How to disable international roaming?
To disable it, go to Settings, look for the data or mobile networks section, and turn off the switch called "Itinerancia," "Roaming," or "Data Roaming." On iPhone, it's under Mobile Data; on Android, it's under Mobile Networks or Connections. The change applies instantly, without restarting your phone or removing your SIM card.
The order of steps, from most likely to least likely depending on your phone, is as follows:
- Open Settings and look for Mobile Data or Mobile Networks.
- If you have two active lines (physical SIM and eSIM, or two physical SIMs), first select the line you use for daily browsing.
- Find the switch for Itinerancia, Roaming, or Data Roaming and turn it off.
- If it's not there, check under Connections > Mobile Networks (for brands with their own overlay like Samsung or Xiaomi) or Network & internet > SIMs (for uncustomized Android, like Pixel).
- If the switch is blocked or doesn't even appear, it indicates that your operator controls it from their end: you need to ask them via their app or website to remove data roaming from your line, because the phone alone cannot bypass that block.
The following sections break down each operating system with textual menu screenshots, so you know exactly where to tap without guessing.
Disable international roaming on iPhone, step-by-step
In iOS, the switch lives within the mobile data menu, not the Wi-Fi menu or the general cellular network menu, which is where many people look for it first.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Mobile Data (on models with two lines, it appears as Cellular).
- If you see two lines listed, tap the one you use for internet, usually the one that says "Default for Mobile Data."
- Scroll down to Data Roaming and turn off the switch.
- If your iPhone has both a physical line and an eSIM, repeat the step for the second line: each has its own roaming switch, and iOS does not synchronize them.
A nuance that confuses many people: on iPhone, Mobile Data and Data Roaming are two different switches. Turning off the first cuts off all cellular internet, both inside and outside your country. Turning off only the second leaves you with data at home and no data when your phone connects to a foreign network, which is usually what you want before traveling.
Disable international roaming on Android, step-by-step
On Android, there isn't a single path: each manufacturer gives its own name to the network menus, although the underlying switch does the same thing. This table saves you the search.
| Device | Path in Settings | Switch Name |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung (One UI) | Settings > Connections > Mobile networks | Roaming |
| Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO (MIUI or HyperOS) | Settings > SIM cards & mobile networks > [select line] | Data roaming |
| Google Pixel / Stock Android | Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > [select line] | Roaming |
| Motorola | Settings > Network & internet > SIMs | Data roaming |
| Huawei / Honor (with mobile network enabled) | Settings > Mobile networks > Mobile networks | Data roaming |
If your phone has dual SIM (two physical, or physical plus eSIM), Android will ask you to choose the line before showing you the switch. It's easy to turn off roaming on the wrong line and continue to have the problem without realizing it, so confirm which of the two is the one with the data plan you are using for browsing.
Where to enable and disable roaming if you can't find the option?
If you followed the steps above and the switch doesn't appear, or appears but is grayed out and doesn't respond to touch, it's usually one of these three cases:
- The phone is locked to an operator. Some operators hide or fix the roaming switch from a configuration profile installed on the phone. In that case, the change must be requested directly from the operator; it cannot be forced from Settings.
- It's a company phone with a management profile (MDM). The IT administrator can block roaming from their panel, and no local setting will override it.
- You looked in the wrong menu. Confusing Roaming with Airplane Mode or with Mobile Data alone is the most frequent mistake: they are three distinct switches that are sometimes only a line apart on the screen.
A quick way to confirm you found the correct switch: if turning it off still gives you data in your usual city, it's the right one. If all your internet goes out even at home, you mistakenly turned off Mobile Data, not roaming.
What happens if I disable international roaming?
Turning off roaming doesn't turn off your phone or leave you incommunicado: it only blocks your line from using data, calls, or messages through a cellular network that is not your home country's. Here's what changes in practice:
- Wi-Fi still works normally. Messaging, downloaded maps, and email work the same if you're connected to a Wi-Fi network, because that doesn't go through the cellular antenna.
- You won't receive mobile data outside your country. No browsing, live maps, or internet-dependent notifications, unless you're on Wi-Fi.
- Emergency calls still work. By regulation, cell phones attempt to connect to any available network to dial emergency services, whether roaming is off or not.
- Normal calls and SMS depend on your operator. Some plans include voice roaming even if data roaming is off; to know if this applies to your case, you need to check with your operator, as it varies by plan.
Turning off roaming is turning off a permission, not the signal. The phone can still "see" antennas from another country on the status screen without connecting to data: that's exactly what you want to happen.
What do I need to do to avoid roaming charges?
Turning off the switch is the main step, but by itself it's not always enough to fully protect you. Here's the complete checklist, in order:
- Confirm you turned off roaming, not full mobile data. As we saw earlier: they are different switches, and the mistake of turning off the wrong one is common.
- If you have dual SIM, check both lines. The roaming switch is independent per line on iOS and most Android overlays.
- Check apps with background synchronization (email, photo backup, social media). With roaming off, they shouldn't use cellular data outside your country, but it's good to confirm if you notice unusual battery drain or data usage.
- Don't confuse airplane mode with roaming off. Airplane mode cuts everything, including Wi-Fi, until you manually reactivate it; roaming off leaves Wi-Fi available at all times.
- Do it before takeoff, not upon landing. The phone can latch onto a foreign network as soon as it picks up a signal, for example in the last leg of the flight or already on the runway, so it's advisable to have it ready before leaving.
- If you're traveling with a separate data plan (eSIM or local SIM), leave your home operator's roaming off anyway. This way, the new plan is the only one used for data, and your usual line is left only for calls and messages if you need them.
