How to Find Your eSIM on iPhone (and Tell Which Line Is Which)

To find your eSIM on iPhone, open Settings and tap Cellular. In some countries this menu is called Mobile Service or Mobile Data. Every eSIM installed on your iPhone shows up there as a line, with its label and a switch to turn it on or off. An eSIM is a digital SIM, so there's no card to look for. This guide shows you where to see your eSIMs, how to check that one is working, how to tell which line is which, and what to do if you can't find your eSIM at all.

Where to find your eSIM on iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Cellular (or Mobile Service or Mobile Data, depending on your country).
3. Look at the list of your lines. Each eSIM and each physical SIM has its own line, shown with its label, for example "Primary", "Secondary" or "Travel".
4. Tap a line to see its settings: Turn On This Line, the plan label, Wi-Fi Calling, SIM PIN and more.

If a line shows as Off, tap it and turn on Turn On This Line. Apple checks that an eSIM is active the same way: the new line must be turned on in Settings > Cellular (Apple: Set up cellular service on iPhone).

Your iPhone can store several eSIMs. Apple says you can manage up to eight or more (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). On models that support two eSIMs, two lines can be on at the same time. Old travel eSIMs you no longer use can stay in the list. Turn them off so they don't get in the way.

How to check your eSIM on iPhone

Check that your iPhone has an eSIM

Go to Settings > General > About and scroll down. If you see an EID, your iPhone has an eSIM chip. The same screen lists the IMEI and the ICCID (Apple: Find the serial number, EID or IMEI). Touch and hold a number to copy it.

• EID: the ID of your iPhone's eSIM chip. Your carrier may ask for it. More in what is an EID number.
• ICCID: the ID of a SIM or eSIM profile. Each line has its own. More in what is an ICCID.

eSIM works on iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later. iPhones sold in mainland China only support eSIM on a few recent models (Apple).

Check that your eSIM is working

Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. With two lines turned on, the status bar shows two sets of signal bars, one for each carrier (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM). There is no separate eSIM icon. If one line shows No Service, that's the one to check. Want a step-by-step check? See how to check if your eSIM is activated on iPhone.

How to know which SIM is the eSIM on your iPhone

With two or more lines, the list can get confusing. Here's how to tell them apart.

Give each line a clear label

1. Go to Settings > Cellular.
2. Tap the line you want to rename.
3. Tap Cellular Plan Label (Mobile Plan Label in the UK), then pick a label or enter your own, like "Home" or "Japan trip".

The label appears in Phone, Messages and Contacts, so you always know which number you're using (Apple: Use Dual SIM on iPhone).

Physical SIM or eSIM?

• No SIM tray? Some iPhone 14 and later models only use eSIM. Then every line on your iPhone is an eSIM.
• SIM tray with a card in it? One line is the physical SIM, and any other line is an eSIM. If you're not sure which line belongs to the card, turn off one line and see which number still works.
• Match the ICCID. If your carrier or eSIM provider gave you an ICCID, compare it with the ICCID in Settings > General > About.

Find your eSIM phone number

In Settings > Cellular, tap the eSIM line and look for My Number. Data-only travel eSIMs don't come with a phone number, so this field may be empty. More ways in how to find your eSIM phone number.

Can't find your eSIM on iPhone?

If your eSIM isn't in Settings > Cellular, one of these is usually the reason.

The line is turned off

A line that's off still shows in the list, but without signal. Tap it and turn on Turn On This Line.

The eSIM was never installed

Buying an eSIM doesn't put it on your phone. You still need to add it, on Wi-Fi or another internet connection:

• QR code: go to Settings > Cellular, tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM, then Use QR Code (you may need to tap Other Options first). On iOS 17.4 or later, you can also touch and hold the QR code in your email and tap Add eSIM.
• Code won't scan: enter the details by hand. Here's how to enter an eSIM code manually.
• Carrier activation or app: some carriers send a Finish Setting Up Cellular notification, or let you install the eSIM from their app (Apple).

Bought your eSIM from SimOptions? Your QR code comes by email. Search your inbox and spam folder for it.

The eSIM is still on your old iPhone

If your old iPhone still has signal, the eSIM didn't move. On your new iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular, tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM, then Transfer From Nearby iPhone and confirm on the old one. Not every carrier supports this. More in how to move an eSIM from one phone to another.

The eSIM was deleted

If you tapped Delete eSIM or Delete Plan, the eSIM is gone from your iPhone. Apple says you then need to contact your carrier to get a new one (Apple: Erase an eSIM). Don't delete an eSIM to fix a problem unless your carrier tells you to.

The eSIM is there but has no signal

If the line shows up but won't connect, it's an activation or network issue, not a missing eSIM. Follow our guide to fix an eSIM that won't activate, or Apple's steps for an eSIM that won't set up (Apple).

Using your eSIM on a trip

Once you've found your travel eSIM, make sure your iPhone uses it for data:

1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and choose the travel eSIM.
2. Tap the travel eSIM line and turn on Data Roaming for it, if your plan needs it.
3. Leave Allow Cellular Data Switching off if you don't want your home line to use data abroad. With it on, your iPhone can use data from either line (Apple).
4. Turn off Data Roaming on your home line to avoid roaming charges.

With iOS 26 and later, your iPhone can show a Turn On Travel eSIM notification when you arrive. You can then use the travel eSIM alone or next to your home line. In some countries and regions, your iPhone also turns the travel eSIM off and your home line back on when you return (Apple: Use eSIM while traveling internationally). More tips in the correct roaming settings for an eSIM.

Going to Europe and want your travel line to have its own number? This plan comes with a French +33 number, calls and SMS within Europe and 30 GB of data for 30 days. It shows up as a separate line on your iPhone, next to your home number.

Only need data? A data-only eSIM is installed and labeled the same way, and you keep your home number on the other line.

Europe, USA and Asia plans shown · data-only eSIMs, no phone number · Find the eSIM for your destination

FAQs

Where is the eSIM in iPhone settings?

In Settings > Cellular. The menu is called Mobile Service or Mobile Data in some countries. Each eSIM is listed there as a line.

How do I check if I have an eSIM on my iPhone?

Go to Settings > General > About and scroll down. If an EID is listed, your iPhone supports eSIM. To see which eSIMs are installed, open Settings > Cellular.

How do I know which SIM is the eSIM on my iPhone?

If your iPhone has no SIM tray, all lines are eSIMs. If there's a card in the tray, one line is that physical SIM and the others are eSIMs. Give each line a clear label in Settings > Cellular so you can tell them apart.

Is there an eSIM icon on iPhone?

No. When two lines are on, Control Center shows two sets of signal bars, one per carrier. There's no extra icon for the eSIM itself.

Why can't I find my eSIM on my iPhone?

Usually because it was never installed, it's still on your old iPhone, or it was deleted. If the line is listed but turned off, tap it and turn on Turn On This Line.

How do I find my eSIM number on iPhone?

Go to Settings > Cellular, tap the eSIM line and look for My Number. Data-only eSIMs don't have a phone number.

Can you track an iPhone with an eSIM?

Use Find My, as with any iPhone. Apple notes one advantage of eSIM: unlike a physical SIM, it can't be removed if your iPhone is lost or stolen (Apple).