Articles on: eSIMs

What is the difference between eSIM installation and activation?

You might be thinking once I’ve bought an eSIM, isn’t that it? Well almost, you need to first install the eSIM before you can activate and start using it.

Installing an eSIM

Think of this like the act of installing a piece of software to your phone. This piece of software will include the necessary information that an eSIM requires to establish a mobile network.

Exact installation varies by device. You can refer to our detailed installation guide here.

Activating an eSIM

Once you’ve installed your eSIM, it won’t actually start working until it’s activated. This simply means it’s connected to a local network at your destination and the validity period starts. You normally don’t need to do anything - if your eSIM is installed and active, this happens automatically.

👉 Tip: You can install your eSIM at home before your trip, then activate it once you land so your data plan begins right away.

Updated on: 24/11/2025

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