eSIMs are built into your phone’s hardware, instead of being separate.
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“eSIM,” short for “embedded subscriber identity module,” is a piece of software that connects your phone to your phone number.
eSIMs are a digital version of SIM cards, the small chips that most phones require users to have.
If your phone supports eSIMs, you can add it the first time you turn on your phone, or in the Settings app.
If you’ve ever bought a new phone, you’ve probably had to handle a SIM card. These are small chips that hold your phone number and all the information about what cellular carrier you have. Without a SIM, you can’t make or receive regular phone calls.
But SIM cards are changing. The next time you buy a phone, it might not have a SIM card — instead, it’ll have an eSIM.
eSIMs are the digital version of SIM cards
eSIM is an acronym that stands for “embedded subscriber identity module.” Like their non-digital counterparts, eSIMs are bits of software that let your phone connect to your cellular carrier.
Your eSIM carries your name, phone number, account information, and more. If your phone doesn’t have a SIM card or eSIM, it can’t make or receive phone calls or use mobile data.
Most modern smartphones allow you to use either a physical SIM card or an eSIM. But that will likely change soon, as Apple’s newest line of iPhones — the iPhone 14 series — will only take eSIMs if you buy them in the US. They don’t have any physical SIM card trays installed.
eSIMs are a replacement for physical SIM cards, like the one pictured here.
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Note: iPhone 14 models sold outside of the US might still include a SIM card tray. Notably, iPhone 14 models sold in mainland China can’t use eSIMs at all.
eSIMs are safer and easier to use
But what makes an eSIM better than a real SIM card? For one, eSIMs are more secure. Unlike a physical SIM card, there’s no way for someone to steal your eSIM — it’s baked into your phone, meaning that they’d have to take the entire device.
eSIMs also make it easier to change phone numbers, or switch between cellular carriers: There’s no physical card you have to switch out, and instead, you can just change the settings on your phone.
The rise of eSIMs also means that you can have multiple phone numbers on a single phone at once. For instance, the iPhone lets you store up to eight eSIMs at one time, which you can freely switch between.
This can be especially useful while traveling. When you go abroad, adding an international SIM to your phone usually just means contacting the carrier you want and scanning the QR code they give you.
How to set up an eSIM
Depending on what phone you’re using, the exact steps to install your eSIM will vary. But the basics are the same.
When you buy your phone, the retailer will likely ask you what cellular carrier you have an account with. Once you pick one, the retailer will have you provide your phone number and some account information.
Following that, the first time you turn on the new phone, it’ll already be connected to your cellular carrier. Enter your phone number again and log into your carrier account, and your eSIM will activate. You might also have to scan a QR code.
eSIMs let you transfer phone numbers between devices wirelessly.
Apple
You’ll need an internet connection to set up an eSIM, so make sure you have either a stable Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
If you buy your phone without specifying a cellular carrier, then you can set up the phone without installing an eSIM. Once the phone is turned on, head to your phone’s Settings app. On the iPhone settings page, tap Cellular, and you’ll find the option to add an eSIM or convert to eSIM. In the Android settings app, search for SIM, then tap SIMs followed by SIMs again, and you’ll find the option to add an eSIM. Either device will then give you steps to pick a carrier and connect your phone to it.
For an eSIM to work, you need to connect it to a cellular carrier.
Google; William Antonelli/Insider