In short: to activate the eSIM on your Samsung Galaxy, go to Settings → Connections → SIM card manager → Add eSIM, scan the QR code PuraSIM sends you, and wait a few minutes for the profile to download. Note: Galaxy A51, A52, and A52s do not have eSIM; only S20 and later, Z Fold/Flip, and A54 5G do.
If you've just bought a trip and found yourself searching "activate eSIM on Samsung Galaxy" late at night, this guide is exactly what you need: no beating around the bush, with the exact One UI menus (which are not the same as on an iPhone), and with the real list of which Galaxy models support it and which don't. Because that's the first problem, and the one most people overlook: not all Samsung phones have eSIM, even if it seems like they should.
Before you start: check if your Samsung has eSIM
There are two quick ways to check without installing anything:
- Go to Settings → About phone → Status → IMEI information. If you see "IMEI 1" and "IMEI 2", the device supports dual lines, which is a good indicator of eSIM (though not a hundred percent guarantee, as some models with two IMEIs only support two physical SIMs).
- Go directly to Settings → Connections → SIM card manager. If "Add eSIM" or "Download SIM profile" appears, your Samsung is compatible. If that screen doesn't even exist, it's not, and there's no hidden setting that will activate it.
This second check is the one that truly resolves the doubt, so if you're in a hurry, go straight to it.
Samsung Galaxy models with eSIM
| Series / Model | eSIM | Year | Dual SIM (physical + eSIM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S20 / S20+ / S20 Ultra | Yes | 2020 | Yes |
| Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra | Yes | 2020 | Yes |
| Galaxy S21 / S21+ / S21 Ultra | Yes | 2021 | Yes |
| Galaxy Z Fold 3 / Z Flip 3 | Yes | 2021 | Yes |
| Galaxy S22 (all series) | Yes | 2022 | Yes |
| Galaxy Z Fold 4 / Z Flip 4 | Yes | 2022 | Yes |
| Galaxy S23 (all series) | Yes | 2023 | Yes |
| Galaxy Z Fold 5 / Z Flip 5 | Yes | 2023 | Yes |
| Galaxy A54 5G | Yes | 2023 | Yes |
| Galaxy S24 (all series) | Yes | 2024 | Yes |
| Galaxy S10 (specific versions) | Depends on sales region | 2019 | Limited |
| Galaxy A51, A52, A52s | No | 2020-2021 | Not applicable |
What about the Galaxy A51, A52, or A52s? The most frequently asked question
Let's be clear here, because it's the most searched question and the honest answer isn't what everyone would like: neither the Galaxy A51, A52, nor A52s come with eSIM. These are mid-range models designed for physical SIM (one or two, depending on the version), and Samsung did not include the eSIM chip in that hardware. It's not a software or carrier issue: it's a physical limitation of the device, so neither updating One UI nor unlocking anything will make that option appear.
If you have one of these models and are going on a trip, your alternative is a physical data SIM that you buy at your destination or, if you want to avoid searching for a store upon landing, consider if it's worth upgrading to an eSIM-compatible model before your trip. The first true eSIM-enabled Galaxy A is the A54 5G (2023); from then on, the A series incorporates it normally.
How to activate eSIM step by step on a Samsung Galaxy
Before leaving home: install the profile with Wi-Fi
This is what almost no one does and should be the first thing: install the eSIM at home, with your Wi-Fi, a few days before flying. You don't need to activate it yet, just download the profile. This way, you arrive at the airport with the work already done and without depending on the often slow and saturated Wi-Fi of the terminal.
- Go to Settings → Connections.
- Tap SIM card manager.
- Select "Add eSIM" or "Download SIM profile" (the exact text changes slightly depending on the One UI version and carrier).
- Scan the QR code that PuraSIM sent you with the camera in the menu itself (no need to open the camera app separately).
- Accept the terms and allow the profile to download. This usually takes between two and ten minutes; if your Wi-Fi is slow, it may take longer.
- When finished, you will see the new line in the SIM card manager. You don't need to activate it yet if you haven't traveled.
Upon landing: activate the data line
Once at your destination:
- Settings → Connections → SIM card manager.
