# How to Transfer an eSIM to a New Phone: iPhone and Samsung > To move a carrier eSIM to a new phone, use eSIM Quick Transfer on iPhone or instant transfer on Samsung Galaxy. Travel eSIMs usually need a fresh install. Source: https://viasimo.com/magazine/how-to-transfer-esim-to-a-new-phone/ Published: 2026-07-15 Tags: esim-transfer, how-to, iphone, samsung --- To transfer a carrier [eSIM](/glossary/esim/) to a new phone, the quickest route is a wireless transfer: on iPhone use eSIM Quick Transfer over Bluetooth, and on a Samsung Galaxy use the built-in instant transfer. Both move your number and plan to the new device in a couple of minutes, provided your carrier supports the feature. A prepaid travel eSIM is different: it usually cannot be transferred at all and instead needs a fresh install on the new phone. That split, carrier eSIM versus travel eSIM, is the single most important thing to understand before you start, because getting it wrong can leave you without service. A carrier eSIM carries your permanent phone number and is designed to be moved. A travel eSIM is a prepaid data plan tied to the device that installed it, and deleting it rarely lets you reinstall it. This guide walks through both device types and both eSIM types so you always know which path applies. If you are moving to a brand new handset, it is worth confirming it supports eSIM at all first; our list of [phones that support eSIM in 2026](/magazine/phones-that-support-esim-2026/) covers the current models. ## Carrier eSIM or travel eSIM: which are you moving? Before touching any settings, identify which kind of eSIM you have, because the transfer method is completely different. | Type | What it is | Can it transfer? | If not, what to do | |---|---|---|---| | Carrier eSIM | Your permanent home number and plan | Usually yes, wirelessly | Contact your carrier if transfer fails | | Travel eSIM | A prepaid data plan for a trip | Usually no, device-bound | Reinstall on the new phone or ask the provider to reissue | A carrier eSIM is what your home mobile operator issues to replace a plastic SIM. It holds your number, and operators build support for moving it to a new phone. A travel eSIM, like a prepaid data plan you buy for a trip abroad, is typically single install and bound to the first device. For the technical background on what actually moves during a transfer, our [eSIM transfer glossary entry](/glossary/esim-transfer/) explains the mechanism. The rule that saves people: never delete a carrier eSIM to "free it up" for the new phone. Transfer it. And never assume a travel eSIM will reinstall after deletion; check with the provider first. ## How do I transfer an eSIM between two iPhones? Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer moves a carrier eSIM between iPhones over Bluetooth, either during new phone setup or later from Settings. It works for carrier lines whose operator supports the feature. Before you start, make sure both iPhones are nearby and unlocked, signed into the same Apple ID, with Bluetooth turned on and Wi-Fi enabled on both. Then: 1. On the new iPhone, open Settings and tap Cellular, called Mobile Service outside the US. 2. Tap Add eSIM. 3. Choose Transfer From Nearby iPhone if it appears. 4. On the old iPhone, approve the request to transfer your eSIM. 5. If asked, enter the verification code shown on the new iPhone onto the old iPhone. 6. Wait for the transfer to complete; the line activates on the new phone and deactivates on the old one. If Transfer From Nearby iPhone does not appear or the transfer fails, your carrier may not support Quick Transfer for that line. In that case, contact the carrier, who can reissue the eSIM to the new device, often by QR code. Our [complete iPhone eSIM guide](/magazine/esim-for-iphone-complete-guide/) covers Quick Transfer in the wider context of iPhone eSIM setup. ## How do I transfer an eSIM to a Samsung Galaxy, including the S26? Samsung added wireless eSIM transfer to recent Galaxy phones, and the Galaxy S26 makes it especially smooth. During the S26's initial setup you may be prompted to transfer your mobile plan from your old Galaxy device automatically. To do it later, or if you skipped the prompt: 1. Open Settings and tap Connections. 2. Tap SIM manager. 3. Tap Add eSIM. 4. Choose the transfer or Simple Setup option, then follow the prompts. The S26 establishes an encrypted connection to the old device over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, generates a 6-digit verification code to confirm the transfer, and manages deactivating the old profile and activating the new one for you. As with iPhone, the automated flow only works between recent Samsung Galaxy devices and only when your carrier supports it. If it does not, add the eSIM manually with the carrier's QR code instead. Our [Android eSIM guide](/magazine/esim-for-android-complete-guide/) walks through the SIM manager screens on Galaxy and other Android phones. Note that the Galaxy S26 supports eSIM and eSIM transfer but is not an eSIM only phone; it keeps a physical nano SIM slot alongside eSIM, so you can also run a plastic SIM and an eSIM together. ## How do I move a travel eSIM to a new phone? Here is where most people get caught out. A prepaid travel eSIM is usually bound to the device that first installed it. It will not appear in eSIM Quick Transfer or Samsung's instant transfer, and deleting it from the old phone typically does not create a reinstallable copy. Attempting a wireless transfer of a travel plan usually just fails. The safe approach depends on your situation: - If your trip has not started and you have not installed the travel eSIM yet, simply install it on the new phone from the original QR code or activation email. Nothing is lost. - If the plan is already installed and live on the old phone, do not delete it. Contact the provider's [support](/support/) before doing anything, and ask whether they can reissue or reactivate the plan on the new device. - If you are between trips, keep the old profile switched off rather than deleting it until you are certain you will not need it again. The practical rule is to avoid switching phones mid trip if you can. If a phone upgrade lands during a trip, finish the trip on the old device where the travel eSIM already works, then set up a fresh plan on the new phone. When you do need a new plan, prices are listed live on each destination page, for example [Europe](/destinations/europe/) or [USA](/destinations/usa/). ## Before and after any eSIM transfer: a checklist A little preparation avoids the two failure modes, a stranded carrier line and a lost travel plan. Before you transfer: - Identify each eSIM as carrier or travel. - Charge both phones and connect them to Wi-Fi. - Turn on Bluetooth on both; on iPhone, sign both into the same Apple ID. - Do not delete any eSIM until its transfer or reinstall is confirmed. After you transfer: - Check the new phone shows the moved line and has signal. - Confirm the old phone's line is deactivated for carrier eSIMs. - Send a test message or make a short call to verify your number works. - For travel plans, confirm data connects at your destination before relying on it. If a transfer does not behave as expected, the fastest fix is your carrier for a home line or your plan provider for a travel eSIM; both can reissue a profile. And if you are simply checking whether a new handset can take an eSIM at all, the [device compatibility checker](/device-compatibility/) confirms it in two minutes. ## Getting a fresh travel plan on your new phone If your travel eSIM cannot move, the replacement is quick. Confirm the new phone supports eSIM, pick a prepaid plan for your route, install it over home Wi-Fi from the emailed QR code, and switch your data line to it on arrival. Browse plans on the [destinations page](/destinations/), where prepaid pricing is listed live per country and region, delivery is instant by email, and support is available around the clock if a transfer leaves you stuck.