How to Transfer an eSIM to a New Phone: iPhone, Android and Samsung

Transferring an eSIM to a new phone takes five to fifteen minutes in most cases, and you usually do not need to call your carrier. iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy phones each have a built-in, carrier-approved way to move an active eSIM line to a new device over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, without a physical card and without a factory reset. Which exact steps you see depends on three things: which phone you are moving from and to, which software version both devices are running, and whether your carrier has enabled the feature on its network. This guide walks through each official path — iPhone to iPhone, Android to Android, Galaxy to Galaxy, and across platforms — plus what to do when the old phone is not available.

Before You Start: What Both Phones Need

Every device-to-device eSIM transfer method shares the same basic requirements, even though the menus differ:

• Both phones physically nearby. These transfers use Bluetooth to discover the other device and Wi-Fi to move the eSIM profile, so keep both phones within a few feet of each other.
• Both connected to Wi-Fi, with Bluetooth on. Apple's instructions for moving an eSIM from Android to iPhone and Samsung's eSIM Instant Transfer both list this as a hard requirement.
• Current software on both devices. Each platform sets its own minimum OS version (covered below), and Samsung specifically says both phones need to be updated to the latest available software.
• A carrier that actually supports the transfer. This is the part people miss. Apple, Google, and Samsung all build the transfer tool into the OS, but your network operator has to support it on their side. If your carrier is not on the supported list, every official guide tells you to contact the carrier directly instead.
• A screen lock set up on the receiving phone. Google's Pixel transfer instructions require a screen lock to already be configured before the SIM transfer will proceed.

If you want a refresher on what an eSIM actually is before you move one, see how eSIM activation normally works from scratch.

iPhone to iPhone: eSIM Quick Transfer

Apple's own name for this is eSIM Quick Transfer, and in the Settings app it shows up as “Transfer From Nearby iPhone.” Per Apple's support page on setting up eSIM, both iPhones need to be an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, or later, and both must be running iOS 18.4 or later for Quick Transfer specifically. With iOS 26 or later, Apple says you can transfer more than one phone number in the same session, which matters if you run dual eSIMs.

Before you begin:

• Sign in to both iPhones with the same Apple Account.
• Unlock the previous iPhone with its passcode so it is ready to confirm the transfer.
• Keep both devices nearby with Bluetooth turned on.

During setup of a new iPhone: if you are activating a brand-new iPhone, the setup assistant prompts you to transfer your physical SIM or eSIM automatically. Follow the on-screen instructions when they appear.

After setup, from the Settings app:

1. Open Settings and tap Cellular.
2. Tap Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM.
3. Choose a plan to transfer from another iPhone. If no numbers appear automatically, tap Transfer From Nearby iPhone.
4. On your previous iPhone, follow the prompts and tap Transfer. If asked, enter the verification code shown on the new iPhone.
5. Wait for the new plan to activate — this step deactivates the SIM on your old iPhone.
6. If a banner appears asking you to finish setting up your carrier's cellular plan, tap it and complete the process on your carrier's own webpage.

If Quick Transfer is not available because your carrier does not support it, Apple's fallback is to request a new activation QR code from the carrier and scan it with the Camera app, or enter the details manually under Settings > Cellular > Add Cellular Plan > Enter Details Manually.

Android to Android: Transferring a SIM on Pixel

Google's equivalent feature is simply called “Transfer a SIM to a new phone,” and it moves either a physical SIM or an eSIM from the old Android device onto the new one's eSIM. Per Google's support page, both the current and new device need Android 12 or later, the current version of Google Play services, and a screen lock already configured on the new phone.

Automatic transfer during setup:

1. Go through the new phone's setup flow with the old device kept nearby.
2. Choose the SIM you want to move when prompted.
3. Tap Transfer, then Activate.
4. Wait for activation to finish and follow any additional on-screen steps.

Manual transfer after setup, from Settings:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Network & internet, then SIMs, then Add SIM, then Transfer SIM from another device.

Google is explicit that your existing device or eSIM keeps working even if the transfer does not go through, so there is no risk of being cut off mid-process. If the new phone does not detect the transfer automatically, Google's instructions are to contact your carrier to activate the eSIM directly, and the exact on-screen flow can vary slightly by carrier. US carrier AT&T, for instance, publishes its own walkthrough for Pixel devices that largely mirrors the stock Android steps — finish setting up Gmail, tap Transfer, then Continue, and follow the prompts on the old phone.

One Android-specific wrinkle: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL sold in the US ship without a physical SIM tray at all, so for those models an eSIM transfer (or a fresh carrier activation) is the only way to get service running, the same situation Apple created when it made US iPhones eSIM-only starting with the iPhone 14.

Galaxy to Galaxy: Samsung's eSIM Instant Transfer

Samsung's version is branded eSIM Instant Transfer, and Samsung's own support page describes it as moving your SIM profile and phone number from an old Galaxy or Android device to a new Galaxy device without involving the carrier directly. It requires both phones updated to their latest available software, both connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the new device unlocked. Note that Wi-Fi-only Galaxy tablets do not support eSIM at all.

From another Galaxy or Android phone:

1. On the new device, go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager, tap Add eSIM, then tap Transfer SIM from another phone.
2. On the old device, tap Transfer and enter the code displayed on the new device.
3. On the new device, select the SIM to move and tap Transfer, then confirm by tapping Transfer again on the old device.
4. When the transfer finishes, tap Done on the old device. The line activates on the new Galaxy phone.

