Guide
You can add an eSIM through your Android phone's Settings app. The menu names differ between Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy, so follow the steps for your phone below.
Installation and data selection are separate tasks. After you add the plan, choose which SIM handles mobile data. Google's instructions let you set calls, texts, and data separately.
Checked Oct 2026 against official pages
Check eSIM support before you start adding a plan. Samsung says some Galaxy phones support eSIM. Google's help says to contact your carrier to check eSIM support and confirm your device IMEI or device ID if you did not buy the phone from that carrier.
For Galaxy, Samsung says your phone must be connected to Wi-Fi or a mobile data network before you add the plan. Have the QR code your carrier provided available for the scanning steps below.
Google says you can add an eSIM later in Settings if you did not add it during phone setup. The process can differ slightly depending on your carrier.
Use this route to add an eSIM in Settings. Google's second-SIM instructions cover a phone that already uses a SIM card but does not yet use an eSIM. Follow the prompts for your provider as you move through setup.
Samsung offers QR-code installation, automatic installation of a pre-assigned plan, and manual entry of plan information. For a carrier-provided QR code, follow the steps below. Samsung's help uses both SIM manager and SIM card manager as menu names.
If your carrier has pre-assigned the plan, Samsung says to open Settings, Connections, and SIM manager, then tap Add eSIM. The plan downloads and activates automatically.
On Pixel, adding the plan does not replace the separate choice of a default data SIM. Google says only one SIM can be the default for data. If you already have a default set, you receive a notification.
Use the Pixel steps below to select your travel eSIM for data. Calls and texts have their own choices under Your primary SIMs. The Samsung pages we checked do not state the steps for choosing the default data SIM on Galaxy.
On Pixel, check that your network information has been added by opening Settings, then Network & internet, then SIMs. Review your mobile data selection there so you know which SIM is set to handle data.
If your network needs extra information, the Pixel instructions say you may need to open Access Point Names (APN) in Settings and follow the further instructions there.
The provider pages we checked do not state where to find the roaming switch or whether your travel plan requires it. These installation steps do not establish which roaming setting your plan needs.
If your Pixel does not automatically detect the SIM during phone setup, Google says you may need to activate the eSIM through your carrier first. If you cannot use the QR code, the manual-entry route below lets you enter a code supplied by your eSIM provider.
For Pixel dual-SIM warnings such as Voice unavailable or Voice interruptions, Google says the SIM networks are having trouble working together. Contact your mobile carrier for help.
For unusual behavior on a Samsung device, Samsung says you can send an error report or ask a question through the Samsung Members app.
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Yes. Google says you can add it later through Settings. Open Network & internet, then SIMs, Add SIM, and Set up an eSIM.
Samsung says your Galaxy must be connected to Wi-Fi or a mobile data network before you add the plan. Wi-Fi is not the only connection option in its instructions.
The Pixel instructions offer alternatives: upload a picture of the QR code or enter the code your provider supplied. For manual entry, tap Need help? on the scanner screen, then Enter it manually.
Yes. Google's instructions say to open Settings, then Network & internet and Mobile network. Tap the SIM you want to turn off, then turn off Use this SIM.