How to Set Up Dual eSIM on iPhone
iPhone XS and later can run a travel eSIM alongside your home SIM at the same time. Install the travel eSIM under Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM, then set your home line as default for calls and your travel eSIM as default for data.
Which iPhones Support Dual eSIM?
Every iPhone from the XS and XR onward can run one eSIM alongside one physical SIM simultaneously. iPhone 13 and later go further, supporting two active eSIMs at once on many carriers (Dual eSIM), which matters if you're on a US model with no physical SIM tray at all. Either way, you can store far more eSIM profiles than you can use at once — you just switch between them in Settings.
How Do You Install a Second eSIM on iPhone?
- Confirm compatibility under Settings → General → About — look for an EID number
- Buy your travel eSIM plan from a provider for your destination
- Go to Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM and scan the QR code you're emailed, or use the provider app's one-tap install
- Label each line (e.g. "Personal" and "Travel") so they're easy to tell apart
- Turn on data roaming for the new travel line under its individual settings
How Do You Set Your Default Line for Calls and Data?
Go to Settings → Cellular, and you'll see two separate defaults to set: Default Voice Line (for calls and texts — keep this on your home SIM) and Cellular Data (for internet use — switch this to your travel eSIM). Setting these independently is exactly how you keep your real number reachable while data runs through the cheaper travel plan.
Why Does My iPhone Keep Switching Back to My Home SIM?
Check Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Switching, and turn this off. Left on, iOS can automatically swap to your home SIM for data whenever your travel eSIM's signal is weak, which can trigger real roaming charges without you noticing. Turning this off keeps your phone locked to the travel eSIM for data, even if that means an occasional weaker connection.
Set up in about 5 minutes, ready to run alongside your home line before you fly.
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Setting up an Android phone instead? See the eSIM setup guide for Android.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have two eSIMs active on my iPhone at the same time?
Yes, on iPhone XS and later, you can have one eSIM and one physical SIM active simultaneously, or two eSIMs active at once on models that support Dual eSIM (iPhone 13 and later on many carriers). You can store many more eSIM profiles than that, but only use one or two at a time.
Which line should be my default for data on a dual-SIM iPhone?
Go to Settings, then Cellular, then Cellular Data, and select your travel eSIM. This keeps data usage on the cheap travel plan instead of triggering roaming charges on your home line.
Why does my iPhone keep switching back to my home SIM for data?
Check Settings, then Cellular, then Cellular Data Switching, and turn off automatic switching between lines. Left on, iOS can silently swap back to your home SIM when signal is weak, which can trigger roaming charges.
Can I set different lines for calls and data on iPhone?
Yes. In Settings, then Cellular, you can independently choose a default line for voice calls and a default line for cellular data, which is exactly how most travelers keep their home number for calls while using a travel eSIM for data.
Do I need to remove my travel eSIM after the trip?
No, you can leave it installed. It just won't do anything once its data runs out or expires — you can delete it later to free up space, or keep it and top up next time you visit the same region.