📱 eSIM basics · Updated 2026-09-22
How to use an eSIM — install, activate, and travel
QR in under a minute, dual-SIM setup, and the three settings people forget before they fly.
An eSIM is a digital SIM. Instead of a plastic card, you install a carrier profile with a QR code or activation link. Your phone can hold a home line and a travel data line at the same time.
Done once at home, the hard part is over. At the destination you turn on the travel line and go.
Before you buy
Confirm your phone is unlocked and eSIM-capable (iPhone XS and newer; Pixel 3+; many Samsung Galaxy S20+ and flagships). Carrier-locked phones may refuse a third-party eSIM. Check Settings for an “Add eSIM” option. If you are unsure, WhatsApp Mango support with your exact model.
Install on iPhone
Do this on Wi-Fi at home, before you fly. Wi-Fi is required to download the eSIM. On iPhone: Settings, then Cellular or Mobile Data, then Add eSIM (it may say Set Up Cellular). If you see Other Options, tap that, then Use QR Code. Label the plan “Mango” so you can find it later. The new line can install turned off. Set your home line as default for voice and SMS if you want bank codes there, set Mango as Cellular Data, and turn Data Roaming on for Mango only. Your usual number stays for calls and texts.
Install on Android
On Android: Settings, then Network and internet, then SIMs, then Add eSIM. Assign Mango as the data SIM. Turn Data Roaming on for that profile. Your usual number stays for calls and texts.
At the destination
You usually do not need to reinstall. Turn on the eSIM line, confirm Cellular Data points at Mango, and open a browser once to wake the session. If nothing loads: airplane mode 10 seconds, confirm roaming on, confirm you are not on hotel Wi‑Fi only.
Hotspot & fair use
Personal hotspot works on supported devices. Heavy tethering counts toward your daily high-speed threshold. After the threshold, Mango throttles instead of cutting you off — maps and messaging still work.
Practical tips
- Install before you fly while you still have reliable Wi‑Fi and calm.
- Screenshot the QR and ICCID; store offline in case email will not load.
- Never delete the eSIM mid-trip unless support asks you to — reinstall may consume a new profile.
- If dual-SIM menus feel confusing, set everything at home and only toggle Cellular Data line on arrival.
FAQ
Will installing an eSIM cancel my home number?
No. On dual-SIM phones the eSIM is an additional line. Keep your physical (or primary) SIM active for calls and SMS.
Can I move an eSIM to another phone?
Usually not freely — profiles are device-bound after install. Contact support before switching devices mid-trip.
How long does activation take?
Most installs finish in under a minute after you scan the QR. Network registration at the destination is typically seconds once the line is enabled.
Get connected before you land
Unlimited data, fair-use throttle (never cut off), WhatsApp support.