How to transfer eSIM to a new phone, and why travel eSIMs mostly can't move

How to transfer eSIM: the short answer

How to transfer eSIM service from one phone to another depends on who issued it. A home carrier's eSIM can usually be moved in Settings, on iPhone with eSIM Quick Transfer and on Android with Transfer SIM, as long as the carrier supports it. A travel eSIM usually cannot be moved at all. Of the five sellers we checked, only Saily describes a transfer, and Nomad's answer depends on which network supplies your plan.

We read Apple's, Google's and each provider's own help pages on 9 November 2026. We have not tested a transfer ourselves.

How to transfer eSIM from one iPhone to another

Apple calls this eSIM Quick Transfer. Its setup page lists four conditions:

• your carrier supports eSIM and Quick Transfer;
• both iPhones are signed in with your Apple Account, and the old one is unlocked with its passcode;
• both are nearby with Bluetooth turned on;
• both are on iOS 18.4 or later.

Then:

1. On the new iPhone, open Settings and tap Cellular (Mobile Service in some regions).
2. Tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM.
3. Tap Transfer From Nearby iPhone, or choose a phone number.
4. On the old iPhone, follow the instructions: tap Transfer, or enter the code the new iPhone shows.

Apple says that when the plan on the new iPhone activates, it deactivates the SIM on the old one. With iOS 26 or later, you can move more than one number. If your carrier does not support Quick Transfer, Apple's advice is to contact the carrier, which can activate the eSIM for you or send a QR code.

How do you transfer eSIM to a new iPhone from Android?

Apple added this in iOS 26, with conditions. Its Android-to-iPhone page requires an iPhone 11 or later on iOS 26 or later, an Android phone on Android 16 or later, both on wifi with Bluetooth on, and a carrier that supports the transfer. In outline:

1. On the iPhone, open Settings, tap Cellular, then Add eSIM (or Set Up Cellular on a phone with no SIM yet).
2. Choose Transfer From Android. The iPhone shows a QR code.
3. Scan it with the Android phone's camera, pick the number and confirm.
4. When it finishes, tap Done and make a test call.

Apple says the Android SIM is deactivated once the transfer completes. If your carrier is not on Apple's list, it will need to issue the eSIM another way.

How to switch eSIM to another phone on Android

Google's Pixel help page describes moving a physical SIM or an eSIM to an eSIM on a new phone. For automatic transfer, both phones need Android 12 or later, the current version of Google Play Services and a screen lock.

During setup

keep the old phone nearby, choose the SIM when the setup asks, then tap Transfer and Activate

Later

open Settings, then Network & internet, SIMs, Add SIM, and tap Transfer SIM from another device

Google adds that the process varies by carrier. If the new phone does not detect a transfer, contact your carrier. If a transfer fails, the existing phone or eSIM can still work. Other Android makers use their own menus; the Pixel steps are a guide, not a script.

Can you convert a physical SIM to an eSIM?

Sometimes. Apple says that if your carrier supports it, you can convert your physical SIM to an eSIM on the same iPhone, from the same Cellular settings. The SIM card stops working after the conversion. Whether you can depends entirely on your carrier, so ask it if the option does not appear.

Can you transfer a travel eSIM?

Mostly no, and this is where people lose money. A travel eSIM is a prepaid data profile sold for one device, and most sellers do not let it move. What each says on its own help pages:

Provider	Can you move it to a new phone?	What they say
Airalo	No	An eSIM or package assigned to one device cannot be transferred, even within one account. Buy a new package for the new device.
Holafly	No	Its eSIMs are one-time use; once activated they cannot be transferred, so buy a new one.
Nomad	Depends on the plan	Rules vary by the network supplier behind your plan: some allow a reinstall on another device, others do not.
Saily	Yes, through the app	Delete the eSIM from the old phone, then in the Saily app tap Install eSIM and share it to the other device by QR code.
eSIMCard	No	The same eSIM cannot be used on more than one device; it stays with the first one.

Nomad's article lists its suppliers by name and does not explain how to find which one your plan uses, so ask its support before deleting anything. Where a transfer is not possible, Nomad says it may offer a partial refund in Nomad points for the unused value.

Airalo offers one workaround if you change phones mid-trip: keep the eSIM in the old phone and share its data to the new one through a personal hotspot. See our Airalo hotspot page. Apple's Quick Transfer depends on carrier support, and none of these providers' pages mention it, so do not assume it will move a travel eSIM.

For more on the brands, see our reviews of Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Saily and eSIMCard.

Remove eSIM from iPhone only when you are sure

Deleting a travel eSIM is often permanent. Nomad says its QR codes are single-use. eSIMCard says re-downloading the same eSIM on the same device is not possible, and suggests turning the line off instead when you are not using it. Saily's transfer starts by deleting the eSIM, so do that only when the new phone is ready.

So before you remove an eSIM from an iPhone, check three things: that the seller allows a reinstall or transfer, that you still have whatever it needs (the app login or QR code), and that you are on wifi. If in doubt, turn the line off in Settings rather than deleting it.

Getting a new phone before a trip?

Set up the new phone first, then buy your travel eSIM for it. That way the eSIM never needs to move. Check the new handset on our eSIM compatible phones list, read what an eSIM is if it is all new, and compare prices on our cheapest eSIM page.