Guide
Check your phone's settings before you buy a travel eSIM. An Add eSIM option or an EID helps you check compatibility on the device you actually have, rather than relying on a model name alone.
Regional versions and carrier restrictions matter. A phone can appear on a compatibility list but have different capabilities depending on where you bought it or which carrier supplied it.
Checked Oct 2026 against official pages
On an iPhone, open Settings and look under Cellular or Mobile for Add eSIM. On a Samsung Galaxy, look in Connections, then SIM Manager, for Add eSIM. Some Samsung settings use SIM Card Manager and Add Mobile Plan instead.
On a Google Pixel, open Settings, then Network & internet, then SIMs. Look for Download a new eSIM, or follow Add SIM to Set up an eSIM. The wording can differ between devices.
You can also check for an EID, your device's eSIM identification number. Airalo gives these steps:
Apple's guidance names these eSIM-capable iPhones for Hong Kong and Macao: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation), and iPhone XS.
Apple also names mainland China exceptions. iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone 17e can activate with either an eSIM or a physical nano-SIM. iPhone Air activates with eSIM only.
Do not treat a Dual SIM label as proof of eSIM support. Apple's guidance also lists regional iPhones that use two physical nano-SIM cards, including iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max purchased in mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macao.
Check the Add eSIM option on your own phone, particularly if you bought it in one of these markets.
Google says Pixel 3a and later phones can use a physical SIM and an eSIM. Its guidance makes a specific exception: a Pixel 3a bought in Japan cannot use two SIMs.
Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and later phones can use two eSIM profiles at once if your carrier allows the feature. Support for eSIM and permission to keep two profiles active are separate checks.
In the US, Google says Pixel 10 and later phones use eSIM only, except Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
Older models need closer attention. Airalo excludes Pixel 3 models from Australia, Taiwan, and Japan, plus those purchased with US or Canadian carrier service other than Sprint and Google Fi. It also excludes Pixel 3a models purchased in South East Asia and those purchased with Verizon service. Check the settings on your specific phone.
Samsung's official Australian guidance lists the following Galaxy phone groups as eSIM-compatible. The regional scope matters: Samsung says the guide is for Australian variants and that available settings and steps can vary.
Use the manufacturer's regional guidance alongside the provider's compatibility list. Airalo's list broadly excludes mainland China iPhones and most Hong Kong and Macao iPhones, but Apple's guidance names newer exceptions. A blanket regional exclusion does not capture every model.
The Samsung lists also differ. Airalo excludes Galaxy devices originating from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and excludes Galaxy FE models except S23 FE and S24 FE. Samsung's Australian list includes S25 FE and S26 FE. Do not apply the Australian list to a phone from another market.
Airalo requires your device to support eSIM, have no carrier or network lock, and not be jailbroken on iOS or rooted on Android. A carrier lock restricts you to that mobile provider's networks and SIMs.
On an iPhone, open Settings, then General, then About. Scroll to Carrier Lock. No SIM restrictions means the phone is unlocked. You can also ask your primary mobile provider whether your device is locked. Confirm this before buying an Airalo plan, even if Add eSIM appears.
"From" is the lowest price we found on the provider's own destination pages (checked Oct 2026). Links go through our /go/ redirect; we may earn a commission.
Look for Add eSIM in your phone's SIM settings. On iPhone, check Cellular or Mobile; on Galaxy, check SIM Manager; on Pixel, check SIMs. You can also dial *#06# in the phone app and look for an EID.
An EID is your device's eSIM identification number. Airalo's check asks you to look for a 32-digit number labeled EID after dialing *#06#.
Some can. Apple says mainland China iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone 17e can activate with eSIM or a physical nano-SIM. iPhone Air activates with eSIM only. Check your exact model rather than applying a blanket rule.
No. Airalo requires a device without carrier or network restrictions. On iPhone, check Settings, General, About, then Carrier Lock for No SIM restrictions. Alternatively, contact your primary mobile provider to ask.