How to Delete or Reinstall an eSIM Safely

Before you delete anything, read this: removing an eSIM is almost always permanent, and the same QR code usually cannot be scanned a second time. Delete a finished or expired plan and you free up a slot with no downside. Delete an active plan by mistake and you may lose it for good, which is why buying a fresh, cleanly issued plan from £2.59 is often faster than fighting to recover a deleted one. This guide shows the correct, ordered steps to delete an eSIM on iPhone and Android, when a reinstall is actually possible, and what to do if you removed one you still needed.

eSIMpass sells eSIMs for 200+ destinations. The examples below use a United States plan, but the delete and reinstall steps are identical for every destination.

The One Warning That Matters Most

An eSIM profile is a one-time download. When you scan a QR code or enter an activation string, the profile transfers from the provider's server onto your phone's secure eSIM chip. That transfer typically consumes the code. Try to scan the same QR again and you will usually see an error, because the profile has already been claimed.

So deleting an eSIM does not send it back to a drawer you can pull it from later. In most cases it is gone. The rules of thumb:

• Safe to delete: a plan that has fully expired, a plan whose data you have used up, or a test profile you no longer need.
• Risky to delete: any plan that is still active or still has data and validity remaining.

If you are unsure whether a plan is finished, check your data balance first. Our guide on how to check your eSIM data usage walks through it. When in doubt, leave the profile in place and simply turn it off instead of deleting it.

When You Should Delete an eSIM (and When You Should Not)

Good reasons to delete:

• The trip is over and the plan has expired.
• Your eSIM slots are full and you need room for a new profile.
• You are selling or returning the phone and want your profiles removed.
• A support agent has issued you a replacement profile and told you to remove the old one.

Reasons to wait:

• You still have data or days left on the plan.
• You are only trying to fix a connection problem. Deleting rarely fixes those, and you lose the profile in the process. Toggling the line off and on, or correcting APN settings, fixes far more issues than deletion does.
• You want to move the plan to another phone. Deleting is not how you transfer. See transferring an eSIM to a new phone instead.

How to Delete an eSIM on iPhone (iOS)

Apple keeps eSIM controls under the mobile menu. The exact path:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Mobile Service (labelled Mobile Data in some regions).
3. Under SIMs, tap the eSIM line you want to remove. It will show the label you gave it, such as "Travel" or "United States".
4. Scroll to the bottom and tap Delete eSIM.
5. Confirm by tapping Delete eSIM again.

Before you tap that final confirmation, double-check you are on the right line. If you have your home SIM and a travel eSIM installed, deleting the wrong one removes your phone number line. Rename your lines clearly (tap the line, then eSIM Mobile Plan Label) so there is no confusion. For a full walkthrough of iPhone eSIM handling, see our eSIM for iPhone guide.

Tip instead of deleting: if you only want to pause a plan, tap the line and switch Turn On This Line off. The profile stays installed and can be switched back on any time, with nothing lost.

How to Delete an eSIM on Android

Android varies by manufacturer, so use the path for your brand.

Samsung Galaxy:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Tap SIM manager.
4. Select the eSIM under the list of mobile plans.
5. Tap Remove (or Delete) and confirm.

Google Pixel:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Network & internet.
3. Tap SIMs.
4. Select the eSIM you want to remove.
5. Tap Erase eSIM and confirm.

Other Android phones follow a similar route under Settings then Network or Connections then SIM or SIM manager. If you use a Samsung device, our eSIM for Samsung guide covers the SIM manager in detail, and the general eSIM for Android guide covers Pixel and other brands. As on iPhone, most Android phones let you disable a plan without deleting it, which is the safer choice if you might need it again.

Can You Reinstall an eSIM After Deleting It?

This is the question that catches most people out. The honest answer is: usually no, not from the same QR code.

• The same QR code: once a profile has been installed, re-scanning that code almost always fails. The activation was single-use.
• A fresh profile from the provider: this is the real path back. If your plan was still valid, contact the seller's support, explain that you deleted the profile, and ask them to reissue it. Many providers, eSIMpass included, can generate a new QR for a plan that has not expired.
• A brand-new plan: if the plan was already finished, there is nothing to reinstall. You simply buy a new one and scan its new code.

