An eSIM profile is tied to the specific phone it was installed on, so moving to a new phone almost never means simply copying it across - you either use your network's built-in Quick Transfer feature or ask your provider to reissue the profile. For a travel eSIM the safest route is to contact the seller for a fresh QR code, and buying a straightforward plan like the one from £2.59 for your next trip is often quicker than fighting to move an old one. eSIMpass sells eSIMs for 200+ destinations; the US plan below is just the example used throughout this guide.
The single most important warning first: do not delete the eSIM from your old phone hoping to reinstall it on the new one. A QR code is usually single-use. Once the profile is scanned and installed, re-scanning the same code typically fails, and if you have already wiped it from the old device you can be left with nothing until support issues a new profile.
Why an eSIM Can't Just Be Copied
A physical SIM is a chip you pop out and slide into another phone. An eSIM is a software profile written into a secure chip soldered inside your phone, called the eUICC. It is bound to that hardware. There is no tray to move.
That is why "transferring" an eSIM really means one of two things:
- Re-provisioning the same profile onto new hardware (your network or provider generates a new activation for the new phone), or
- A device-to-device transfer where the phone and network cooperate to hand the profile over automatically.
Which one applies depends entirely on whether it is a network line (your phone number) or a data-only travel eSIM.
Network eSIM vs Travel eSIM: They Transfer Differently
This distinction decides everything, so get it clear before you touch any settings.
- Network eSIM: Your home mobile line with your phone number, calls, and texts, from a network like AT&T, Vodafone, or EE. Major networks support automatic transfer tools.
- Travel eSIM: A data-only plan (no phone number) that connects to a major local host network abroad. eSIMpass plans work this way. These are not part of Apple or Google's automatic transfer system, so you move them by getting a fresh profile from support.
If you have both on your old phone, handle them separately.
iPhone to iPhone: eSIM Quick Transfer
If both phones are iPhones on iOS 16 or later and your line is with a supported network, Apple's Quick Transfer moves a network eSIM over Bluetooth with no QR code at all.
- Keep both iPhones powered on, unlocked, and close together with Bluetooth on.
- On the new iPhone, go to Settings > Mobile Service (or Mobile Data).
- Tap Add eSIM, then choose Transfer From Nearby iPhone (during setup this appears as Transfer From Another iPhone).
- A confirmation code appears on the old iPhone. Confirm the transfer there.
- Follow the prompt to finish setting up the line - this often opens your network's page to activate the plan on the new device.
- Once the new phone shows the line as active, the eSIM on the old iPhone deactivates.
If Transfer From Nearby iPhone does not appear, your network does not support it for that line. Do not force it - use the reissue route below instead.
Android to Android and Samsung
Android does not have a single universal eSIM transfer standard the way iPhones do, though newer devices are adding one. Behaviour varies by brand and network, so the reliable path on Android is to have the network or provider reissue the profile.
For reference, here is where the eSIM controls live:
- Samsung Galaxy (S20 and newer): Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM.
- Google Pixel (Pixel 3 and newer): Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, then Download a SIM or the + button.
Some recent Pixel and Galaxy models running the latest software offer a device-to-device eSIM transfer during initial setup. If yours does, follow the on-screen prompt while setting up the new phone. If it does not appear, request a new profile rather than deleting the old one.
Check whether a phone even supports eSIM by dialling *#06# and looking for an EID number. Our eSIM compatible devices guide lists the models that qualify, and the phone must be network-unlocked either way.
The Reliable Route for a Travel eSIM: Reissue
Travel eSIMs sit outside the automatic transfer tools, so moving one is a support task, not a settings toggle. The good news is it is simple:
- Do not delete the eSIM from the old phone yet. Leave it in place.
- Contact the provider that sold you the plan and ask them to reissue or transfer the profile to a new device. Have your order number and the email you purchased with ready.
- They generate a fresh QR code (or activation details) tied to your remaining balance and validity.
- Install that new QR on the new phone: Settings > Mobile Service > Add eSIM > Use QR Code on iPhone, or the equivalent path above on Android.
- Only once the new profile is confirmed working should you delete the old one.
Not every provider can move a partly used plan, and some balances are non-transferable, so ask before you assume. Often, if a plan is nearly expired or cheap, buying a new one for the new phone is faster and cheaper than a reissue. That is where a low-cost, instantly delivered plan earns its place.
eSIMpass Plans as a Fresh-Start Example
If reissuing an old travel eSIM turns into a hassle, starting fresh on the new phone takes about three minutes. Here are the US plans as an example of eSIMpass pricing and delivery:
| Data | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3GB Data | 15 Days | £3.60 |
| 5GB Data | 30 Days | £5.39 |
| 10GB Data | 30 Days | £9.71 |
| 20GB Data | 30 Days | £17.47 |
| 50GB Data | 30 Days | £39.32 |
| 1 Day | 1 Day | £2.59 |
| 2 Days | 2 Days | £5.19 |
| 3 Days | 3 Days | £7.78 |
| 4 Days | 4 Days | £10.20 |
| 5 Days | 5 Days | £12.93 |
| 6 Days | 6 Days | £15.67 |
| 7 Days | 7 Days | £18.41 |
| 8 Days | 8 Days | £19.78 |
| 9 Days | 9 Days | £21.83 |
| 10 Days | 10 Days | £23.20 |
| 11 Days | 11 Days | £25.25 |
| 12 Days | 12 Days | £27.30 |
| 13 Days | 13 Days | £28.67 |
| 14 Days | 14 Days | £30.04 |
| 15 Days | 15 Days | £32.09 |
| 16 Days | 16 Days | £33.46 |
| 17 Days | 17 Days | £34.15 |
| 18 Days | 18 Days | £35.51 |
| 19 Days | 19 Days | £37.57 |
| 20 Days | 20 Days | £38.94 |
| 21 Days | 21 Days | £40.30 |
| 22 Days | 22 Days | £40.99 |
| 23 Days | 23 Days | £41.67 |
| 24 Days | 24 Days | £42.36 |
| 25 Days | 25 Days | £43.04 |
| 26 Days | 26 Days | £43.73 |
| 27 Days | 27 Days | £44.41 |
| 28 Days | 28 Days | £45.09 |
| 29 Days | 29 Days | £45.78 |
| 30 Days | 30 Days | £47.15 |
A new plan means a new QR code sent to your email instantly, no dependency on the old phone at all. Full walkthrough in our eSIM installation and activation guide, with device-specific steps for iPhone and Android.
