Does my phone support eSIM? Checker and caveats

Every iPhone since the XR and XS, every Pixel since the 3a, and Samsung's Galaxy S20 and later, Z Fold and Z Flip lines support eSIM, according to the manufacturers' own pages. The exceptions are regional: most iPhones sold in mainland China have no eSIM, a Pixel 3a bought in Japan can't use two SIMs, and Samsung's own list only covers the Australian versions of its phones. And any phone has to be unlocked to take another company's eSIM.

Search for your model below. The list is built from Apple, Google and Samsung's support pages, read on 31 October 2026.

The three-step check before you buy

1. Confirm the chip. Dial *#06#. If you see an EID, there's an eSIM chip. On iPhone, Settings > Cellular should offer "Add eSIM".
2. Confirm it's unlocked. Apple's guide says "your iPhone must be unlocked, or both cellular plans must be from the same carrier". On Android, a locked phone usually rejects another carrier's profile at install. If you're on a contract or a carrier financing plan, ask the carrier.
3. Install before you leave. An eSIM downloads over the internet, so install it at home or at the airport on Wi-Fi, then switch it on when you land. Setting it up at a trailhead with one bar of signal is how people lose an afternoon.

Regional traps, by brand

Apple. Apple's dual SIM guide covers iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later. iPhones sold in mainland China have long used two physical nano-SIM slots instead of an eSIM; Apple's page now names iPhone 17e, 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max (eSIM or nano-SIM) and iPhone Air (eSIM only) as the models that activate by eSIM there. Some models sold in Hong Kong and Macao are dual nano-SIM too, though Apple lists iPhone XS, 12 mini and 13 mini among the eSIM models there. If you bought your iPhone in Asia or second-hand, check before you rely on it. iPhone Air has no SIM tray at all.

Google Pixel. Google says "if you have a Pixel 3a or later Pixel phone, you can use two SIMs: one physical SIM card and one eSIM", with one regional exception: "If you bought your Pixel 3a in Japan, it can't have two SIMs." Two eSIMs active at once needs a Pixel 7 or later. US Pixel 10 models (except the Pixel 10 Pro Fold) are eSIM-only.

Samsung. Samsung's eSIM list (updated 21 September 2026) is "designed for Australian variant Galaxy devices". The same model sold in another region can ship without eSIM, so check your exact version: Samsung suggests looking up the phone's specs on its site, where "Embedded-SIM" appears under SIM size. In the A series, only the A36 5G, A55 5G and A56 5G appear on Samsung's list.

Everything else. Many Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo and other Android phones support eSIM in some regions and not others. We haven't listed them because we couldn't source a current manufacturer list for each. The *#06# test and your phone's Settings > SIM menu are the reliable checks.

Why this matters more off the beaten path

In a city, a phone that won't take an eSIM is an inconvenience: you buy a physical SIM at the airport. In Puerto Natales or Lukla, you might not find one that suits you, and a failed install at the start of a trek means going without. Check at home, install at home, and keep the QR code or install link somewhere you can reach offline in case you need to reinstall.

Once you know your phone works, the price index shows what data costs where you're going, and the satellite page covers which phones have built-in satellite SOS and where it works.