What is eSIM and how can I get it?

  • eSIM (embeded SIM) is a SIM card which you load into your mobile phone through the Internet, so that you would not put anything into your device.
  • To be able to use eSIM, you will receive a card with QR code and PIN and PUK codes from us. Keep it safe and do not share your QR code anywhere. Thanks to the QR code, you can load the eSIM profile into your phone.
  • Save for a few details, the eSIM cards do not differ from common plastic SIM cards in any way and all services will function with them in the way you are used to. However, they might come handy in a situation when your mobile phone supports more SIM cards thanks to the support of the eSIM, and therefore you can have your private and work number turned on at once.

How can I get eSIM?

Log into My Vodafone and choose the section My SIM / eSIM.

For the entry to the self-care, you will need your administrative password.

Choose the option New SIM card, choose eSIM and put in your delivery address.

The eSIM will be delivered to you by mail within 2 working days.

Other options:

  1. Application My Vodafone - in the section More - SIM card choose the option Order of SIM card. The eSIM will be delivered to you by mail within 2 working days.
  2. Vodafone shop - the eSIM will be swapped on asking. You only need to know your administrative password and to have the ID card on yourself.
  3. Vodafone Care line - the eSIM swap can be agreed on with the operator on the line *77 or 800 77 00 77 when calling from another network. The eSIM will be delivered to you by mail within 2 working days.

How do I load eSIM into my mobile phone?

Make sure that your mobile phone is connected to the Internet.

We recommend to use the connection via Wi-Fi. Without the connection to the Internet, the eSIM profile loading will not be succesful.

Find the option for the loading of eSIM in the menu of the phone and scan the QR code that you will find on the card which you had obtained from us.

The procedure for the loading of the eSIM profile differs depending to the phone you are using. The manuals for the chosen models can be found lower on this web site. For the loading itself, you will also need the PIN code, which you will find on the card with QR code.

How do I confirm the swap and activate the eSIM?

If you have already loaded your eSIM into your mobile phone, do not forget to confirm the swap and activate it.

Log in on My Vodafone and choose the section My SIM / eSIM.

For the entry to the self-care, you will need your administrative password.

In the section Activation of new SIM enter the 19-digit serial number of the new SIM, which you will find on the card with eSIM, and click on Save.

The swap is usually executed within an hour from the entry of the request. Subsequently, we recommend to switch off and on the phone in order for it to be connected to the network. Do not forget to také out the original now unfunctional SIM card from your phone, so that everything would function as it should.

Other options:

  1. Via SMS - send the 19-digit serial number of the new eSIM to the number 77777 from your original SIM card.
  2. My Vodafone application - in section More choose SIM card activation. The serial number of new SIM (resp. the bar code) can be scanned with our application and you do not need to copy it. Beware, it is necessary to scan the bar code, not the QR code (look at the picture with explanation).
  3. Vodafone shop - if you have already asked for the swap in our shop, you can make a fast deal about the activation of a new eSIM. You can also come by in the shop anytime later.
  4. Vodafone Care line - call *77 from the original SIM card.

It is good to know:

  • If you have the prepaid anonymous card (with no personal information filled in), you can neither order eSIM in self-care nor in My Vodafone application. However, you can pick it up in Vodafone shops or order at *77.
  • With eSIM you cannot use DoubleSIM.
  • ESIM (card with QR code) keep well hidden. Besides the card containing PIN and PUK, it can come handy for repeated loading of the eSIM profile in the same or different device. The condition for the repeated use of the QR code is that you had deleted the eSIM profile from the phone and the phone was still connected to the Internet. Because of this, the correct deletion of the eSIM profile in our systems will be executed and the QR code will be functional again.
  • ESIM allows you to save contacts, similarly to the usual plastic SIM cards. We recommend you to use another way of saving contacts with the continual data back-up, e.g. in the Google or Apple account.

Which telephones and devices support eSIM?

The list of supported models can be found on this website. In case you did not find your phone in the list and it still supports eSIM, our eSIM should be working in the phone too, we just cannot warrant it.

The use of eSIM in Apple Watch is not possible in this moment.

