📶 eSIM connected but no internet? Fix it step by step

Almost every "eSIM not working" case is one of six settings. Work through them in order — most people are back online at step 1 or 2.

Check your own eSIM first (optional)

Enter your order number and email and we will read this eSIM's exact APN, its carrier list, and whether the network has seen it activate. Skip it if you do not have the order handy — the steps below work without it.

⚠️ Check these first

These three make everything below pointless: ① you have not arrived yet — most plans only connect once you are inside the coverage area; ② your phone is carrier-locked; ③ your phone does not support eSIM at all (most China-market Android models do not). See the compatibility list.

Work through these in order

  1. 1

    Turn on data roaming

    A travel eSIM is always roaming from the network's point of view. iOS ships with roaming off, so the line connects, shows bars, and still passes no data. This is the single most common cause.

    Settings → Cellular → tap your travel eSIM → turn on Data Roaming

  2. 2

    Point cellular data at the eSIM

    Enabling the line is not the same as using it for data. If your home SIM is still the default data line, the phone keeps trying to use it — and abroad that usually means no data at all.

    Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data → select the travel eSIM

  3. 3

    Confirm the line is actually switched on

    Many people install the eSIM before departure and leave it off to avoid charges, then forget to switch it back on after landing.

    Settings → Cellular → tap the travel eSIM → Turn On This Line

  4. 4

    Check the APN

    iOS usually fills this in automatically; Android often does not. A wrong or empty APN gives you full signal bars and zero data. Your plan's exact APN is in your delivery email — and in the checker above.

    Settings → Cellular → travel eSIM → Cellular Data Network → APN

  5. 5

    Select the carrier manually

    Automatic selection sometimes latches onto a carrier your plan has no agreement with. Picking one from your plan's carrier list by hand fixes it. Some countries have several — try them in order.

    Settings → Cellular → travel eSIM → Network Selection → turn off Automatic → pick a carrier from your plan's list

  6. 6

    Toggle airplane mode, then restart

    Registration on a foreign network sometimes just needs a nudge. Do this after every change above, and give it 30 seconds before deciding it did not work.

    Swipe down → airplane mode on → wait 15 s → off. Still nothing? Restart the phone.

  1. 1

    Turn on data roaming

    A travel eSIM is always roaming from the network's point of view. iOS ships with roaming off, so the line connects, shows bars, and still passes no data. This is the single most common cause.

    Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → select the eSIM → turn on Roaming

  2. 2

    Point cellular data at the eSIM

    Enabling the line is not the same as using it for data. If your home SIM is still the default data line, the phone keeps trying to use it — and abroad that usually means no data at all.

    Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Mobile data → select the eSIM

  3. 3

    Confirm the line is actually switched on

    Many people install the eSIM before departure and leave it off to avoid charges, then forget to switch it back on after landing.

    Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → select the eSIM → toggle it on

  4. 4

    Check the APN

    iOS usually fills this in automatically; Android often does not. A wrong or empty APN gives you full signal bars and zero data. Your plan's exact APN is in your delivery email — and in the checker above.

    Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → eSIM → Access Point Names → add one, fill in the APN, leave the rest blank

  5. 5

    Select the carrier manually

    Automatic selection sometimes latches onto a carrier your plan has no agreement with. Picking one from your plan's carrier list by hand fixes it. Some countries have several — try them in order.

    Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → eSIM → turn off Automatically select network → pick from the list

  6. 6

    Toggle airplane mode, then restart

    Registration on a foreign network sometimes just needs a nudge. Do this after every change above, and give it 30 seconds before deciding it did not work.

    Pull down the shade → airplane mode on → wait 15 s → off. Still nothing? Restart the phone.

Still offline after all six?

Then it is not a settings problem and we should look at the card itself. Message us with your order number and which steps you already tried — that alone usually saves a full round of back-and-forth.

Contact support

Want the longer write-up, including "No Service" and QR scan failures? Read eSIM not working — how to fix it. Installing for the first time? Start with the installation guide.

Common questions

The eSIM shows signal bars but nothing loads. Why?

Signal bars mean the phone registered on a tower; they say nothing about whether data is allowed through. That gap is almost always data roaming (step 1) or a wrong APN (step 4).

How do I know if my eSIM is activated?

Use the checker at the top of this page — it reads the carrier's own record. Most plans activate on first data use, not at purchase, so a brand-new card showing "not activated" is normal until you land.

Do I need to remove my physical SIM?

No. Keep it in for calls and texts on your home number. Just make sure cellular data points at the eSIM (step 2), and consider turning data roaming off on the home SIM so it cannot rack up charges.

I installed the QR code twice and now it is gone.

Each QR code installs once. If the profile was deleted it cannot be re-installed from the same code — contact support with your order number and we will look at reissuing it.

It worked yesterday and stopped today.

Check remaining data and the expiry date with the checker above. Plans stop passing data the moment either runs out, with no warning on the phone.