How to activate Claro roaming on your cell phone?
To activate roaming on your Claro cell phone, go to Settings > Mobile Data > Roaming (or Data Roaming) and toggle the switch before traveling; on iPhone, it's Settings > Mobile Data > Data Roaming. That only opens the door: your Claro plan must also have international roaming contracted.
The cell phone switch is half the job. The other half depends on Claro: if your plan does not include international roaming, the icon will appear on the screen, but you will not have data as soon as you cross the border. Therefore, before boarding the plane, it is advisable to do two things in the correct order: first, confirm with Claro (through the Mi Claro app, website, or customer service) that roaming is enabled on your line, and then activate the switch on your phone. If you only do the latter, it is the most common reason for arriving in another country and being left without internet.
How to activate international roaming on Claro step-by-step (Android and iPhone)
The path changes a bit depending on the operating system, but the logic is the same on all cell phones: enable data roaming in the phone settings and confirm it with your Claro plan. This is the most common route in each system:
| Step | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Settings > Connections (or Mobile Networks) > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming > activate | Settings > Mobile Data > Data Roaming > activate |
| 2 | Go to Mi Claro (app or web) and confirm that your plan includes international roaming for the destination country | Same: check in Mi Claro that roaming is enabled on your line |
| 3 | Upon landing, activate and deactivate airplane mode once to force network search | Same step: airplane mode on/off upon arrival |
| 4 | Check that the name of a local operator and the data icon (LTE/5G) appear in the top bar | Same step: confirm the name of the local operator in the top bar |
If your cell phone has two active lines (physical SIM plus eSIM, or two physical SIMs), roaming is activated per line, not generally for the phone. It's worth checking if you use one line for calls and another for data.
How do I know if I have roaming activated on Claro?
There are two places to confirm it, and it's worth checking both, because one depends on the phone and the other on Claro:
- On the cell phone: Settings > Mobile Data (or Mobile Networks) > the Roaming/Data Roaming switch must be green or blue (activated).
- On your Claro line: go to the Mi Claro app or the web portal with your number, and look for the roaming or international services section. It should tell you if your plan has roaming enabled and, in some cases, if you need to purchase an additional package for the country you are traveling to.
If the phone switch is activated but Mi Claro does not show roaming enabled on your line, that is the mismatch that explains almost all "I activated roaming and have no internet."
Why can't I activate roaming on my Claro plan?
When the roaming switch appears blocked, grayed out, or simply does nothing when activated, it is almost always one of these three reasons:
- Your plan is prepaid with no roaming included. Many prepaid plans require you to activate or purchase a specific international data package before roaming works, even if the phone switch appears activated.
- Your line has a credit or overdue payment restriction. If there is a pending payment, Claro may limit international services even if the rest of the line works normally in your country.
- The destination country does not have a roaming agreement with Claro. Not all countries or all local operators have an agreement with Claro, so it's a good idea to check with Claro before traveling and not assume that "it works the same everywhere."
The roaming switch on your cell phone only opens a door: who decides if there is data on the other side is your Claro plan, not the phone.
You activated roaming and it still doesn't work abroad: what to check
You've activated everything, and you still don't have internet as soon as you arrive. Before thinking your cell phone is failing, check this in order:
| Symptom | Probable cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The switch is activated but there is no data | Your Claro plan does not have international roaming contracted for that country | Confirm in Mi Claro or with customer service if your plan includes it |
| "Emergency calls only" or no signal appears | The country does not have a roaming agreement with Claro, or the local network rejects your SIM | Check Claro's coverage in that destination before traveling |
| You had data and it stopped working halfway through the trip | The data limit in your plan or package for roaming was used up | Check your consumption from Mi Claro; if it ran out, purchase an additional package |
| It worked in one country and not in the next | Roaming remained active, but you changed lines or SIM/eSIM between countries | Verify that roaming is activated on the line you are actually using at that moment |
That last case is more common than it seems: on a cell phone with a dual line (SIM plus eSIM), the roaming setting is saved per line, not generally for the phone. If on a trip you use the physical SIM in one country and switch to an eSIM in the next (or vice versa), the roaming on that second line may be off even if you had already activated it on the first, and the phone does not warn you about this, it simply stops having data.
How much Claro roaming can cost you (and how to avoid surprises on your bill)
Claro does not publish a single roaming rate: the cost per megabyte, per day, or per package changes depending on your plan, the country you are traveling to, and the current promotions at that time. No one can give you a generic figure that always applies, and any number you see without a date or source should be taken with caution.
What you can do is reduce the risk of an unexpected bill: confirm the exact cost with Claro (app, web, or customer service) on the same day you are going to travel, check if your plan has a roaming consumption cap or alert, and if the destination does not have a clear rate, consider limiting yourself to Wi-Fi and messaging until you resolve the data with Claro directly.