How can I load an eSIM profile into my device?

The procedure for the loading of eSIM differs a bit in every device. You can find the procedure for the selected models below.Apple iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro

Information for the setting and using of the eSIM on iPhone can be also found on the website of the manufacturer.

  1. Connect your phone to the Internet via Wi-Fi or via mobile data through classic SIM.
  2. Go to Setting - Mobile Data.
  3. Choose Add mobile tariff and scan the QR code, which you will find on eSIM.
  4. Follow the instructions - assign the tag to eSIM and choose if the eSIM is used as the primary one for calling and data.
  5. In the end, unlock the eSIM with the help of PIN code (as soon as the overview of SIM is displayed, click on the digital SIM for unlocking).

Google Pixel 3 and newer

  1. Connect your phone to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
  2. Go to setting - Web and Internet - Mobile Network.
  3. Choose Wider settings - Operator - Add the operator.
  4. Scan the QR code from the card with eSIM and confirm the download of the profile. Wait a second and as soon as your phone asks to enter the PIN, enter the PIN from the eSIM card.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 46mm LTE

Please note that the watch always have their own telephone number and it is not possible to use the same telephone number which you have in your phone.

  1. For the activation of eSIM in watches you need a mobile phone with OS Android 5 and higher, and at least 1,5 GB RAM memory.
  2. During the uploading of eSIM, the telephone must be connected via the mobile data of Vodafone, or to any Wi-Fi network.
  3. Install the application Galaxy Wearable in your phone.
  4. The procedure for the uploading of eSIM can be found in the manual from the manufacturer.

How can I upload an eSIM profile into another device?

  • You can usually have more uploaded profiles for eSIMs in your phone. Only one eSIM can be active in one time in the phone.
  • If you wanted to upload eSIM into another device, it is necessary to first delete the eSIM profile from the first device. Until you delete eSIM profile from the first device, it is not possible to upload it into another device.
  • During the deletion of the eSIM profile, it is crucial for the phone to be connected to the Internet. Only in this way, the correct deletion in our systems will be executed and the eSIM (QR code) can be reused for the upload into another device. Please note that during the uploading of eSIM into another device, the PIN code is always preset on default.

What shall I do when I did not manage to upload the eSIM profile into the phone?

  1. If you have already used eSIM in another phone, make sure that you deleted the eSIM profile from the previous phone and that the phone was connected to the Internet.
  2. Make sure that you are connected to the Internet. You cannot activate the eSIM without it. We recommend to use Wi-Fi connection (some phones require it).
  3. Please check that the latest accessible firmware is installed in your phone. If you have bought your phone abroad make sure that it is not blocked to a certain provider.
  4. Try to turn off and on the phone, wait about 20 minutes and subsequently retry the activation.
  5. If nothing helps, ask us for a new eSIM.

What if I reclaim the phone in which I loaded the eSIM?

  • If you reclaim the phone in our shop, you do not need to be afraid, we will help you with everything on site.
  • Before the hand over of the phone into the service, it is good to delete eSIM profile from the phone. During the deletion of the eSIM profile it is vital for the phone to be connected to the Internet. Only in this way, deletion will be considered valid in our systems and your eSIM (QR code) can be subsequently reused for the upload into the spare phone.
  • If you use the phone which does not support the eSIM during the reclamation, you can ask us for exchange of the eSIM for classic format. When you have at hand a phone which supports eSIM, you will ask us again for the exchange of the eSIM. The former eSIM cannot be used in this case, because with the exchange of this eSIM card the former one will be invalidated, and the same rule works for eSIM.

What if I am going to sell the phone to somebody else and I had used the eSIM before?

  • Before the selling of the phone which supports eSIM, do not forget to delete the eSIM which you had uploaded in it before. Beware - by the implementation of the factory setting, the deletion of the eSIM is not usually performed. It is needed to do it by hand.
  • When deleting the eSIM profile, it is needed for the phone to be connected to the Internet (via Wi-Fi at best). Only in this way the deletion will be properly executed even in our systems and your eSIM (QR code) can be subsequently reused for the upload into the spare phone.
Last updated 29. 11. 2021
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