📲 eSIM Troubleshooting 2026

New Phone, Lost Phone, Broken Phone — What Happens to Your eSIM

Updated August 2026 · The AeroSims answers; other providers differ, and we say where

A plastic SIM can be moved between phones in ten seconds with a paperclip. An eSIM cannot — it is written into the device, not into a card. That single difference is behind almost every panicked message our support team gets, and it is worth understanding before it happens rather than after. Here is what actually occurs in each case.

Case 1: you are switching to a new phone on purpose

This is the common one and it is straightforward, with one order of operations that matters.

On our plans you can reinstall from the same QR code on the new device — but you must delete the profile from the old phone first. A QR code provisions one profile onto one device at a time; the old installation has to be released before the new one can take it. Delete on the old phone, scan on the new one, done.

Do not rely on a phone backup. This is the single most common surprise: restoring an iPhone or Android backup onto a new device does not bring eSIM profiles with it. Photos, apps and messages come across; the eSIM does not. People discover this in an airport, having assumed the migration was complete.

The Apple shortcut, and its limits

iPhones can transfer an eSIM between two nearby iPhones over Bluetooth — Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Transfer From Nearby iPhone. It is genuinely quick when it works, but it depends on the issuing network supporting the feature, and travel eSIMs frequently do not. Treat it as a nice surprise rather than the plan. The QR reinstall above always works on ours.

Android to Android

Recent Pixels and Galaxys have similar transfer tools with the same caveat. Same advice: try it, and have the QR code ready.

Case 2: the phone is lost or stolen

The eSIM goes with the phone. Unlike a plastic SIM you cannot pull it out, and unlike a home carrier line there is no “suspend the SIM” lever to pull, because there is no number attached to it — our plans are data-only.

What we can do: contact support and, in normal circumstances, we can get the plan reinstalled on a replacement device. What you should do first: use Find My iPhone or Find Hub to erase the device remotely if you can. That wipes the eSIM profile along with everything else, which is what you want — it removes the data connection a thief would otherwise be using.

Then, on the replacement phone, scan the saved QR code. This is why the file lives in your email and not only on the phone.

Case 3: the phone is broken but you still have it

If it powers on well enough to reach settings, delete the eSIM profile and reinstall it on the replacement. If it does not power on at all, treat it as case 2 — contact support with your order number and reinstall from the saved QR.

A cracked screen that still responds is a case-1 problem. A phone that went in the sea is a case-2 problem. The difference is whether you can release the profile yourself.

Case 4: you factory-reset the phone

A factory reset erases eSIM profiles. On most phones the reset flow asks whether to keep or delete them, and people tap through it without reading. If you reset with the profiles deleted, reinstall from the QR code afterwards. If you reset while abroad and the QR is only in an email you can no longer reach because you have no data — that is the loop the saved copy prevents.

What none of this affects

Your remaining data and validity live with the plan, not the handset — reinstalling does not reset them and does not cost you the balance. Your phone number is untouched throughout, because it belongs to your home SIM and not to us. And the 180-day validity of an uninstalled QR code is unaffected by any of this.

Frequently asked

Can I move my eSIM to a new phone?

On our plans, yes — delete the profile from the old phone, then scan the same QR code on the new one. Order matters: one QR provisions one device at a time.

Will a phone backup restore my eSIM?

No. Restoring a backup brings apps, photos and messages but not eSIM profiles. This is the most common surprise when people upgrade phones mid-trip.

My phone was stolen. Can I get my plan back?

Contact support with your order number — in normal circumstances we can get it reinstalled on a replacement device. Erase the stolen phone remotely first if you can; that wipes the profile too.

Does the iPhone eSIM transfer feature work with travel eSIMs?

Sometimes. It depends on the issuing network supporting it, and travel eSIMs often do not. Keep the QR code as the reliable path.

Does reinstalling cost me my remaining data?

No. Data and validity belong to the plan, not the device. Reinstalling does not reset or consume them.

What if I factory-reset my phone abroad?

The eSIM profile is erased. Reinstall from your saved QR code — which is exactly why it should be saved somewhere other than that phone.

Can I install my eSIM on a backup phone as well?

No — one QR code, one device at a time. If you want two phones online, that is two plans, or one phone hotspotting the other.

Do other providers work the same way?

Not always. Many issue single-use codes where a lost phone means a lost plan. Check the terms of any eSIM you buy, including ours.

Thirty seconds now, or a lost afternoon later

Forward the eSIM email to yourself with a subject you will find under pressure, or save the QR image to your password manager. Then forget about it — but you will have it if the phone goes into the sea.

Over 200 destinations · Reinstallable QR codes · 24/7 supportFind the eSIM for your destination →

Reinstallation behaviour described applies to AeroSims plans; other providers’ terms differ, particularly on reusing a QR code after deletion or loss. Device transfer features and factory-reset behaviour are as implemented in iOS 17–26 and Android 13–16 as of August 2026 and are controlled by the device makers, not by us. Reinstallation after loss or theft is handled case by case by support.