Claro Roaming vs a Data eSIM for travel: real differences
If, after all this, your plan's roaming doesn't convince you, appears as a restriction, or you simply prefer to know the cost beforehand, the most direct alternative is a data eSIM for the country you are traveling to instead of relying on roaming from your home operator. An eSIM is a digital SIM card that is installed via a QR code, without a physical chip, and provides local or international mobile data without affecting your Claro line.
| Criterion | Claro Roaming | Data eSIM for travel |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Depends on your plan including it; may require management before or during the trip | Activation in approximately 1 minute, with a QR code |
| Coverage | Depends on Claro's agreements in each country | More than 200 destinations available |
| Cost | Variable according to plan and country, no single published rate | Fixed data plan, known before purchasing |
| Support if something fails | Claro channels in your country of origin | 24/7 support in all languages by email and WhatsApp |
| Requires physical SIM | No, uses your same line | No, if your cell phone is eSIM compatible |
| Validity | Associated with your billing cycle with Claro | 180 days to activate the eSIM from purchase |
No option is "better" in the abstract: if your Claro plan already includes roaming in the country you are going to and the cost is reasonable, you don't need anything else. The eSIM makes sense when roaming is not included, the destination does not have an agreement, or you simply prefer to know how much you are going to pay before traveling instead of checking with Claro on the fly.
Is your cell phone compatible with eSIM if roaming doesn't convince you?
Before considering an eSIM as an alternative to roaming, there is a mandatory step: confirm that your cell phone supports it. Not all models, even some relatively recent ones, have this feature enabled by the manufacturer or by the operator with which it was originally sold. You can check the list of eSIM-compatible cell phones here before taking any steps.
If your cell phone is compatible, the process of replacing (or complementing) roaming with an eSIM is independent of your Claro line: both can coexist on the same phone, each on its own line, and you decide which to use depending on the country and the plan you have activated on each.
Claro Roaming in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Peru: what changes by country
Claro operates as a brand in several countries in the region, but each local operation manages its own plans, packages, and roaming agreements. The cell phone settings path (Mobile Data > Roaming) is the same regardless of which country you bought the line in, but what changes is what Mi Claro offers in each country:
- Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Peru: in general, each local Claro operation has its own roaming section or "travel packages" within the Mi Claro app for that country, with conditions that are not interchangeable between countries.
- If your line is from one country and you travel within the same region where Claro also operates, do not assume that roaming works the same as if you were traveling to a country where Claro does not have a presence: it is always advisable to confirm it before leaving.
- If you use another local operator, such as WOM, the activation process on the phone is practically the same (Mobile Data > Roaming), although the conditions of each plan change.
Therefore, for any country in the region, the step you cannot skip is to confirm with the app or the official Claro website of your country of origin, not a neighboring country, because the conditions are not the same.
Roaming activated: best practices to avoid losing signal or overspending
With roaming already activated and confirmed with Claro, these practices reduce the two most common problems when traveling: running out of data halfway through the itinerary and receiving a higher-than-expected bill.
- Activate roaming one day before traveling, not at the airport just before boarding, to have room to resolve any blocking with Claro.
- Check roaming data consumption from Mi Claro every one or two days of travel, not just at the end.
- If your cell phone has a dual line, confirm which line you are actually connected to data in each country, especially if you alternate between physical SIM and eSIM.
- Disable automatic app updates and cloud backups while roaming, so as not to consume the package with traffic you don't need at that moment.
- Upon returning to your country, it is not mandatory to deactivate roaming, but checking that it is still on prevents surprises the next time you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Claro roaming have an additional cost?
It depends on the plan: some already include it in the monthly fee and others require purchasing a separate package. Claro does not publish a single rate, so the exact cost for your plan and destination will only be confirmed by Claro directly before traveling.
Can I activate Claro roaming while already abroad?
In most cases, yes, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection or some signal to access the Mi Claro app or contact customer service. It is simpler to confirm it before traveling so as not to depend on having a connection at the moment you need it.
Does Claro roaming work the same on prepaid plans as on postpaid plans?
Not always. On several prepaid plans, roaming requires purchasing a specific international data package, while on postpaid, it usually depends on whether roaming is included in the contracted conditions. Confirm this with Claro for your specific plan.
Do I need an app to activate Claro roaming?
The roaming switch is activated from the cell phone's own settings, without the need for any app. The Mi Claro app or website is for confirming if your line has roaming enabled and for purchasing additional packages if your plan requires it.
What happens if my cell phone is locked to Claro?
A cell phone locked to Claro can still use Claro roaming without problems, because it is still the same line and the same operator. The lock affects whether you can use a SIM from another operator, not roaming with your own Claro line.
Does Claro roaming consume the same data plan I use in my country?
It depends on the plan: in some cases, roaming uses a separate data allowance from the one you use in your country, and in others, it shares the same package with a different limit. Check this in Mi Claro before traveling so you don't run out of data on either side.
Can I deactivate roaming as soon as I return to my country?
Yes, you can deactivate it from the same cell phone settings where you activated it. It is not mandatory, but if you prefer to avoid any accidental consumption on a future trip without checking it first, turning it off upon return is a valid option.
Is roaming or an eSIM better for travel?
There is no single answer: if your Claro plan already includes roaming at your destination at a cost you know, you don't need to change anything. If roaming is not included, the country does not have an agreement, or you prefer to know the exact cost before boarding the plane, a data eSIM is the most direct alternative.
Conclusion
Activating Claro roaming is, in most cases, a matter of two steps: turning on the switch in the cell phone settings and confirming with Claro that your plan includes it for the country you are traveling to. When something goes wrong, it is almost always one of those two sides that is not resolved, not the phone itself.
If, after checking everything, your plan's roaming doesn't work for you, the country doesn't have an agreement with Claro, or you simply prefer to know the cost before getting on the plane, installing a data eSIM is a matter of minutes and works in parallel with your Claro line, without replacing it. You can check the complete guide to traveling with eSIM or directly see the available options by destination in international eSIM, with 24/7 support in all languages by email and WhatsApp if something doesn't work as soon as you land.
