Is my phone eSIM compatible?
Your phone needs three things: eSIM hardware, which shows as an EID in its settings; no lock to a carrier; and a version of the model that was sold with eSIM in the country where you bought it.
To answer “is my phone eSIM compatible?”, check three things before you buy. A phone that fails any one of them cannot use a travel eSIM, however new it is.
1. Your phone has eSIM hardware
A phone that can use an eSIM has an EID, a long number that identifies its eSIM chip. Google explains that a phone needs an EID to use an eSIM: no EID, no eSIM.
- iPhone: open Settings > General > About and scroll down to EID. Apple lists the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later models as eSIM phones.
- Google Pixel: open Settings > About phone > SIM status and look for EID. Google says every Pixel 4 and later works with eSIM.
- Samsung Galaxy: Samsung prints the EID on the phone’s box and shows it in Settings > About phone > Status.
On other brands, the phone maker’s support pages explain where the EID is shown.
2. Your phone is not locked to a carrier
A phone bought from a mobile carrier can be locked to that carrier’s network. Apple notes that an iPhone cannot be locked to a carrier if you want to use another carrier’s eSIM abroad, and Google says a phone must be SIM-unlocked to work with other carriers.
On iPhone, open Settings > General > About: if No SIM restrictions appears next to Carrier Lock, your iPhone is unlocked. On Android, your carrier can tell you. Both are covered in how to check if your phone is unlocked.
3. Your model was sold with eSIM where you bought it
The same model can differ from country to country, so check the exact model and where it was bought, not just its name.
- Apple says that in mainland China only a few recent iPhone models support eSIM, and that certain models sold in Hong Kong and Macao take two physical SIM cards instead.
- Google lists some Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a phones that do not work with eSIM, depending on where and from which carrier they were bought.
- Samsung notes that eSIM may not be supported, depending on the phone’s country of origin.
Check your exact model
Our compatible phones page asks for your phone’s brand, its exact model and the country where you bought it. If you are still unsure, ask us before you buy and tell us your phone’s model and where it came from.
Where this comes from
- Apple Support: Find the serial number, EID, or IMEI on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
- Apple Support: Set up eSIM on iPhone
- Apple Support: Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone
- Pixel Phone Help: Find your IMEI and other Pixel phone ID numbers
- Pixel Phone Help: Get a SIM or eSIM & add it to your Pixel phone
- Pixel Phone Help: Use your Pixel phone with any mobile carrier
- Samsung Ireland: How to use an eSIM with your Galaxy phone
- Samsung US: SIM cards for your Galaxy phone or tablet
Checked against these sources on September 27, 2026.
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Contact YuzuSIMRelated: How to check if your phone is unlockedHow to install your eSIM on iPhoneHow to install your eSIM on Android