How to Check If My Phone Supports eSIM and Is Unlocked

Before you buy a travel eSIM, you need to know two things: does your phone support eSIM, and is it unlocked? If you are wondering how to check if my phone supports eSIM, the fastest test is to look for an EID number in your phone’s settings, then check the lock status. Both take a couple of minutes and work the same way at home or abroad.

In short

• An EID (the eSIM’s identity number) in your settings means the phone has eSIM hardware.
• On iPhone, Settings › General › About shows both the EID and whether the phone is locked.
• On Android, the EID is usually under About phone, but the exact menu varies by brand.
• Unlocked matters as much as eSIM support: a locked phone will not accept another provider’s eSIM.

Why compatibility and unlocking both matter

A travel eSIM is a digital SIM from a different provider to your usual one. For it to work, your phone needs two things:

1. eSIM hardware. Most iPhones from the XS and XR onwards have it, as do many recent Android phones. Older and budget models often do not.
2. No network lock. Some phones are tied to the network that sold them. A locked phone may install the eSIM profile but refuse to connect, or refuse the install altogether.

Checking both at home, on Wi‑Fi, avoids the frustrating situation of landing somewhere new and discovering the eSIM cannot be used. It also means you can install the eSIM before you leave, which is the easiest way to do it.

How to check if my phone supports eSIM: the quick checks

These are the checks that work on most phones. Use the table to find the right menu for your brand, then read the sections below for details.

What an EID looks like

The EID (embedded identity document) is a long number, usually 32 digits, that identifies the eSIM chip in your phone. It is different from the IMEI, which identifies the phone itself. Every phone has an IMEI; only phones with eSIM hardware have an EID. If you can find an EID, your phone supports eSIM.

Check an iPhone: eSIM support and unlock status

iPhone makes this easy because both answers are on the same screen.

Find the EID number on iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General, then About.
3. Scroll down. If you see EID, your iPhone supports eSIM. You can touch and hold the number to copy it.

Apple’s guidance confirms that the EID, IMEI and ICCID are listed on this screen, though you may need to scroll to find them. iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later models support eSIM. iPhones sold for mainland China are an exception, with eSIM limited to a small number of recent models.

Check if iPhone is unlocked

On the same About screen, look for the line called Network Provider Lock (in some regions it is called Carrier Lock). If it says No SIM restrictions, your iPhone is unlocked. Apple’s page on unlocking your iPhone for a different network provider describes this check and notes that only your current network can unlock the phone, not Apple.

If it shows anything else, contact your network and ask for an unlock before you travel. It can take a few days, so do not leave it to the night before your flight.

Check an Android phone: is my Android phone eSIM compatible?

Android is less uniform than iPhone. Support depends on the manufacturer, the exact model and the region the phone was made for, so two phones with the same name can differ.

Google Pixel

Open Settings › About phone › SIM status and look for EID. Google’s guide to finding your Pixel’s ID numbers lists this path, and also notes the EID may be printed on the phone’s box. If an EID is shown, the phone supports eSIM.

Samsung Galaxy

On most Galaxy phones, open Settings › About phone › Status information and look for EID. Menu names differ slightly between models and software versions. If you cannot find it, look up your exact model on Samsung’s support site: the specifications list “Embedded-SIM” under SIM size if the phone supports eSIM. Some regional variants of the same model do not include eSIM, so check the model number, not just the name.

Other Android brands

Look under Settings › About phone for EID or SIM status. If nothing appears, search the manufacturer’s website for your exact model number and check whether eSIM is listed in the specifications.

Checking if an Android phone is unlocked

There is no single setting that shows lock status on every Android phone. The reliable options are:

• Ask your provider whether the phone is locked, and request an unlock if it is.
• Try a SIM from another network. If the phone connects and shows signal, it is unlocked.
• Check how you bought it. Phones bought outright from the manufacturer or a retailer are usually unlocked.

Dial *#06#: a quick EID check on many phones

Dialling *#06# in the phone app is the classic way to show a phone’s IMEI, and it works on almost every phone. On many eSIM-capable phones, the same screen also shows the EID, which makes it a handy shortcut.

Treat it as a quick hint rather than a final answer. Some phones and networks only show the IMEI, so if no EID appears, check the settings menus above before deciding your phone has no eSIM. And *#06# never tells you whether the phone is locked.

What if your phone is locked or not compatible?

If it is locked

Contact the network that sold you the phone and ask for an unlock. In the UK, Ofcom banned mobile providers from selling locked handsets from 17 December 2021, so phones bought from UK networks since then should already be unlocked. Older phones, and phones bought in other countries, may still be locked. Rules and timescales vary by provider and country.

If you bought it second-hand

Run both checks as soon as you get the phone, not just before a trip. A used phone can still be locked to its original network, and only that network can unlock it, which can be slow if you are not the original customer. On iPhone, the About screen tells you straight away. On Android, testing with a SIM from a different network is the quickest way to be sure. It is also worth confirming the exact model number, because a second-hand phone may be a regional variant without eSIM even if the same model sold in the UK has it.

If it has no eSIM

You will need a physical SIM for that trip, or a different phone. A spare unlocked eSIM phone can work well as a travel device, used as a hotspot for your main phone.

Once your phone passes both checks

If your phone has an EID and is unlocked, you are ready to install a travel eSIM. A few tips:

• Install at home on Wi‑Fi. With Roamy, it takes about a minute. On iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later you can install in one tap in the app; on other phones you scan a QR code or enter the details manually.
• Leave it switched off until you arrive. Roamy plans start their validity when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at your destination.
• Set up data roaming correctly. Keep data roaming off on your home line to avoid charges, and turn it on for the travel eSIM line.
• Remember it is data only. Roamy plans have no phone number, so your usual SIM keeps your number for calls and texts.

For a full walkthrough, see how it works, or visit the help centre if something does not look right.

Get connected with Roamy

Once you know your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, choosing a plan is the easy part. Roamy has data-only eSIMs for 172 countries, plus regional and global plans, all priced in US dollars with everything included. Find your destination and install before you travel.