Set up or fix an eSIM
Check your phone works with eSIM, install your plan, and fix signal, data and QR code problems.
How do I install my Andalu eSIM on an iPhone?
You install your Andalu eSIM on an iPhone from the QR code that arrives by email: in the email itself, or one tap away behind its **Get your order** button. Scan it with the Camera app, add it straight from the screen on the same iPhone, or type the details in Settings. Install it before you travel, on Wi-Fi. When you land, turn on the line and Data Roaming.
How do I install my Andalu eSIM on an Android phone?
You install your Andalu eSIM on an Android phone from the QR code that arrives by email: in the email itself, or one tap away behind its **Get your order** button. The menus differ by brand, so this guide covers Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy step by step. Install it before you travel, on Wi-Fi. When you land, switch mobile data to the eSIM and turn on roaming.
When does my eSIM plan actually start?
For most plans, the days start counting the first time your eSIM connects to a mobile network in a country the plan covers. Buying doesn't start them, and for most plans installing doesn't either. A few plans start counting when you install them, so the safest time to install is shortly before you leave, on Wi-Fi.
What is an eSIM and how is it different from a physical SIM?
An eSIM is a SIM built into your phone, so there's no card to insert: you add a plan by scanning a QR code. Andalu sells eSIMs as prepaid travel data. After you pay, your QR code arrives by email, and your order page shows the order's progress. The eSIM runs alongside your regular SIM, so your number keeps working as before.
Is my phone compatible with an eSIM?
Most phones from recent years support eSIM: iPhone XS and XR or later, Google Pixel 4 or later, and Samsung Galaxy S20 or later, among others. Your phone also needs to be unlocked, not tied to your home carrier. You can check eSIM support in a minute: an EID number in your settings means your phone has it.
How do I check my remaining eSIM data?
Your phone counts the data it uses on your eSIM. Take your plan's size, shown on your order confirmation page, and subtract what your phone has counted since you arrived. That's roughly what you have left. Reset the count when you land, and set a warning so your phone tells you before the data runs out.
Can I use my eSIM alongside my regular SIM?
Yes. On a phone that supports eSIM, your Andalu eSIM runs alongside your regular SIM. This is called dual SIM. Your number stays on your regular SIM for calls and texts, and you choose the eSIM as the line for mobile data. Your phone uses one line for mobile data at a time, so that one setting decides which plan you use.
My eSIM shows no signal or won't connect. What do I do?
Most eSIM signal problems are a setting, not a fault. Check four things for your eSIM line: the line is turned on, Data Roaming is on for it, it's the line your phone uses for mobile data, and the phone has picked a network. Below are the exact steps for iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy.
What happens when my data runs out or the plan expires?
When your plan's data is used up, or its days end, mobile data on your eSIM stops. You're never charged again automatically: each plan is a one-time payment, not a subscription. A daily plan works differently: once you've used a day's allowance, it slows down until the next day's allowance starts. For more data, buy a new plan.
Does my eSIM cover calls and texts, or only data?
Andalu eSIMs are data only. Each plan page lists data and days, and that's what you buy: don't count on a phone number, calls or texts from your eSIM. Your regular SIM keeps your number for calls and texts. Apps that work over data, such as messaging and video-call apps, work on your eSIM like on any other connection.
I lost my eSIM email. Can I get my QR code again?
Your eSIM's QR code arrives by email, never on the order page. If the eSIM is already installed, you don't need the code again. If it isn't, search your inbox for your order number, including spam, or ask for the email again from the contact page. Can't get it back? Contact us and we'll look up your order.
My eSIM QR code says it's invalid or already used. What do I do?
An eSIM QR code installs your plan on one phone, once. If your phone says the code is invalid or already used, first check whether the eSIM is already installed: often it is. If it isn't, don't keep scanning it or try it on another phone. Contact us and we'll check what happened to the code.
Do I need Wi-Fi to install or activate my eSIM?
You need an internet connection to install your eSIM, because your phone downloads it, and Wi-Fi is the easiest. You don't need Wi-Fi to use it: at your destination the eSIM connects to a local mobile network by itself once its line and roaming are on. So install at home, before you travel.
Can I top up my eSIM with more data?
Yes. On the [top-up page](/esim/top-up), enter your Andalu order number and the eSIM's ICCID. The page shows the eSIM's status, how much data is left and how many days remain, then the top-ups it can take. Pick one, pay, and the data is added to the eSIM you already installed. There is nothing to reinstall.
How do donations to Gaza work on Andalu?
You can donate eSIM data to people in Gaza on Andalu's donation page. Pick an amount from $5 to $5,000 and give once, weekly or monthly. $1 buys 1 GB of data, and you pay exactly the amount you choose: there's no processing fee. All of it goes to watermelonwarriors.io, a Palestinian-run volunteer initiative.