 1: Direct Install

1. Open your Yatelo install screen on the iPhone and tap Install eSIM.
2. Tap Continue twice. The eSIM starts connecting to the network, which can take a few minutes.
3. When it finishes, tap Done.
4. Give the new line a label, such as "Yatelo Travel", so you can tell it apart from your home line.

If your iOS version doesn't support direct installation, the screen will tell you to use the QR code method instead.

Option 2: Scan the QR Code

1. Open Settings and tap Cellular (or Mobile Data).
2. Tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan.
3. Choose Use QR Code and point the camera at the code on your other screen.
4. Follow the prompts, then label the line.

Apple documents these steps in its cellular setup guide. Keep the code private, because many activation codes are meant for one installation.

Option 3: Enter the Details Manually

1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM.
2. Choose Enter Details Manually.
3. Enter the SM-DP+ address and the activation code exactly as provided.
4. If you're asked for a confirmation code, enter the one you were given.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to finish.

Copy the details from your screen instead of typing them if you can. A single wrong character is the most common cause of a failed manual install.

Set Up the Travel Line

After installation you may be asked to choose default lines. If you still need your home number for calls and texts, keep your home line as the default voice line and choose the Yatelo line for Cellular Data. For the iMessage and FaceTime question, pick the line you want people to reach you on.

1. Open Settings > Cellular and select your Yatelo line.
2. Make sure Turn On This Line is switched on, then choose Yatelo for mobile data.
3. Check Data Roaming for the Yatelo line. Some plans don't need it and some do, and the setup screen tells you which. Never turn it on for your home line unless your carrier says it's included.
4. If the setup screen tells you to, turn off Automatic under network selection and pick a supported network from the list.
5. Turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching if you don't want your phone falling back to the home line for data.

For the fuller two-line setup, see our Dual SIM guide, and for what the roaming setting does, read why a travel eSIM may need roaming.

Test When You Arrive

1. Turn on the Yatelo line if you left it off.
2. Switch off Wi-Fi and load a small web page.
3. If nothing loads, wait a few minutes for the network to register, then toggle Airplane Mode for about 30 seconds.
4. Check the data selection, roaming and network selection again, and restart the phone if needed.

Still stuck? Work through our eSIM troubleshooting guide or contact support before you delete anything.

Haven't chosen a plan yet? Browse Yatelo destinations and install before you leave home.