Saily eSIM Not Working? Fixes That Actually Help (2026)

If your Saily eSIM is installed but not passing data, it is almost always one of four settings: data roaming off, the wrong line set for data, a missing APN, or you are not in coverage yet. A genuinely dead eSIM is rare. Work through the steps below in order - most people are back online by step two. These match Saily's own troubleshooting guidance, and I have added the exact iPhone and Android taps so you are not hunting through menus while you are stranded.

Is data roaming turned on for your Saily line?

This is the number one cause, full stop. A travel eSIM connects to a local partner network, and to your phone that counts as "roaming" - so if roaming is off for the Saily profile, you get bars and zero data. Saily flags enabling data roaming as a required activation step, so do this first.

On iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service (or Mobile Service) > tap your Saily plan > toggle Data Roaming on. Make sure the line itself is also turned on above that.

On Android: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > select the Saily eSIM > toggle Roaming on. (Menu names vary a little by brand; on Samsung it is Settings > Connections > SIM manager.)

Turning on roaming for a data-only travel eSIM does not trigger surprise charges - the plan is prepaid data. The one thing to also do, per Saily's advice, is make sure your home SIM's roaming stays off so your normal network does not bill you.

Is Saily actually set as your data line?

Enabling roaming does nothing if your phone is still trying to use your home SIM for data. On a dual-SIM phone you have to explicitly point mobile data at the Saily eSIM.

On iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > Mobile Data > select your Saily plan. Leave "Allow Mobile Data Switching" off so it does not silently fall back to your home line.

On Android: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Mobile data > choose the Saily eSIM as the data SIM.

While you are there, confirm your Saily line shows as enabled and has signal. If steps one and two together did not fix it, move on - do not keep re-toggling.

Do you need to set the Saily APN by hand?

The APN (Access Point Name) is the gateway setting that tells your phone how to route data. It usually configures itself, but if you have signal and still no data, entering it manually is the classic fix. Saily's help centre currently lists wbdata as the APN, entered with the username and password left blank. (Older Saily setups referenced other APNs, so as of 2026 check Saily's current help centre for the exact value your plan expects before typing it in.)

On iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > tap the Saily plan > Mobile Data Network > type wbdata into the APN field under both "Mobile Data" and "LTE Setup", leave the rest blank, then toggle Airplane Mode on and off.

On Android: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Saily eSIM > Access Point Names > add a new APN, name it Saily, set APN to wbdata, save it, then select it.

One Android-specific tip from Saily: if the APN field is empty and will not save, open the Saily app and leave it running in the foreground for up to five minutes so it can push the configuration automatically.

Did the eSIM actually activate, and are you in coverage?

Two things get confused here. First, many travel eSIMs only start their validity window when they first connect to a network at your destination - so an eSIM that looks "inactive" at home is often just waiting. Saily lets you check activation status in the app under your eSIM. Second, you need to physically be in the coverage area and country the plan was bought for; a US plan will not connect while you are still at your departure airport in another country.

If you have just landed, give the phone a few minutes and one manual network search: on iPhone, Settings > Mobile Service > Network Selection, turn off Automatic and pick a local network; on Android, Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Saily > Choose network automatically off, then select one manually. This forces a fresh registration and often wakes up a stubborn connection.

Still nothing after all of that?

Time for the reset sequence, quickest first:

• Toggle Airplane Mode on for 30 seconds, then off. Forces a full network re-scan.
• Restart the phone. It fixes a surprising share of eSIM stalls.
• Manually select a different local network (as above) in case the default partner has weak signal where you are.
• Reinstall the eSIM. Saily's guidance is that a fresh install clears out a botched first setup - do it on stable Wi-Fi, after deleting the old profile. Some eSIMs allow only a limited number of installs, so this is a later step, not a first reflex.

If a manual network switch suddenly gives you data, the issue was partner-network coverage, not your eSIM.

When is it genuinely Saily's side of the problem?

Sometimes it really is not you. Escalate to Saily support through the app chat if: the eSIM shows activated with roaming on, the correct APN, and a local network selected but still no data; the plan shows depleted far faster than your actual use; or an install error blocks setup entirely. Saily is backed by Nord Security (the NordVPN team) and its support is well rated, so a real fault usually gets sorted. As of 2026 Saily also offers a refund within 30 days if an eSIM genuinely cannot be activated, though used data is non-refundable - confirm the current terms when you contact them. That is a fair policy and worth knowing before you give up.

The bottom line

A Saily eSIM that will not work is nearly always a settings fix: data roaming on, Saily set as the data line, the wbdata APN in place, and you actually in coverage. Work down the list, use Airplane Mode and a restart as your resets, and reinstall only near the end. If it survives all of that, it is Saily's side and support can help - they are a solid, privacy-focused provider and cheap to boot.

If you would rather carry a backup so a single failed eSIM never strands you, that is the honest case for a second provider. eSIMpass sells data plans for 200+ destinations from £2.59, with real top-up if you run low and a "My eSIMs" dashboard that shows your data draining live. Like Saily it is data-only (you keep your home number for calls and 2FA via dual SIM), and it is upfront that its unlimited plans carry fair-use throttling and hotspot caps. It is a smaller brand than Saily, so for very obscure destinations check the catalogue first.

Why does my Saily eSIM show signal bars but no internet?

Bars mean you registered on a network; no data means the data path is blocked. The usual culprits are data roaming being off for the Saily line, your home SIM still being set as the data line, or a missing APN. Turn roaming on, set Saily as the data SIM, and enter the wbdata APN, then toggle Airplane Mode.

What is the correct APN for a Saily eSIM?

Saily's help centre currently lists wbdata as the APN, with username and password left blank. Because these values can change, check Saily's current help centre for your specific plan before entering it manually, and only set the APN by hand if automatic configuration failed.

Will turning on data roaming for Saily cost me extra?

No. A travel eSIM is prepaid data, and "roaming" simply describes it connecting to a local partner network. Enabling roaming for the Saily profile is required for it to work. Just keep your home SIM's roaming switched off so your normal network does not bill you separately.

Should I reinstall my Saily eSIM if it is not connecting?

Reinstalling can clear a botched first setup, but make it a later step, not your first move - some eSIMs allow only a limited number of installs. Try roaming, data-line, APN, Airplane Mode, and a restart first. If you do reinstall, delete the old profile and do it on stable Wi-Fi.

My Saily eSIM still will not work after everything - what now?

Contact Saily support through the app if roaming, the APN, and manual network selection are all correct and you still have no data. As of 2026 Saily offers a refund within 30 days if an eSIM cannot be activated (used data excluded), so ask about that. Carrying a backup eSIM from another provider also means one failure never leaves you fully offline.