- Toggle the eSIM line you already downloaded to ON.
- Go to Settings → Connections → Mobile networks and set that eSIM as the preferred data network (your physical Spanish SIM, if you keep it active, should only be for calls and SMS).
- Check that airplane mode is off and that "data roaming" is ON for the eSIM line, even if it seems contradictory: on your own destination eSIM, it's not real roaming, but Samsung still calls the switch that.
If you have never installed an eSIM and want the process explained more generally, with screenshots for various brands, we also have a complete eSIM installation guide that can serve as a cross-reference.
Dual SIM on Samsung: which line to use for what
One of the greatest successes of eSIM on Samsung is that you can have both physical and digital active at the same time. The configuration that works best in practice: a physical Spanish SIM for calls and SMS (so you keep your number, and your bank or messaging app don't notice anything strange), and a destination eSIM as the preferred data line. This way, you avoid data roaming from your Spanish operator, which is what inflates the bill if you don't deactivate it in time.
A nuance that many people miss: if you activate WhatsApp or Telegram with SMS verification while you are abroad, make sure that the physical SIM (with your usual number) is still active to receive that code, because the data eSIM normally does not have an associated voice number.
Frequent errors when activating eSIM on Samsung
| Error | Common cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| eSIM option not appearing in Settings | The model does not have eSIM (see table) or the device is locked by the operator that sold it | Confirm the exact model; if compatible but locked, call your operator to request eSIM unlock |
| Stuck on "downloading profile" | Unstable Wi-Fi or active VPN interfering | Change Wi-Fi network, disable VPN, and try again |
| eSIM installed but no data | The line is not set as preferred for data, or roaming for that line is OFF | Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → select the eSIM as data network; activate data roaming for that line |
| "This device does not support eSIM" | Outdated One UI, or the model simply doesn't have it | Update software from Settings → Software update; if the message persists, check the compatible models table |
| Error scanning QR code ("already used") | QR can only be redeemed once; if you already scanned it on another device or factory reset, it's invalidated | Contact PuraSIM to have the profile regenerated |
Compatibility with Spanish operators
One point often overlooked: if you bought your Samsung with a contract from a Spanish operator (not unlocked), it sometimes comes with the eSIM option limited until that operator enables it on your line. This is different from the hardware not having eSIM: here the chip exists, but the menu is restricted.
| Purchase operator in Spain | Usually blocks third-party eSIMs? | What to do if it gives an error |
|---|---|---|
| Movistar | No, factory unlocked in most cases | No action usually required |
| Orange | No | No action usually required |
| Vodafone | Depends on the model and if the device was financed with a contract | If QR scanning fails, call customer service and ask them to check eSIM blocking |
| Yoigo | No | No action usually required |
| Virtual operators (Simyo, Digi, Pepephone, etc.) | No, they usually sell the device already unlocked | No action usually required |
If you bought your Samsung outside of Spain (e.g., in the United States), keep in mind that some American operators do block third-party eSIMs more aggressively than Spanish ones; if this is your case, check before counting on eSIM as your plan A for the trip.
Myths and what almost no one tells you about eSIM on Samsung
"The more eSIMs I install, the faster my phone fills up with useless profiles." Not true: a Samsung can store several downloaded eSIM profiles (usually more than five) even if only one is active as a data line at a time. You can leave the eSIM from your previous trip installed without it taking up much space or consuming anything while inactive.
"If I accidentally delete the eSIM, I can scan the same QR again." False, and this is the error that causes the most headaches: eSIM QR codes are single-use. If you factory reset, change phones, or accidentally delete the profile, that QR is no longer valid. Take a screenshot of the QR and save it, but remember that the solution if it becomes invalid is to ask for it to be regenerated, not to retry it twenty times.
"Airplane mode deletes the eSIM." No, airplane mode only temporarily disables the radios; the profile remains installed. What can happen is that if you activate airplane mode and then deactivate it, you may have to re-mark the eSIM as the preferred data line if the phone changed the priority on its own.
