How to transfer your eSIM to a new phone — iPhone and Android

In short: Yes, you can transfer an eSIM to a new mobile, but the process varies depending on the manufacturer and carrier. On iPhone (iOS 16+) it's done directly between devices in minutes. On Samsung and other Androids, you usually need to contact your carrier to get a new QR code. The old phone's profile is automatically deactivated as soon as the new one becomes active.

Can an eSIM be transferred to another phone?

The short answer is yes, but with important nuances that depend on your carrier and the mobile model you have.

Unlike a physical SIM that you simply take out and put into another device, the eSIM is a chip soldered to the phone's motherboard. What is actually transferred is not the chip, but the digital profile containing your line's data: number, plan, and network credentials.

This profile can be moved between compatible devices, but always under the conditions imposed by your carrier. The three main scenarios are:

• Direct transfer between iPhones (iOS 16+): No carrier intervention, in a few minutes.
• New activation QR: The carrier deactivates the previous profile and generates a new QR code for the new device. Applies mainly to Android.
• Manual request to the carrier: Some carriers still require calling or visiting a store. Increasingly infrequent.

What you can never do is use the same active eSIM on two phones at the same time. The carriers' system only allows one active device per profile.

If you have a data eSIM for travel (like PuraSIM eSIMs for Europe), the conditions are different: many travel eSIM providers link the profile to the device's IMEI at the time of installation, making transfer impossible or requiring re-issuance.

How to transfer eSIM between iPhones

Apple introduced the eSIM Quick Transfer feature in iOS 16, and since then, transferring an eSIM between iPhones has become a surprisingly simple process, without the need to call your carrier.

Prerequisites

• Both iPhones must be running iOS 16 or higher
• Your carrier must be compatible with eSIM Quick Transfer (most Spanish carriers already are: Movistar, Vodafone, Orange, Yoigo...)
• The old iPhone must be near the new one during the process
• Both devices must be connected to Wi-Fi or have coverage

Steps to transfer eSIM from iPhone to iPhone

1. Start setting up the new iPhone: Turn it on and follow the setup wizard. When you reach the "Transfer Your Information" screen, select your old iPhone as the source.
2. Bring the two iPhones close together: The new iPhone will display an animation. Place the old iPhone on top until the option to continue appears on the old phone.
3. Set up the eSIM: During the data transfer process, the system automatically detects your eSIM and asks if you want to move it to the new device.
4. Confirm the transfer: Accept on both devices. You will receive a message from your carrier confirming the change.
5. Wait for activation: The process takes between 2 and 15 minutes. You will see the signal indicator on the new iPhone when it's ready.

If you have already completed the initial setup of the new iPhone, you can manually transfer the eSIM from Settings → Mobile Data → Add Data Plan → Transfer from nearby iPhone.

If you are still unsure how the installation process works from scratch, check out our step-by-step guide to installing an eSIM before starting the transfer.

If direct transfer doesn't work

In case your carrier does not support eSIM Quick Transfer, the alternative process is:

1. Call your carrier's customer service
2. Request a new activation QR code for the new device
3. Go to Settings → Mobile Data → Add Data Plan → Use QR Code
4. Scan the received code

How to move your eSIM to a new Samsung Galaxy

The Android ecosystem does not have a direct equivalent to Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer for all models, although Samsung has significantly improved this process in recent years.

If you want to understand first what exactly the profile you are going to move is (and why it is not the same as a physical card), take a look at our guide on what a virtual eSIM is and how it works.

Method 1: Through your carrier's app (recommended)

More and more Spanish carriers offer eSIM transfer from their own application:

1. Install your carrier's app on the new Samsung Galaxy
2. Log in with your account credentials
3. Look for the "Manage SIM" or "Device Change" option
4. Select the eSIM line you wish to transfer
5. Follow the instructions to activate the eSIM on the new device

Method 2: Request new QR from the carrier

1. Contact your carrier by phone, chat, or physical store
2. Provide the EID of your new Samsung (Settings → Phone information → SIM status → eSIM information)
3. The carrier will deactivate the profile of the previous device and generate a new QR
4. On the new Samsung, go to Settings → Connections → SIM Manager → Add mobile data plan
5. Scan the received QR code

Method 3: Samsung Smart Switch

Samsung Smart Switch allows you to migrate data between Galaxy devices, but it does not transfer eSIM profiles. Use it for your apps and data, but manage the eSIM separately using one of the methods above.

Typical waiting times by carrier

What happens to the eSIM when you sell or give away your phone

This is a critical point that many people overlook: before handing over your phone to someone else, you must delete all eSIM profiles. If you don't, the buyer could have temporary access to your line or, worse, you could lose access to your number if the profile gets blocked.