So "reinstalling" almost never means reusing your old code. It means getting a newly issued profile. Whether that is possible depends entirely on the state of the plan when you deleted it.

What to Do If You Deleted an Active eSIM

Stay calm and act quickly. Deleting the profile does not necessarily cancel the underlying plan on the provider's side, so the data allowance may still exist and just needs a new profile pointed at it.

1. Do not buy a duplicate yet. First find out whether the existing plan can be reissued.
2. Gather your details: the order number or email receipt, the destination, and the plan size.
3. Contact support and say clearly: "I accidentally deleted an active eSIM profile and need a replacement QR for the same plan." Provider systems distinguish between reissuing an existing plan and selling a new one.
4. Install the replacement the moment you receive it, and this time label the line clearly and turn it off rather than deleting if you need to pause it.

If the plan had already expired, no reissue is possible and a new purchase is the only route. Our page on lost or missing eSIM QR codes covers the recovery conversation in more depth, since a deleted profile and a lost code are handled almost identically by support teams.

Reinstalling: The Correct Steps

When you do have a valid new QR code, installing it is quick. You need Wi-Fi or another internet connection, because downloading a profile uses the network, not your plan's data.

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.
2. On iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > Add eSIM > Use QR Code. On Samsung: Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM. On Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > +.
3. Scan the QR code, or choose Enter Details Manually and paste the activation string.
4. Label the line clearly.
5. Set it as your data line and, for a travel plan, turn Data Roaming ON for that line only. This is normal and expected for a travel eSIM, which connects to a local host network. Keep roaming off on your home line to avoid surprise charges.

For the complete first-time setup, including choosing the right data line and troubleshooting activation, see our eSIM installation and activation guide. If you are new to how eSIMs work at all, what is an eSIM explains the basics.

Example eSIM Plans

Here is what a set of eSIMpass plans looks like, using the United States as the example destination. Every plan is delivered as a QR code by email within minutes of purchase, so if you ever do need a genuinely new plan after a deletion, you are back online fast.

Compared with the cost and risk of network roaming, a fresh eSIM is usually the cheaper fix. Our eSIM vs roaming comparison shows the difference.

A Simple Habit That Prevents Regret

Adopt one rule and you will almost never lose a profile by accident: never delete, only disable, until a plan is truly finished. Turning a line off achieves everything a temporary removal would, keeps the profile safe on your phone, and can be reversed in two taps. Reserve deletion for expired plans and for freeing up slots. Follow that and the permanence of deletion stops being a risk at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reuse the same QR code after deleting an eSIM?

Almost never. An eSIM QR code is single-use and is consumed at first install. After deletion, re-scanning it usually returns an error. You need a freshly issued profile from the provider, not the old code.

Does deleting an eSIM cancel my plan or refund it?

No. Deleting only removes the profile from your phone. The plan may still exist on the provider's side, which is why an active plan can sometimes be reissued as a new QR. Deletion itself does not trigger a refund.

I deleted my eSIM by mistake and it was still active. What now?

Contact the seller's support with your order number and ask for a replacement QR for the same plan. If it has not expired, most providers can reissue it. Install the new profile straight away and disable rather than delete it in future.

Will deleting an eSIM fix my no-internet problem?

Usually not, and you risk losing the profile permanently. Try toggling the line off and on, turning Data Roaming on for the eSIM line, and checking your APN first. Delete only as a last resort with a plan you can have reissued.

How do I pause an eSIM without deleting it?

On iPhone, tap the line under Settings > Mobile Service and switch off "Turn On This Line". On Android, open the SIM manager and disable the plan. The profile stays installed and you can re-enable it any time.

Do I need mobile data to reinstall an eSIM?

You need an internet connection to download the profile, but it does not have to be mobile data. Wi-Fi works perfectly, and installing the profile does not consume any of the plan's allowance.