Why roaming reactivates itself
This is a detail that almost no one explains and that generates more than one surprise charge: on dual-SIM phones, the system doesn't always treat both lines as truly independent profiles. If you update the operating system, restore a backup, change the default line for data, or simply insert a new eSIM, it's common for the roaming switch to revert to its original value on that line, even if you had turned it off before the trip.
The way to protect yourself against this is not to trust that "it's already off," but to re-check the switch for each line just before using your phone in another country, especially if you've recently updated the software, restored a backup, or added a new eSIM in the days leading up to the trip.
Roaming off: how do you get data while traveling?
Turning off roaming solves the problem of charges, but it creates a new problem: how to browse, use maps, or send real-time location without relying on hotel Wi-Fi. Here are the real alternatives, compared plainly:
| Option | Works without Wi-Fi | Required procedure | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home operator roaming (activated) | Yes | None, but depends on what your operator charges | Short trips if your plan already includes it at no extra charge |
| Public Wi-Fi (hotel, cafe, airport) | No | None | Occasional messages, not constant browsing |
| Local physical SIM, bought at destination | Yes | Buy it and change the physical card, sometimes with passport | Long trips to a single country |
| Travel data eSIM | Yes | Activated from the phone itself, no need to go to a store | Traveling to several countries while keeping the same number and phone |
If your phone is eSIM compatible, this option solves the entire problem: you leave your usual line's roaming off (zero risk of surprise charges) and use an eSIM data plan just for internet while you're away. PuraSIM covers more than 200 destinations, activation takes approximately 1 minute once you arrive, and you have 180 days from purchase to activate it when you need it, so you can buy it in advance without rush. If you've never installed one, the step-by-step installation guide covers the entire process before you leave home.
If you're still not clear on how this differs from traditional roaming, we explain it in detail in eSIM vs. roaming, and if you've never used an eSIM, it's best to start with what an eSIM is before buying.
Common mistakes when disabling international roaming
Most roaming charges that people consider "an operator error" actually come from one of these oversights, not a technical failure:
- Turning off mobile data instead of roaming. This leaves the phone without internet anywhere, including your home, and creates the false impression that "roaming is already taken care of" when in reality that switch was not even touched.
- Turning it off on only one of the two lines of a dual-SIM phone. The line that remained active continues to incur roaming charges as if nothing happened.
- Trusting that it remained off from the previous trip. As we saw in the section on why it reactivates itself, a system update or a change of default line can revert it without warning.
- Not checking the phone until after landing. By then, the phone may have already briefly connected to a foreign network during the last leg of the trip.
- Thinking that airplane mode and roaming off are the same. One cuts everything, including Wi-Fi; the other leaves Wi-Fi available and only blocks the foreign cellular network. Other common signal problems while traveling are explained in more detail if yours is not on this list.
Frequently asked questions
Does disabling roaming cut off emergency calls?
No. Cell phones are designed to attempt to connect to any available network when you dial an emergency number, whether roaming is activated or not. That is a regulatory exception, not a function that depends on the roaming switch.
Are roaming and mobile data the same?
No. Mobile data controls whether your phone uses cellular internet in general, within or outside your country. Roaming (or itinerancy) specifically controls whether it can use data, calls, or messages when connected to a network that is not your home operator's. You can have one on and the other off.
Do I need to disable roaming if I'm already putting my phone in airplane mode?
If you're going to leave airplane mode activated for the entire trip, roaming doesn't matter because airplane mode already blocks all cellular signal, including Wi-Fi until you reactivate it separately. The problem appears as soon as you exit airplane mode to use Wi-Fi: at that moment, if roaming is still on, the phone may try to connect to a foreign cellular network again.
How do I avoid roaming without losing internet for the whole trip?
By turning off only the roaming switch (not the mobile data switch) and connecting to Wi-Fi when you need it, or by using a separate data plan, like a travel eSIM, to have internet outside of Wi-Fi without it going through your home line.
Does inserting an eSIM automatically disable roaming on my physical line?
Not automatically. They are independent settings. When adding an eSIM, you have to check the roaming switch for your physical line separately, because installing the new eSIM does not affect that setting.
Can I leave roaming off all the time, even when I'm in my country?
Yes, and in fact, it's the safest option if you don't travel often: as long as you're within your operator's normal coverage, you won't notice any difference, and you avoid a last-minute trip or a border area accidentally connecting you to a foreign network with the switch already on.
What is the difference between data roaming, voice roaming, and SMS roaming?
These are three permissions that some operators separate: data roaming controls internet, voice roaming controls calls, and SMS roaming controls text messages, all outside the home network. On most phones, the Settings switch you see only controls data; voice and SMS usually depend directly on your plan with the operator, not on a phone setting.
In summary
Disabling international roaming is a matter of finding a single switch—"Itinerancia" or "Data Roaming," within "Mobile Data" or "Mobile Networks"—and turning it off before leaving your country, checking both lines if your phone has dual SIM. With that sorted, the risk of a surprise charge from your operator disappears.
What remains pending is how to have real internet during the trip without relying on hotel Wi-Fi. This is where an international data eSIM replaces roaming without its risks: it's activated from your phone in approximately 1 minute, covers more than 200 destinations, and you have 180 days from purchase to activate it when your trip is real. If something doesn't go as expected during activation or use, support is available 24/7 in all languages via email and WhatsApp, not just during office hours. Before buying, it's a good idea to check the complete eSIM guide for traveling or compare it to a physical SIM if you're still unsure which one is best for your next trip.
