eSIM QR code not working? How to find the cause and fix it on iPhone and Android

Before you try again: five quick checks

Go through these points before you scan the code a second time. Each failed attempt can count as a use, so it pays to fix the basics first:

• Is the eSIM already installed? Look in the list of SIMs or cellular plans. An attempt that seemed to fail sometimes completed in the background.
• Is the phone online? The eSIM profile is downloaded during installation. Use a stable Wi-Fi network without a login page and switch off any VPN.
• Does the phone support eSIM and is it unlocked? Our guide on how to check eSIM compatibility takes a minute.
• Are the date and time set automatically? A wrong clock can make secure connections to the provider's server fail.
• Is the software up to date? Install pending system updates and restart the phone once.

Find the stage where it fails

An eSIM QR code goes through three stages: the camera reads it, the phone downloads the profile from the provider, and the line is activated. The symptom tells you which stage is the problem:

Only the first stage has anything to do with the QR code itself. From the second stage on, the code has been read correctly, and scanning it again will not help.

The camera does not read the QR code

Scan the code from the eSIM settings, not from the normal camera app, unless the provider says otherwise. Then work through these fixes:

1. Show the code on a second screen. A laptop, tablet or another phone works best. Make it large and set the screen to full brightness.
2. Remove glare and blur. Tilt the screen slightly, clean the camera lens and hold the phone still at 15 to 30 cm.
3. Use the whole code. Crop nothing: the white border around the code is part of it. A printout should be sharp and not too small.
4. Only have one device? Recent iPhone and Android versions can read the code from a saved image: take a screenshot of the code and pick it from your photos on the scanner screen, if your phone offers this.
5. Still nothing? Do not keep trying. Use manual entry instead, which installs exactly the same eSIM.

The code is read, but an error appears

The wording differs by phone, software version and language. These are the messages travellers see most often and what they usually mean:

If the download starts but never finishes, the phone cannot reach the provider's server. Public Wi-Fi with a login page, VPNs, firewalls on company networks and very weak signal are the usual reasons. Switch networks, turn off the VPN and try again.

When the phone itself blocks the eSIM

Sometimes the QR code and the connection are fine, but the phone refuses any new eSIM. These are the usual reasons:

• Carrier lock. A phone bought on contract may only accept eSIMs from that carrier. On iPhone, Settings → General → About shows “No SIM restrictions” when the phone is unlocked; on Android, ask your carrier. Only the carrier can remove the lock.
• Company management. Work phones often have a management profile that blocks adding cellular plans. Your IT department can tell you whether this is the case.
• No eSIM in this version of the model. Some phones are sold in versions without eSIM, depending on the country of sale. If dialling *#06# shows no EID, the phone cannot use an eSIM at all.
• Too many eSIMs. Phones store a limited number of eSIM profiles and use at most two lines at the same time. Remove eSIMs you no longer need, but only after checking that they are really used up.

In all four cases, a new QR code will not help. Check these points before you ask the provider to reissue the code, so that you do not use up a second one.

Install without scanning: manual entry or the provider's app

A QR code is only a convenient way to pass two pieces of text to your phone: the address of the provider's server (the SM-DP+ address) and an activation code. You can type both instead. Most providers show them next to the QR code in the order email or in their app.

1. iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Use QR Code, then tap Enter Details Manually and type the SM-DP+ address and the activation code.
2. Android: in the eSIM menu of your phone, choose the option to enter the code instead of scanning (the wording differs by brand), then type the activation code you received.
3. Provider's app: many providers install the eSIM directly from their app with one tap, without a QR code. This also avoids typing errors.

If you only have the code as text starting with LPA:1$, the part between the dollar signs is the server address and the part after the second dollar sign is the activation code. Our guides for iPhone and Android show every installation route step by step.

Installed, but no signal or no data

If the eSIM appears in your SIM list, the QR code has done its job. A missing connection now has other causes, and most of them are settings:

• You are not at your destination yet. Most travel eSIMs only connect in the countries they cover, so no signal at home is normal. Our guide on when to activate an eSIM explains the timing.
• The travel line is switched off or not selected for mobile data.
• Data roaming is off on the travel eSIM. It needs to be on; see data roaming with an eSIM.
• The network or APN needs setting by hand. Our guide eSIM not working abroad goes through these fixes.

When to contact the provider, and what to send

Contact the provider's support if a code is reported as used or invalid, if the download fails on two different networks, or if the eSIM never appears in your list. Only the provider can check the status of the code and issue a new one. Send these details in your first message to save time:

1. Your order number and the email address you ordered with.
2. The phone model and software version.
3. A screenshot of the error message.
4. The EID of your phone: dial *#06# or look under the phone's About screen.
5. Whether the eSIM appears in your SIM list, and how often you have scanned the code.

Do not delete an eSIM that was installed, even if it does not connect yet: deleting is final for most travel eSIMs. If you plan to switch phones before your trip, read how to move an eSIM to a new phone first. Still choosing a plan? You can compare travel eSIM plans by destination and check which providers offer installation from their app.