"All Galaxy phones with 5G have eSIM." 5G and eSIM are not the same thing: they are two different chips. There are Galaxy A phones with 5G that don't have eSIM (the A52s itself has 5G and no eSIM), so don't use 5G as an indicator of compatibility; always use the SIM card manager check.
When you DON'T need to buy a travel eSIM
Let's be direct, because it's not all about selling you an eSIM. If you're going to a European Union country with a Spanish rate that includes EU roaming without surcharges (most current rates include it), you don't need to buy anything: your own SIM already covers data, calls, and SMS at national prices. Buying an additional eSIM for a weekend in Lisbon or Rome, with a normal Spanish rate, is a waste of money.
Where it does make sense is outside the EU: United States, United Kingdom, Asian or Latin American countries, destinations where your Spanish operator's roaming costs skyrocket or simply doesn't work. There, having a local or regional eSIM ready before you leave saves you the shock of the bill and the time spent looking for a SIM store upon landing. If your route passes through several European countries outside and inside the EU on the same trip, a data eSIM for Europe is usually more cost-effective than buying a SIM country by country; and if the destination is the United States, it's worth checking out an eSIM for the United States beforehand, because roaming rates from Spanish operators there are among the most painful.
And if you're staying within national territory, don't even consider it: for travel within Spain, a travel eSIM is unnecessary; your own line will suffice.
Before you go: the quick checklist
Download the profile at home with Wi-Fi; don't leave it for the airport. Check that your model is in the compatible table (and if you have an A51, A52, or A52s, you already know you need another solution). Save a screenshot of the QR just in case. And decide beforehand which line will carry your calls and which one the data, so you don't have to change it mid-trip. If you also want to extend your contracted data, take a look at our tips for saving data with your travel eSIM, especially if you're going to be uploading photos or videos frequently.
A real example of why it's a good idea to have everything ready before you leave: if you land in Seoul at dawn, Incheon Airport's Wi-Fi works well, but you'd prefer to have your data line already active as soon as you get off the plane to call a taxi or open the subway map, without depending on finding an open network. For that type of destination, it's worth checking what coverage your local operator offers beforehand; we have the details in the eSIM guide for South Korea (Seoul and Busan).
Conclusion
eSIM activation on Samsung follows the same logic as on any other Android, but the menu has its own name: look for "SIM card manager" within Settings → Connections, not just Settings. If your model is one that does have eSIM (S20 and later, Note 20, the Z Fold/Flip series, and the A54 5G or later), the process takes five minutes with Wi-Fi. If it's an A51, A52, or A52s, save yourself the time of looking for the option: it's not there, and it won't appear no matter how much you update the system.
Frequently asked questions
How do I activate eSIM on a Samsung Galaxy?
From Settings → Connections → SIM card manager → Add eSIM. You scan the QR code provided by your provider, accept the terms, and wait for the profile to download, usually between two and ten minutes.
Does the Samsung Galaxy A51 have eSIM?
No. The Galaxy A51 is a 2020 model without an integrated eSIM chip; it only supports physical SIM. No software update will change this.
Do the Samsung Galaxy A52 or A52s support eSIM?
Neither. Neither the A52 nor the A52s include eSIM, even though the A52s does have 5G. The first Galaxy A with true eSIM is the A54 5G, released in 2023.
Which Samsung Galaxy phones have eSIM?
From the S20 series onwards (S20, S21, S22, S23, S24), the Note 20, Z Fold and Z Flip from the 3 onwards, and in the A range, the A54 5G and later. Some S10 units have it depending on the region of sale.
Can I use an eSIM for travel and my Spanish SIM at the same time on a Samsung?
Yes, if your model supports Dual SIM (most eSIM-compatible models do). The physical SIM keeps your number for calls and SMS, and the eSIM handles data at your destination.
Can I install the eSIM before I travel?
Yes, and it's recommended: download the profile at home with your Wi-Fi, without activating it, and activate it only when you land. This way, you avoid depending on airport Wi-Fi.
Why does my Samsung say "this device does not support eSIM" if the model does have it?
This is usually due to outdated software (update One UI from Settings → Software update) or because the device was purchased with an operator contract and that operator has not yet enabled the function on your line.
