If you are searching for how to transfer eSIM from Android to iPhone, start with the mobile operator rather than the phones. The operator controls the line and decides whether a cross-platform transfer is available. A nearby-device prompt may appear on some supported combinations, but it is not a universal Android-to-iPhone feature.
Back up the old phone, keep its line active, connect the new phone to reliable Wi‑Fi and check the carrier's supported transfer route. On iPhone, open Settings → Cellular or Mobile Service → Add eSIM. On Android, open the SIM settings and choose Add eSIM or Add SIM. If the phone-to-phone option is missing, use the carrier's app, QR code or activation code. Erase the old profile only after the new phone can make calls, receive texts and use mobile data.
First, identify what you are moving
An eSIM is a downloadable SIM profile, but the profile is still tied to a carrier line. Moving that profile between phones is different from installing a new plan and different again from converting a physical SIM. The distinction matters because the same button—“Add eSIM”—can lead to very different outcomes.
| Your goal | What actually changes |
|---|---|
| Move an existing eSIM | The operator reissues or relocates your current line to another phone. Your number and plan may stay the same when the carrier approves it. |
| Convert a physical SIM | Your existing number is changed from a removable SIM to an eSIM on a supported phone. See the physical SIM to eSIM guide. |
| Buy a travel eSIM | You install a separate new plan, usually for destination data. It does not transfer your home number or home carrier account. |
Checklist before you transfer
Prepare both phones while the old line still works. A transfer can deactivate the old profile as soon as the carrier completes the move, so keep a fallback until you have checked the new connection.
- Back up the old phone. Sync contacts, photos and authentication apps. If contacts are stored on a physical SIM, import or export them before removing it.
- Charge both phones. Keep them close and unlocked during any nearby-device or in-app approval flow.
- Use trusted Wi‑Fi. The new phone needs internet access to download the profile; mobile data from the not-yet-installed eSIM cannot do that job.
- Check compatibility and unlock status. Confirm the exact model supports eSIM, the phone is not carrier-locked, and an organisation has not restricted mobile settings.
- Confirm the operator's rules. Ask whether cross-platform transfer is supported, whether the old line stays active during setup and whether the carrier requires an app, QR code or identity check.
How to transfer an eSIM from Android to iPhone
There is no single Android-to-iPhone transfer menu. Apple's nearby transfer experience is designed for supported Apple-to-Apple moves; an Android phone will often require the carrier's own migration flow. Use the steps below as a decision path, not as a promise that every operator exposes the same controls.
Verify the Android line
Make a test call, send a text and confirm mobile data on the Android phone. Note the line name and back up anything you may need while the number changes devices.
Start on the iPhone over Wi‑Fi
Turn on the iPhone, connect it to trusted Wi‑Fi and open Settings → Cellular or Mobile Service → Add eSIM. If you see only a nearby iPhone transfer choice, that is not the Android route; continue with the operator method.
Use the operator's activation path
Open the carrier app if it supports device changes, or request a new eSIM QR code or activation code. Follow the account verification screens, then scan or enter the details on the iPhone. Keep the Android phone available until the download completes.
Label the line and choose its role
Give the new line a clear label such as Main number. Select it for calls, messages and mobile data as needed. If you also keep a travel eSIM, choose deliberately which line supplies data.
Test before retiring Android
Turn Wi‑Fi off and test outgoing and incoming calls, SMS, mobile data and any time-sensitive sign-in text. Only then remove the old profile or reset the Android phone.
How to transfer an eSIM from iPhone to Android
The reverse direction follows the same carrier-first principle. An iPhone's native transfer prompt should not be assumed to work with Android. The Android phone may show a QR scanner or a carrier activation screen, while the operator authorises the move in its app or account.
Prepare the iPhone
Back up the iPhone and keep it connected to the line. If you are moving away from iPhone, review iMessage and FaceTime settings so your number can receive ordinary SMS on Android after the change.
Open Android SIM settings
On a Pixel, look under Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add SIM. On Samsung, try Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM. Other Android phones may use different labels.
Scan the carrier details
Use the operator's QR code, activation code or app when prompted. Do not reuse a code from an earlier attempt unless the carrier confirms it is still valid; some codes are single-use.
Verify the new Android line
Select the transferred line for calls and data, then test it with Wi‑Fi off. Leave the iPhone untouched until inbound calls, SMS and data work on Android.
What to do when the transfer option is missing
A missing button is useful information: the carrier, phone model, region or software may not support automatic transfer. It does not mean that your number is lost. Do not delete the old eSIM to make the new menu appear.
- Search the exact phone settings for eSIM, Add SIM or SIM manager. Menu names vary by manufacturer and software version.
- Check the phone's EID and carrier-unlock status, then compare the exact model—not just the product family—with the operator's compatibility list.
- Ask the operator for an eSIM replacement, QR code or manual activation code. Tell them which platform you are leaving and which phone you are activating.
- Keep the old phone or SIM active during support. If a code is issued, follow the operator's timing instructions and keep the code private.
Final verification before you travel
Once the new phone is online, make a short checklist of real-world actions. Check the line with Wi‑Fi disabled, not only while connected to a router. Confirm the displayed number, make an outgoing call, receive a call from another phone, send and receive SMS, and load a webpage. If you use banking or two-factor authentication, test one sign-in before leaving the old phone behind.
Review mobile data selection and roaming for every active line. A home line may be best for calls and texts, while a separate travel eSIM handles data; that setup is a new plan, not a transfer of the home eSIM. For installation details, see the Wi‑Fi-first eSIM installation guide, and if the new line shows no service, use the safe eSIM troubleshooting order.
eSIM transfer FAQ
Can I transfer an eSIM from Android to iPhone without contacting the carrier?
Usually, no. The operator has to authorise the line on the new device, and many cross-platform moves use a carrier app, QR code or activation code. If the iPhone offers only a transfer from a nearby iPhone, use the carrier route instead.
How do I transfer eSIM from iPhone to Android?
Back up the iPhone, connect Android to Wi‑Fi, open its Add eSIM or Add SIM menu, and follow the operator's QR, app or activation-code process. Test the Android line before erasing the iPhone.
Will an eSIM transfer change my phone number?
Moving the same operator line normally keeps the number, but the carrier may treat a device change as a replacement or account action. Confirm with an incoming call and SMS after activation.
What if the transfer fails halfway through?
Keep the old phone intact and contact the carrier with the error message and exact device models. Do not repeatedly delete and reinstall the profile; the activation code may be single-use.
Can I use a travel eSIM instead of transferring my home line?
Yes, if your goal is destination data rather than moving your home number. Install the separate travel plan over Wi‑Fi, select it for data and review roaming on your home line.
Keep this rule: the phone menu starts the process, but the operator controls the line. Transfer policies and menu names vary, so treat the new connection as unverified until calls, SMS and data all work.