When should I install my eSIM?

Shortly before you leave, on Wi-Fi at home. That's right for every plan: the ones that start when you arrive, and the few that start when you install them. Use the guide for [iPhone](/help/esim/esim-install-ios) or [Android](/help/esim/esim-install-android).

Which plans start when I install them?

A small number, such as some 100 MB plans for 7 days. If you're not sure which kind yours is, install it shortly before you leave and you won't lose any days either way.

My plan covers the country I'm in now. Will it start straight away?

It can. Your eSIM connects wherever its plan works, so if you install it in a country your plan covers, the days can start there and then. Install it when you're about to use it.

If I turn my phone on at the airport, has my plan started?

Only once the eSIM connects to a network in a country your plan covers. For that it needs to be turned on, with data roaming on for it. See the steps for [iPhone](/help/esim/esim-troubleshooting-no-signal#on-an-iphone), [Pixel](/help/esim/esim-troubleshooting-no-signal#on-a-google-pixel) or [Samsung](/help/esim/esim-troubleshooting-no-signal#on-a-samsung-galaxy).

How long does my plan last once it starts?

The number of days in its name, counted from that first connection. A daily plan gets a fresh allowance every day for those days.

What if my plan doesn't seem to start after I land?

The first connection can take a few minutes, sometimes up to an hour. If it still won't connect, follow [my eSIM shows no signal](/help/esim/esim-troubleshooting-no-signal).

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.

Whichever kind you have, install it and start using it within 90 days of purchase. An eSIM that's never used expires after that, and can't be refunded.

Frequently asked questions

Shop eSIM data

Still stuck?

Contact us with your order number and the exact message you see, word for word, including any error code. We reply by email, usually within a day.

No order number? Include the email address you paid with and your eSIM's ICCID. It's in your eSIM email, and in your phone's settings: Settings > General > About on an iPhone, or Settings > About phone > SIM status on Android. Contact us about an eSIM.

Contact support