URL: https://esimgo.ae/how-to-install-esim/android/
Source: eSIM Go (esimgo.ae)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimgo.ae/author/
Updated: 15 Oct 2026

# How to activate eSIM on Android: Samsung, Pixel and other phones

How to activate eSIM on Android: install the eSIM on home Wi-Fi before you fly, then choose it as your mobile data line and turn on data roaming for the eSIM when you land. On a Samsung the path is Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM; on a Pixel it is Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM (Samsung UAE and Pixel Help, 15 Oct 2026). Your UAE SIM stays in the phone for calls and SMS.

## Before you start: Wi-Fi, an eSIM-capable phone, the QR code

You need home Wi-Fi, a phone with an eSIM and the QR code from your order page. When to install eSIM: before you fly. It connects when you land, and the plan's days count from that first connection (our catalogue, 15 Oct 2026). Some plans for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Suriname and Mayotte start at install instead.

Check the model. Samsung's UAE list (updated 19 Sep 2026) names the Galaxy S20 to S26 families and A-series models such as the A56 and A55, and warns: "Depending on the country of origin, eSIM may not be supported even if your device is listed above." The A36, A35 and A26 are listed for other regions only. See [eSIM-compatible phones](/esim-compatible-phones/) and the [Samsung eSIM page](/esim-samsung/).

A phone cannot scan its own screen, so show the QR code on a laptop. With one phone, tap Copy activation code on the order page and paste it.

## Samsung: add the eSIM in SIM manager

On a Samsung Galaxy, open Settings, Connections, SIM manager, tap Add eSIM, then Scan QR code. Samsung UAE's eSIM page prints this path; a second Samsung UAE page says SIM Card Manager and Add Mobile Plan, so on some models the names differ (15 Oct 2026).

1. Join Wi-Fi.
2. Open **Settings > Connections > SIM manager** and tap **Add eSIM**.
3. Tap **Scan QR code** and scan the code from your order page.
4. Confirm. Until the trip ends, turn the line off if you need to, but don't delete it.

Samsung states: "Only one eSIM can be active at a time on most Samsung Galaxy devices." If your UAE line is also an eSIM, the two may not run at the same time, so check your model before you fly.

## Google Pixel and other Android phones

On a Google Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM, then choose Set up an eSIM (Pixel Help, 15 Oct 2026). Google adds that "some of these steps work only on Android 11 and up". We have not checked a maker page for Xiaomi, vivo or OPPO, so we print no path for them. OnePlus steps are in our [OnePlus eSIM guide](/esim-oneplus/).

| Brand | Add-eSIM path on the maker's page | Source (checked 15 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy | Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM | Samsung UAE |
| Google Pixel | Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM > Set up an eSIM | Pixel Help |
| OnePlus, Xiaomi, vivo, OPPO | not checked | — |

On those phones, look for an Add eSIM option in the SIM settings and use the QR code or the manual codes below. If you can't find it, email support@esimgo.ae before you leave.

## When you land: mobile data line and roaming

Activation on arrival takes two settings: choose the travel eSIM as the mobile data line and turn on data roaming for that line only. Keep the UAE SIM on for calls and SMS with mobile data off: without a roaming pack, e&, du and Virgin Mobile block mobile data abroad (15 Oct 2026). Our eSIMs are for use outside the UAE; they do not provide service in the UAE.

| Setting | Travel eSIM | UAE line |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile data | On, chosen as the data line | Off |
| Data roaming | On | Off |
| Use | Maps, apps | Calls and SMS |

On a Pixel, Pixel Help says to go to "Your primary SIMs", tap Mobile data and choose the SIM for data: pick the travel eSIM. Samsung UAE's pages print no data-line path, so look in SIM manager. Some phones have one roaming switch for both lines: leave it on and keep mobile data off on the UAE line. See [keep your UAE number abroad](/help/keep-your-uae-number/).

Check your order page for an APN. The catalogue marks manual entry on Android for **107 of 348** plans, among them Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey and Nepal; India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Egypt are automatic (15 Oct 2026). When a plan needs one, the order page shows it; where to enter it: [APN settings](/help/apn-settings/).

## If the QR code doesn't scan: enter the code manually

For manual activation on a Samsung, tap Add eSIM, Scan QR code, then Enter activation code, and paste the code you copied from your order page (Samsung UAE, 15 Oct 2026).

The Manual setup box on the order page lists the SM-DP+ address, the activation code and the full activation string, each with a copy button. Paste what your screen asks for and stay on Wi-Fi until the download finishes.

Don't delete the profile to retry. We have no confirmed answer on reinstalling a deleted eSIM, so write to support@esimgo.ae or use the [contact page](/contact/) first. You can get a refund within **30 days** of purchase if the eSIM has not connected to any network. No signal after landing: [eSIM not working abroad](/help/esim-no-signal/). Other phones: [install guide](/how-to-install-esim/).

## FAQ

### How do I activate an eSIM on Android?

Install it on home Wi-Fi. On a Samsung open Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM; on a Pixel open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM. After you land, choose the eSIM as the mobile data line and turn on data roaming for it. The plan's days start at that first connection.

### Where is the SIM manager on a Samsung phone?

In Settings, under Connections: Settings > Connections > SIM manager. Samsung UAE's second page names it SIM Card Manager on some models, with Add Mobile Plan instead of Add eSIM.

### Do I need data roaming on for the travel eSIM?

Yes, on the eSIM line. Choose it as the mobile data line and turn its data roaming on. Keep mobile data and data roaming off on your UAE line, which stays on for calls and SMS.

### How do I transfer an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android phone?

Don't move the travel eSIM yourself. We have no confirmed steps for moving an eSIM between phones, and Apple's transfer is for carrier plans. Email support@esimgo.ae before you delete anything.

## Sources

- Samsung UAE, Galaxy eSIM pages ([set up an eSIM](https://www.samsung.com/ae/support/mobile-devices/how-to-set-up-an-esim-and-nano-sim-card-on-your-galaxy-device/), [supported carriers](https://www.samsung.com/ae/support/mobile-devices/galaxy-esim-and-supported-network-carriers/)): samsung.com/ae/support (15 Oct 2026)
- Google Pixel Help, [dual SIM and eSIM](https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/9449293?hl=en): support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/9449293 (15 Oct 2026)
- e&, roaming: eand.ae (15 Oct 2026); du, roaming: du.ae (15 Oct 2026); Virgin Mobile UAE, roaming: virginmobile.ae (15 Oct 2026)