In last year’s update to the iPhone 14 lineup, Apple removed the physical SIM card slots from iPhones sold in the US. This year, with the release of the iPhone 15, dual eSIM functionality is available exclusively in US versions of iPhones.
If you are a new user of the iPhone 15 or the iPhone 15 Pro and are residing in the United States, you may be confused about how to set up an eSIM. Fortunately, we have written a guide that explains what an eSIM is and how to set up an eSIM on your phone.
The iPhone 15 models sold in the United States do not come with a physical SIM slot. Having an eSIM-only device has many benefits, such as being able to activate it at home itself. Additionally, adopting eSIM enhances water resistance. In the future, we might even see eSIM-only variants of iPhones across the globe, eliminating physical SIM card slots altogether.
What is an eSIM on the iPhone 15 Series?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card that you can use with your iPhone. You can activate your number, SIM services, and monthly mobile data plan using an eSIM. At least when you use an iPhone, you can store up to 8 eSIM cards and use two eSIMs at a time.
Preparations and Prerequisites
Setting up an eSIM on your iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro is a simple process. You’ll need to have certain things in place before you begin the setup process.
- WiFi Network
- Your Apple iPhone 15 or 15 Pro
- Network Provider that has eSIM services
How to Set Up eSIM on iPhone 15 and 15 Pro
Setting up and using the eSIM service on your iPhone 15 and 15 Pro is easy. The best part about all of this is that there are multiple ways for you to follow, and you can easily choose the method of using and activating your eSIM on your new Apple iPhone 15 or 15 Pro.
How to Use eSIM Carrier Activation on iPhone 15 and 15 Pro
If you have an Android phone with a physical SIM card, you can use this method to activate an eSIM. The eSIM Carrier Activation process is the fastest way to use an eSIM on your new iPhone 15 or 15 Pro. But before you get started, make sure that you have contacted your network provider and informed them that you will be using an eSIM. This needs to happen as soon as you set up your new Apple iPhone 15 or 15 Pro.
- After your network provider agrees to put an eSIM on your Apple iPhone, you will receive a notification right away.
- Go to Settings, tap on the message that says ‘Provider Mobile Data Ready to be Installed.’
- Tap Continue at the bottom of the screen to proceed.
- To test whether your eSIM has been activated, you can make a call from your iPhone to another device that is also an iPhone.
- If the call is connected, your eSIM works properly. If not, you should contact your network provider and ask them to investigate what went wrong.
How to Convert Physical SIM to eSIM on iPhone 15 or 15 Pro
If your network provider tells you that you will have to convert the physical SIM to an eSIM yourself, you can do so easily. Just follow the steps we have mentioned below.
- To open the Settings app, tap Home and then tap on the icon that looks like three gears.
- Now, tap on Mobile Data.
- You will see a Convert to eSIM option. Tap on that button.
- It is a good idea to explore the options offered by your network provider.
- Tap on the Connect Mobile Data Plan option and then choose Convert to eSIM.
- Once your eSIM has been activated, you can proceed to use it.
- After you activate the eSIM, you remove the physical SIM from your iPhone.
Note that this feature is available only on the iPhone 15 models that have a physical SIM slot. iPhones sold in the United States do not support this feature. However, you can use this method on older iPhones that have eSIM and physical SIM support.
More About ESIM:
How to Transfer eSIM from Old iPhone to iPhone 15 or 15 Pro
Here’s how to easily transfer your eSIM from an older iPhone to your new iPhone 15 or 15 Pro. The process is straightforward:
- To add a data plan to your iPhone, launch the Settings app and then tap Mobile Data.
- To set up a mobile data plan for your new iPhone, you can choose from the plans that are offered. If there is no option to transfer a plan from another phone, you can simply tap on Transfer from another iPhone.
- Note that the older iPhone needs to be running at least iOS 16.
- Tap Transfer to begin the transfer. If you aren’t prompted, enter your verification code on the new iPhone and tap Done.
- Your new iPhone will use a data plan in place of your old eSIM. The older model’s access to cellular data has been discontinued.
- When you tap a Finish Setting Up banner on your new iPhone, the network provider setup will be completed.
How to Setup eSIM for iPhone on AT&T Network
Setting an eSIM on your iPhone 15 is easy if you have the AT&T Cellular Network. Here’s how:
- Open your web browser and visit att.com. Log in with the username and password associated with your AT&T account when prompted to do so
- Click My Device.
- Here, you will have to select the model of your iPhone.
- To get a new eSIM, click on Settings and then Options.
- To set up the new eSIM on your brand-new iPhone 15, you will have to enter a few details.
How to Setup eSIM For iPhone on Verizon Network
Verizon cellular service subscribers who own an iPhone 15 can get their eSIM setup and activated on it. Here’s how:
- Open the My Version app on your iPhone, or go to its website.
- Simply tap on the device you want to set up your Verizon eSIM.
- You will need to create your eSIM profile and enter the details necessary for setting up an eSIM on your phone.
Furthermore, you can ask Verizon to send you a QR Code that contains all the details for setting up your iPhone X’s eSIM immediately.
How to Setup eSIM For iPhone on T-Mobile Network
If you are a T-Mobile customer planning to upgrade to the iPhone 15 and want an eSIM, here are the steps for creating it.
- Go to the T-Mobile app on your iPhone or visit t-mobile.com from a desktop computer.
- You must log in with your T-Mobile account credentials.
- Now, you will select the iPhone 15 device and get it on eSIM.
- Now, you need to set up a profile for your eSIM.
- Make sure that you include all the information required by T-Mobile.
- You’ll see the instructions on your computer screen.
Verizon also offers an option for its subscribers to activate their eSIMs. T-Mobile gives you the same opportunity with a QR Code.
This concludes our guide on how to set up and activate an eSIM on the brand-new iPhone 15. As eSIM technology becomes more common in high-end flagship devices from various brands, it is only a matter of time before we see simpler and easier ways to set up eSIMs on smartphones of all price ranges.
