O2 eSIM: how to get one, on Pay Monthly or Pay As You Go

Does O2 offer eSIM?

Yes. O2's eSIM help page, last updated 26 August 2026, says O2 supports eSIM on compatible smartphones, tablets and selected wearables, and that it is available to Pay Monthly, SIM Only and Pay As You Go customers who are eligible. You need a compatible device, a supported O2 plan, and access to My O2 or an O2 QR code where one is required.

O2 also answers the cost question directly: using an eSIM costs the same as a plastic SIM, with no extra fee.

This is desk research from O2's own pages. We have not bought or tested an O2 eSIM.

How do you get an O2 eSIM?

The route depends on whether you are new to O2 and what kind of plan you want. O2 lists these:

One detail is inconsistent on O2's own page. The "how to get" section says Pay As You Go eSIMs come from O2 stores, while the FAQ further down says you can also order one online. O2's Pay As You Go shop page backs the FAQ: it says all its Pay As You Go offers are available with either a plastic SIM or an eSIM.

Is there an O2 Pay As You Go eSIM, and is it free?

Yes on both counts. O2's Pay As You Go page calls its SIMs free to order and says every offer comes as plastic or eSIM. On 10 November 2026 its Big Bundles were:

All four include unlimited UK minutes and texts and data rollover. The extra data lasts for three months, and O2 says the offer ends 31 March. Every Big Bundle includes roaming in O2's Europe Zone up to 25GB. The £15 and £20 bundles add 50 international minutes and the £30 bundle 250.

There is no credit check on Pay As You Go, which makes it the O2 route for visitors. Our O2 UK SIM card guide covers it in more depth.

How do you activate an O2 eSIM?

O2's checklist before you start:

1. Check your device supports eSIM. O2 suggests looking at the tech specs in its shop, under Connectivity, then SIM Type.
2. Connect to stable Wi-Fi if you have a dual SIM device. O2 says eSIM-only Apple devices do not need Wi-Fi.
3. Have your QR code ready, if you have one, and never share it.
4. Have your My O2 sign-in ready. If you need a new QR code, sign in and choose "Install SIM".

O2 says most activations finish within a few minutes, though some take up to 24 hours. If your QR code has not appeared, or the eSIM is not active after 24 hours, O2 asks you to get in touch or visit a store.

For a Samsung smartwatch, O2 sends a QR code that you install through the Galaxy smartphone app. O2 warns against scanning it with the phone's camera, which puts the watch's eSIM on your phone instead.

How do you switch from a plastic O2 SIM to eSIM?

On a recent iPhone, go to Settings, then Mobile Service, select your O2 line and look for "Convert to eSIM" at the bottom. On Android, look under Connectivity or SIM manager for the same option. If it is there, tap it and follow the prompts.

If it is not there, O2 says existing customers need to call or visit a store to request a replacement eSIM; take photo ID if you go in person. You then install it from My O2 or a QR code. O2 suggests keeping the plastic SIM until the eSIM is confirmed working. Your number, account and tariff stay the same.

Contacts stored only on an old plastic SIM do not move by themselves, so copy them to your phone or cloud account first. Our guides on what an eSIM is and converting a SIM to eSIM cover the general steps.

Does an O2 eSIM work abroad?

O2 says an eSIM roams exactly like a plastic SIM. In its Europe Zone you use your phone as at home, up to a 25GB data cap. Further afield, some Pay Monthly tariffs include unlimited use in up to 75 destinations, and Pay Monthly customers without that can add the O2 Travel Bolt On.

O2's travel page puts the Bolt On at £7 a day, charged only on days you use it. It covers 75 destinations outside Europe, including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, with unlimited data capped at 2Mbps. We did not find what Pay As You Go customers pay outside Europe on the pages we read. Our O2 roaming guide has the zone detail.

When is a travel eSIM worth adding to an O2 phone?

The useful thing about an O2 eSIM on a dual SIM phone is that it leaves room for a second, travel eSIM. Keep O2 on for calls and texts, and point mobile data at the travel plan.

Outside Europe that can save real money. Take a week in the USA on a plan without an inclusive zone: seven days of the Travel Bolt On is £49. Our verified prices, read on each seller's own site in August 2026, had Airalo's 10GB over 7 days at $21.50 and Saily's 10GB over 30 days at $22.99, both well under half the Bolt On. For Japan, Airalo's 10GB over 7 days was $17 and Nomad's 10GB over 30 days $16; we could not confirm from the pages we read whether Japan is one of the Bolt On's 75 destinations. In Europe, stick with O2's included 25GB.

If you are choosing a plan as well as a SIM type, our O2 SIM only page compares the Classic, Plus and Ultimate tiers. On 10 November 2026 those were £18, £19.99 and £24.99 a month on 24 months, with the Classic and Plus prices marked as Black Friday offers ending 2 December, and each rising £2.50 every April.