Moving Your UK Number's eSIM: What Each Network Does
Every UK network does this differently, and the one rule they share is that none of them says it can be done reliably from abroad. Several send a code to your current number or email, some need a shop with photo ID, and Sky only posts a physical SIM to your UK home address. Change phones at home, before the trip, and check both lines work before you fly.
| Network | How you move it | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| EE | iPhone to iPhone with Apple Quick Start; Android to Android during set-up; otherwise the EE app: Mobile and SIMs, Check Settings, Replace my SIM/eSIM | For a lost or stolen phone, also call EE on 07953 966 150 |
| O2 | Any time, starting in My O2; iPhones may offer Apple's transfer during set-up | No iPhone-to-Android moves (or back) yet; a replacement can take up to 24 hours |
| Vodafone | My Vodafone, Manage my SIM; iPhones can use Apple's transfer | On Android, delete the old eSIM first; the QR code arrives by email, its file protected by your date of birth (DDMMYYYY) |
| Three | Three app: Manage SIM, Replace SIM; Quick Transfer on iPhones and some Android phones | Free; the QR and confirmation codes come in separate emails; can take up to 7 hours |
| giffgaff | The giffgaff app on the new phone: Account, SIM, Replace my SIM | A security code is texted to your current giffgaff number; swaps run 4:30am to 9:30pm |
| Tesco Mobile | A replacement eSIM, from a Tesco Mobile shop or by contacting Tesco | An activated eSIM cannot be moved to another phone |
| Sky Mobile | Apple Quick Transfer (iPhone 11 or later on iOS 18); otherwise order a replacement eSIM online | A physical SIM is only posted to the home address on your account |
| VOXI | VOXI online: Settings, Manage my SIM; or Apple Quick Transfer | Delete the current eSIM within 12 hours of asking, or the transfer is cancelled |
| SMARTY | The Replacement SIM section of your SMARTY dashboard | "Activate now" disconnects the old SIM straight away |
| iD Mobile | iD Mobile app or my.idmobile.co.uk: Plan, SIM & Phone Management | The new eSIM can take about an hour to download, on Wi-Fi |
On a UK iPhone the transfer starts in Settings > Mobile Service > Set Up Mobile Service > Transfer from Nearby iPhone, with both phones on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth - Three warns that a personal hotspot can make it fail.
Sources: each network's own help pages and price guides, and Apple's UK support pages, read on 9 October 2026. Networks change these processes; check yours before you rely on it.
Before You Hand Over or Trade In the Old Phone
Do these in order so you are never left disconnected:
- Confirm the line or plan is live and connecting on the new phone (load a web page over mobile data, Wi-Fi off).
- On the old phone, delete the eSIM only after step 1 succeeds: Settings > Mobile Service > [the line] > Delete eSIM on iPhone; SIM manager or SIMs on Android.
- Factory reset the old phone, which also removes any eSIM, before selling or recycling it.
Deleting an eSIM is usually permanent for that profile, which is exactly why it is the last step, never the first. If you ever lose the code before installing, see our guide on a lost eSIM QR code, and if a profile is misbehaving rather than moving, delete and reinstall an eSIM walks through doing it safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move my eSIM to a new phone myself?
For a network line between two iPhones on iOS 16+, yes, using Quick Transfer over Bluetooth. For a travel eSIM, you generally cannot do it yourself; you ask the provider to reissue the profile because the original QR is single-use.
Will I lose my remaining data if I transfer a travel eSIM?
Not if the provider reissues the profile against your existing balance - the remaining data and validity carry over to the new QR. Confirm this with support first, since some plans are non-transferable. Never delete the old eSIM until the new one is confirmed working.
Can I just re-scan my original QR code on the new phone?
Usually no. Most eSIM QR codes are single-use and stop working after the first successful install. Re-scanning typically fails, so you need a fresh profile from your provider rather than the original code.
Does Quick Transfer work between an iPhone and an Android?
No. Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer only works iPhone to iPhone. Moving a network line across platforms means contacting your network to reissue the eSIM for the new device.
What if my new phone doesn't show a transfer option?
That means the feature is not supported for your network or model. Do not delete the old eSIM. Instead, ask your network or travel eSIM provider to reissue the profile, then install the new QR on the new phone.
Can I move my UK eSIM to a new phone while I'm abroad?
No UK network says it can. Most of the processes send a code to your current number or email, or need a UK shop or postal address, so a phone lost or changed abroad can leave your UK number unreachable until you are home. Move it before you travel; a travel eSIM for data can be bought for the new phone any time.
Is it easier to just buy a new travel eSIM for the new phone?
Often, yes. If the old plan is nearly used up or expired, a fresh plan with an instantly emailed QR code avoids any transfer dependency on the old device entirely. A travel eSIM installs in a couple of minutes and works the moment you land.
Switching phones before a trip?
Skip the transfer headache. Get a fresh eSIMpass plan with an instant QR code delivered to your email, ready for your new phone.
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