Got a New iPhone for Christmas? Moving Your eSIM and Adding a Travel eSIM

If you have a new iPhone this Christmas, you can usually move your UK number across in a few minutes with eSIM Quick Transfer. You will need to do it another way if your network doesn't support it. Travel eSIMs are different. Most cannot be moved between phones, so it is best to install a travel eSIM on the phone you will actually take abroad.

Last checked: 15 October 2026. Menu names vary slightly between iOS versions (Apple uses "Mobile Service", "Mobile" and "Mobile Data" on different pages), so follow the nearest match on your phone.

Is your new iPhone eSIM-only?

It depends on the model and on where it was bought. Apple's SIM type list sets out the rules:

The iPhone Air has no SIM tray anywhere in the world. Apple's UK specifications say it is "not compatible with physical SIM cards" and supports two active eSIMs, storing eight or more. The newer iPhone Duo is also eSIM-only (UK specifications).

The iPhone 17 range and the iPhone 18 Pro models are eSIM-only only when bought in certain countries: the US, US Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Guam, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. If your gift was bought in a UK shop, it has a nano-SIM slot as well as eSIM. If it came from the US, it has no SIM tray, so you will need an eSIM from your UK network.

Moving your UK number with eSIM Quick Transfer

eSIM Quick Transfer moves your mobile plan from your old iPhone to your new one without contacting your network, as long as your network supports it. According to Apple, you need:

• an iPhone XS, XR or later, with both phones on iOS 18.4 or later
• both phones signed in to the same Apple Account
• the old iPhone unlocked, with Bluetooth on and close by
• the new iPhone connected to Wi-Fi

During setup

When you set up the new iPhone, follow the onscreen prompts to transfer your SIM or eSIM. With iOS 26 or later you can move more than one number at once.

After setup

1. On the new iPhone, go to Settings, then Mobile Service, then Set Up Mobile Service or Add eSIM.
2. Choose Transfer From Nearby iPhone, or pick the plan from the list.
3. On the old iPhone, tap Transfer, or enter the code shown on the new iPhone.
4. Wait for the plan to activate. If you see a banner saying Finish Setting Up Your Network Provider's Mobile Plan, tap it.

Once the plan is active on the new iPhone, the SIM on the old one stops working.

Coming from Android?

Apple now supports moving an eSIM from Android to iPhone. This needs iOS 26 or later on an iPhone 11 or newer, Android 16 or later, and support from your network. Apple's list for this feature names EE as the UK network. On other networks, ask for a replacement eSIM.

UK network steps

Apple's UK network list shows which providers support each method. If Quick Transfer isn't offered, your network can issue a replacement eSIM.

Three notes that replacement eSIMs can be blocked for a short period after some account changes, such as just after you join. If you are planning to travel soon after Christmas, sort out your number before you go.

Adding a travel eSIM to your new iPhone

Recent iPhones store several eSIMs and use two at once (Apple dual SIM guide). That means you can keep your UK number on one line and use a travel eSIM for data on the other. Only one line uses mobile data at a time, and you choose which.

1. Check your phone is network-unlocked. Gift phones bought from a network may be locked. Our compatibility checker confirms your model supports eSIM.
2. Buy a plan for your destination from the SimplySIM homepage. For example, a Europe 10GB 30 Days plan was £15.12 on 15 October 2026.
3. Install it on Wi-Fi before you leave, using the QR code or the install link from your email.
4. When you land, set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line, turn on data roaming for it, and turn off data roaming on your UK line.

In iOS 26, iPhones can also show a Turn On Travel eSIM prompt when you arrive, letting you choose between using only the travel eSIM or both lines (Apple). Our dual SIM settings guide has the full settings.

Already have a travel eSIM on your old phone?

This is where people get caught out. A travel eSIM profile can normally be installed only once, so it stays on the device it was first installed on. Travel eSIM providers do not appear in Apple's Quick Transfer lists, and Apple only supports Quick Transfer for networks that have signed up to it.

• If you haven't installed it yet, install it on the new iPhone. A QR code can usually only be used once, so install it on the phone you will travel with.
• If it is installed but unused, contact your provider before deleting it. Deleting an eSIM usually can't be undone.
• If you are partway through a plan, it is often simplest to finish it on the old phone or buy a new plan for the new one.

Before you give away or trade in your old iPhone

When you erase an iPhone, Apple asks whether to Keep eSIM and Erase Data or Delete eSIM and Erase Data (Apple). Only delete your eSIMs once your UK number is working on the new phone and you no longer need any travel plans on the old one. Apple warns that if you erase an eSIM, you need to contact your network to reactivate the plan. It also advises against deleting an eSIM as a troubleshooting step unless your provider tells you to (Apple).

FAQs

Is the iPhone 17 eSIM-only in the UK?

No. iPhone 17 models bought in the UK have a nano-SIM slot and support eSIM. They are eSIM-only when bought in the US, Canada, Japan and some Gulf countries. The iPhone Air is eSIM-only everywhere.

Can I move my travel eSIM to my new iPhone?

Usually not. Most travel eSIMs are locked to the first device they are installed on and do not support Quick Transfer. Contact your provider before deleting it, or install your next plan straight on the new phone.

Does eSIM Quick Transfer work on every UK network?

No. Apple lists Three, EE, O2, Sky Mobile and Vodafone for Quick Transfer in the UK. On other networks you request a replacement eSIM through the network's app, website or shop.

How many eSIMs can an iPhone hold?

Recent iPhones store eight or more eSIMs and can have two active at the same time. Only one of them uses mobile data at any one time.

My new iPhone came from the US. Will it work in the UK?

US iPhone 17 models have no SIM tray, so you need an eSIM from your UK network. Most UK networks support eSIM, but check the phone is not locked to a US carrier first.