How to Manually Activate an eSIM on iPhone

Your Goal

Activate an eSIM on your iPhone manually by entering activation details, so you can use mobile services without a physical SIM card.

Environment

To successfully activate your eSIM, you will need:

• an iPhone that supports eSIM (for example, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone 11 or newer)

• iOS version 12.1 or later

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that:

• you have received the SM-DP+ Address and Activation Code from your mobile carrier or eSIM provider;

• your iPhone is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Steps

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2. Go to Cellular (or Mobile Data, Mobile Service, etc., depending on your iOS version):
   
   
   

3. Tap Add Cellular Plan (or Add eSIM, depending on your iOS version):
   
   
   

4. On the next screen, select Use QR Code:
   
   
   

5. When the camera viewfinder appears, tap Enter Details Manually:
   
   
   

6. On the activation details screen, fill in the following fields:
   • SM-DP+ Address (required)
   • Activation Code (required)
   • Confirmation Code (required if provided by your eSIM provider or carrier)
   
   Then tap Next:
   
   
   

7. When prompted, tap Add Cellular Plan or Continue.

8. Wait for the eSIM profile to download to your iPhone. This usually takes just a few seconds.

9. If prompted, choose the active SIM card (for example, if you already have another physical or eSIM card installed).

10. Wait for your eSIM to register on your carrier’s network. This process may take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Done!

Your eSIM has been activated — you can now use mobile network services.