Open your phone app and dial *#06#. If a line labelled EID appears, your phone supports eSIM. If you only see IMEI numbers, it does not, and you need a physical SIM instead.
Check before you buy. It takes about thirty seconds and avoids the one mistake that cannot be undone, because an eSIM can only be installed once.
The thirty-second check
Open your phone app and dial:
*#06#
If a line labelledEIDappears, your phone supports eSIM. Sometimes it shows as a barcode, sometimes as a 32-digit number. Either one means you are ready.
If you only see IMEI numbers and no EID, your handset is physical-SIM only, and an eSIM will not work on it.
Check it in the settings instead
iPhone
OpenSettings->Cellular. If you can seeAdd eSIMorAdd Cellular Plan, your iPhone is eSIM ready.
Android
OpenSettings->Connections->SIM Manager. Look forAdd eSIMor a+button.
Two traps worth knowing
A carrier lock.A phone bought on contract with another network can be locked to that network. A locked phone will not accept any eSIM or SIM from someone else. Your network can tell you, and many will unlock it for free once the contract is finished.
Regional models.The same model name can ship with or without eSIM hardware depending on the region it was made for. Checking with *#06# settles it in seconds.
Questions we get asked
Can I check without buying anything?
Yes. Dialling *#06# is free and works on any phone. If an EID appears, you are ready.
My phone shows an EID but the setting is missing
Update the software first, then restart. Very old versions hide the eSIM menu even on capable hardware.
Can I use an eSIM and keep my normal SIM?
Yes. The eSIM sits alongside your existing SIM, so you keep your own number for calls and messages.
Confirmed your phone is ready?Installing your eSIMtakes about two minutes.