How to Transfer eSIM to a New Phone (Any Brand)
To transfer an eSIM to a new phone, you use one of three paths — a manufacturer transfer tool if your carrier supports it, a carrier or eSIM provider reissue, or a fresh install for data-only plans — since there's no way to simply copy the profile the way you'd move a physical SIM card. This guide covers how to transfer eSIM profiles to a new device across brands and carrier combinations, plus the order of steps that keeps you from losing signal on both phones at once.
Why You Can't Just "Copy" an eSIM
A physical SIM is a chip you move by hand. An eSIM is a software profile — a small file with your carrier's network credentials — cryptographically bound to one device's modem (identified by its EID, or eSIM identifier) at a time. That binding exists to stop SIM cloning and fraud, so no manufacturer or carrier lets you export a working profile and load it onto a second phone yourself.
"Transferring" an eSIM is really one of three different processes:
- A manufacturer transfer tool re-provisions a new profile on the new device and retires the old one, if your carrier has opted into that feature.
- A carrier reissue deactivates the old eSIM and sends a new QR code or activation link for the new phone.
- A fresh install where you simply activate a new eSIM on the new device — typical for data-only travel eSIMs that aren't tied to a phone number.
How to Transfer eSIM to a New Phone: The Three General Methods
1. Manufacturer Transfer Tools (Same Ecosystem)
Moving between two phones from the same manufacturer — iPhone to iPhone, or Samsung to Samsung — sometimes has a built-in path. Apple's Quick Transfer can move an eligible eSIM to a new iPhone during setup, and some Android manufacturers offer a similar wireless transfer during their own device migration flow. Two things have to be true: your carrier supports the feature, and both the old and new eSIM come from that same supported carrier. If either isn't true, the option won't appear and you'll need a carrier reissue instead.
2. Carrier Reissue (Cross-Brand or When a Transfer Tool Isn't Available)
This is the most universal method and works regardless of brand:
- Contact your carrier (app, website, or support chat) and ask them to move your eSIM to your new device's EID or IMEI.
- They deactivate the eSIM profile on your old phone.
- They issue a new QR code, activation code, or in-app install for the new phone.
- You install it the same way you activated the original.
Some carriers handle this instantly in-app; others need a support call or charge a transfer fee. Policies vary by carrier, so check rather than assume.
3. Fresh Install (Data-Only Travel eSIMs)
Travel data eSIMs — like the ones Simnity issues — aren't linked to a phone number or home carrier account, so there's nothing to "port." They're a prepaid data profile installed once on one device. If you get a new phone before using your travel eSIM, contact the provider first: some can reissue an unused plan's QR code to your new device at no extra cost, but this depends on the provider's own policy. Once a travel eSIM has already been activated and used, moving that same plan to a different phone generally isn't possible — treat it as needing a new eSIM rather than a transfer.
General Step-by-Step Checklist
- Confirm your new phone is eSIM-compatible before doing anything else.
- Note your plan details — carrier, phone number if applicable, and provider app login.
- If both phones share a brand and an eligible carrier, try the manufacturer's transfer tool first.
- If that's unavailable, contact your carrier or eSIM provider and request a transfer or reissue.
- Install the new eSIM using the standard activation process for your device type.
- Confirm the new eSIM is active and has signal before touching the old phone.
- Only delete the old eSIM after the new one is verified working, so you have a fallback.
Platform-Specific Differences
| Scenario | Typical method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone → iPhone, same carrier | Apple Quick Transfer during setup | Only works if the carrier enabled it |
| iPhone → iPhone, different carrier | Carrier reissue | Old carrier deactivates, new carrier issues a fresh QR |
| Android → Android, same brand | Manufacturer wireless transfer (where supported) or carrier reissue | Coverage is carrier-dependent |
| Android → Android, different brand | Carrier reissue | |
| iPhone ↔ Android (either direction) | Carrier reissue | Quick-transfer tools generally don't cross platforms |
| Travel/data-only eSIM (e.g. Simnity) | Provider reissue, only if unused | Contact support before deleting anything |
For the exact tap-by-tap steps on Apple devices, see transferring an eSIM to a new iPhone. For two Android phones, see our Android eSIM transfer guide.
Common Pitfalls
- Deleting the old eSIM first. Remove it before the new one is confirmed active and you can lose service on both devices until support intervenes. If this already happened, see deleting an eSIM.
- Assuming a used travel eSIM can move. Data-only eSIMs are typically single-device once activated — ask the provider before you switch phones, not after.
- Skipping the compatibility check. Installing on a phone without eSIM support leads straight to "no cellular plan can be added" errors.
- Traveling before the transfer is done. Most eSIM activations need Wi-Fi, so finish this before you're relying on the new phone abroad.
Setting Up a New Phone Before a Trip
If you're upgrading phones ahead of travel rather than mid-trip, it's simplest to treat the new phone as a fresh start for any travel eSIM rather than migrating one you haven't used yet. Simnity's travel eSIMs activate by scanning a QR code over Wi-Fi, so installing one on a new phone is no different from installing it the first time — no physical SIM swap, no carrier store visit. Check current plans and destination coverage at simnity.com.
FAQ
Can I transfer an eSIM myself without contacting my carrier or provider? Only if both devices support a manufacturer transfer tool (like Apple Quick Transfer) and your carrier has enabled it. Otherwise, transferring an eSIM requires your carrier or provider to deactivate the old profile and issue a new one.
Does transferring an eSIM keep my phone number? For a carrier eSIM on your regular phone plan, yes — a reissue moves the same number and account to the new device. Data-only travel eSIMs, including Simnity's, don't carry a phone number to begin with.
What happens if I delete an eSIM before finishing the transfer? You lose that profile's service until a replacement QR code or activation is reissued. It's generally recoverable, but avoid it by confirming the new eSIM works before removing the old one.
Can I move a Simnity eSIM to a new phone after I've already used it? Once a data-only travel eSIM has been activated and used on a device, it's generally not transferable to a different phone. If it's unused and you get a new phone, contact Simnity support before deleting anything.
Is transferring an eSIM different between iPhone and Android versus same-brand transfers? Yes. Same-brand transfers sometimes get a manufacturer shortcut; moving between iPhone and Android almost always requires a standard carrier reissue, since quick-transfer tools are ecosystem-specific.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer an eSIM myself without contacting my carrier or provider?
Only if both devices support a manufacturer transfer tool (like Apple Quick Transfer) and your carrier has enabled it. Otherwise, transferring an eSIM requires your carrier or provider to deactivate the old profile and issue a new one.
Does transferring an eSIM keep my phone number?
For a carrier eSIM on your regular phone plan, yes — a reissue moves the same number and account to the new device. Data-only travel eSIMs, including Simnity's, don't carry a phone number to begin with.
What happens if I delete an eSIM before finishing the transfer?
You lose that profile's service until a replacement QR code or activation is reissued. It's generally recoverable, but avoid it by confirming the new eSIM works before removing the old one.
Can I move a Simnity eSIM to a new phone after I've already used it?
Once a data-only travel eSIM has been activated and used on a device, it's generally not transferable to a different phone. If it's unused and you get a new phone, contact Simnity support before deleting anything.
Is transferring an eSIM different between iPhone and Android versus same-brand transfers?
Yes. Same-brand transfers sometimes get a manufacturer shortcut; moving between iPhone and Android almost always requires a standard carrier reissue, since quick-transfer tools are ecosystem-specific.