Steps before selling or giving away your iPhone

1. Transfer your eSIM to the new device first (or ask the carrier to deactivate the profile)
2. Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings
3. The system will ask you if you want to keep or delete mobile plans. Select delete
4. Confirm factory reset

Steps before selling or giving away your Samsung

1. Go to Settings → General management → Reset → Factory data reset
2. Before resetting, manually delete the eSIM from Settings → Connections → SIM Manager
3. Select the eSIM profile and choose Delete

If the deletion process raises doubts because you've never tinkered with eSIM profiles, first review how eSIMs are installed and managed: understanding the activation process helps to correctly perform the deactivation.

What if I forget to delete the eSIM before selling the phone?

Immediately contact your carrier so they can remotely deactivate the profile. Most can do it in minutes. Don't wait: as long as the profile is active on the sold device, any call or SMS you receive could be intercepted.

How many times can you transfer the same eSIM

This is one of the most frequently asked questions and the answer depends on several factors:

Carrier limits

Carriers are the ones who set the maximum number of eSIM transfers. In Spain, the usual practice is:

• No official limit: Most carriers do not set a maximum number of transfers, although some may apply waiting periods between changes.
• Lock period: Some carriers prevent a second transfer for 24-48 hours after the first, as an anti-fraud security measure.
• Identity verification: After a certain number of transfers in a short period, the carrier may request additional identity verification.

Device limits

Devices also have technical limitations:

• iPhone: Apple does not publish an official limit, but there have been documented cases where some iPhone models stop accepting new eSIM profiles after a high number of installations and deletions. This mainly affects very old devices.
• Samsung Galaxy: Generally support multiple stored eSIM profiles (up to 5-10 depending on the model), with one active at a time. No documented transfer limit.

Travel eSIM limits

Data eSIMs for travel are usually more restrictive than your usual carrier line (here are the differences between eSIM and traditional roaming):

• Many providers link the profile to the IMEI of the first device where it is installed
• Once activated, they do not allow transfer to another device
• If you need to change phones during a trip, you will need to purchase a new eSIM

The practical recommendation: always install the travel eSIM on the device you will use during the trip, before you leave.

Myths and mistakes almost everyone makes

Before touching anything, it's worth dispelling a few circulating ideas that lead more than one person to lose their line for hours due to sheer haste.

"Restoring from iCloud backup also transfers the eSIM"

This is not the case. An iCloud backup restores your apps, photos, and settings, but does not include the eSIM profile for security reasons: Apple manages it separately, through the setup assistant itself or Settings. If you restore from a backup and then close the assistant without going through the transfer screen, you will be left without mobile data and will have to go to Settings → Mobile Data → Transfer from nearby iPhone manually, with the old iPhone still at hand.

Hotel Wi-Fi can ruin Quick Transfer

Direct transfer between iPhones requires both devices to see each other via Bluetooth and, at some point in the process, via Wi-Fi. In networks with a captive portal (that hotel Wi-Fi that forces you to accept conditions in the browser before browsing) the connection fails or gets stuck halfway. The practical solution: make the transfer at home, with your normal Wi-Fi, before you leave for your trip. Don't leave it until the last minute at the airport.

A factory reset doesn't always erase the profile on the carrier side

Deleting the eSIM from the mobile itself removes the profile from the device, but the carrier maintains its own record of which line is active on which terminal. If you sell the mobile without notifying your carrier, in some specific cases the profile may remain "ghost" in their system even if it is no longer on the phone. That's why it's advisable to notify your carrier of the device change, and not rely solely on a factory reset.

When it makes NO sense to buy a travel eSIM for this

If all you need is to transfer your usual line to a new mobile before going on a trip, don't buy anything: it's a free process with your own carrier, whatever it may be. A data eSIM like those from PuraSIM (compared here with the international physical chip) is designed to give you data when you land in another country without roaming, not to solve a terminal change at home. Mix it up and you'll end up paying for something your carrier already gives you for free.

If you use dual SIM, the physical one doesn't move on its own

If your old phone had an eSIM and a physical SIM at the same time, the transfer (either automatic or by QR) only moves the eSIM profile. You have to take out the physical card yourself and insert it into the new terminal; no one tells you this during the setup assistant, and it's common to end up with one active line and another "forgotten" in the old phone's drawer.

Conclusion

Transferring an eSIM to a new mobile is perfectly possible and, in many cases, simpler than it seems. The smoothest process is between iPhones with iOS 16+, where the transfer is almost automatic. On Android and Samsung, the process requires an additional step with your carrier, but it's not complicated either.

Key points to remember:

• The eSIM does not move physically; the digital profile is transferred
• You cannot use the same eSIM on two devices at once
• Always delete eSIM profiles before selling or giving away your mobile
• Travel eSIMs usually have transfer restrictions
• Contact your carrier if the automatic process fails

Frequently asked questions about transferring eSIM

Written by Marc González Sáez Founder of PuraSim and a specialist in eSIM and connectivity for travelers. He has been helping people travel connected worldwide for years without overpaying for roaming, and personally tests eSIMs in each destination before recommending them.