Instant Transfer only works with carriers Samsung has specifically enabled for it, and the supported list is longer for Android-to-Galaxy transfers than for iPhone-to-Galaxy ones. In the US, Samsung's page lists AT&T, FirstNet, T-Mobile, and Verizon as supporting the iPhone-to-Galaxy path, while the general Android-to-Galaxy list also includes Boost Mobile, Cricket, Mint Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Xfinity Mobile. If your carrier is not on the relevant list, Samsung's own instructions are to contact that carrier to move the eSIM manually.

Switching from Android to iPhone

Apple added a dedicated Android-to-iPhone eSIM transfer that does not require installing the Move to iOS app. Per Apple's support page for this specific transfer, it requires an iPhone 11 or later on iOS 26 or later, and an Android phone on Android 16 or later (check with your phone's manufacturer for compatibility), plus both devices on Wi-Fi with Bluetooth on. The Android device's SIM deactivates automatically once the transfer completes.

Option 1 — during new iPhone setup: the setup assistant offers to transfer the eSIM from your Android phone directly, without the Move to iOS app.

Option 2 — after setup, from the Settings app:

1. Place both phones side by side.
2. On the iPhone, open Settings and tap Set Up Cellular, then Transfer from Android. If you already have a line active, go to Cellular > Add eSIM > Transfer from Android instead.
3. Tap Transfer From Android to display a QR code.
4. Scan that QR code using the Android phone's camera.
5. On the Android phone, select the number to transfer and tap Transfer.
6. If prompted, confirm whether the transferred line should become the primary eSIM.
7. Tap Done on the iPhone, then OK, and place a test call to confirm cellular service is working.

If the QR code will not scan (Apple's “Other Options” path): tap Other Options on the iPhone, then on the Android phone go to Settings > Google services > All services > Pair with iPhone or iPad > Transfer eSIM, and enter the session ID and pairing code shown on the iPhone. This is the manual route that answers a common search for transferring with a “session ID” instead of a QR code.

If either of these fails, or your combination of devices does not meet the iOS 26 / Android 16 requirement, Apple's fallback is the same as any other eSIM activation: contact your carrier for a QR code or confirmation number and add the plan manually.

Switching from iPhone to Android (Pixel or Galaxy)

There is no single Apple-built tool for moving an eSIM out of iOS onto Android; the workflow instead runs from the Android side. On a Galaxy phone, go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM, then tap Transfer SIM from iPhone. The new Galaxy device generates a QR code; scan it with the iPhone's camera, then on the iPhone select the phone number and tap Continue to confirm. Samsung's support page notes that the supported-carrier list for this direction is shorter than for Android-to-Galaxy transfers, so check the carrier list for your region first.

Google's Pixel support page does not describe an iPhone-specific eSIM transfer flow; its instructions cover moving a SIM between two Android devices. For an iPhone-to-Pixel move, the documented route is the carrier's own activation process — most US carriers can issue a fresh eSIM QR code for the Pixel once you confirm you are moving off the iPhone. Keep the iPhone's eSIM active until you've confirmed service works on the new Pixel, in case you need to fall back.

eSIM Transfer Methods Compared

If Your Old Phone Is Lost, Broken, or Already Wiped

Every method above is device-to-device: it needs the old phone powered on, unlocked, and nearby to confirm the transfer. If that phone is gone, dead, in for repair, or already reset to factory settings, none of these built-in transfer tools will work, because there is no second device to approve the handoff.

In that situation, every official source funnels back to the same fallback: contact your carrier. Apple's guides tell you to request a new activation QR code or confirmation number directly from your carrier when a device-to-device transfer is not possible; Google's instructions say to contact your carrier to activate the eSIM if it is not detected automatically. In practice this usually means one of:

• Opening your carrier's app and looking for an eSIM management or “activate new device” option.
• Calling or messaging carrier support and asking them to reissue the eSIM for your existing line onto the new phone's IMEI.
• Visiting a carrier retail store, where staff can usually generate and scan a fresh activation QR code on the spot.

Have your account PIN, phone number, and the new phone's IMEI ready, since carriers typically verify identity before reissuing a profile tied to an active line.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

• Transfer option doesn't appear at all. This almost always means your carrier has not enabled the feature on their network for your plan, rather than a problem with the phone itself. Check the carrier's supported list (Apple, Google, and Samsung each publish one) before assuming the phone is broken.
• QR code won't scan. Apple and Samsung both offer a manual fallback — a session ID and pairing code typed in by hand — when the camera can't read the code, usually due to screen glare or a cracked display on the sending phone.
• Transfer finishes but calls fail. Apple's own instructions recommend placing a test call immediately after any transfer completes; if it fails, that is Apple's own signal to contact the carrier rather than retry the transfer.
• Old phone's SIM goes dead before the new one is confirmed working. This is expected behavior — most transfer flows deactivate the source eSIM as soon as the destination activates, by design, so there is no period with the line active on both devices.
• Dual eSIM confusion after the move. If you were running two eSIM lines before the transfer, check Settings afterward to confirm which line is set as primary for calls and data — Apple notes that iOS 26 can transfer more than one number in a single Quick Transfer session, but you may still need to pick a default.

What to Do Now

Figure out which pairing applies to you — iPhone-to-iPhone, Pixel-to-Pixel, Galaxy-to-Galaxy, or a cross-platform move — and check that both phones meet the minimum software version listed in the table above before you start. Keep both devices charged, on Wi-Fi, with Bluetooth on, and within arm's reach of each other. If the in-device transfer option doesn't show up, that's a carrier-support issue, not a phone problem, so your next call should be to your carrier's app or support line, not a factory reset. And if you're buying a new phone specifically because the old one is eSIM-only with no physical tray, it's worth revisiting the basics of how an eSIM profile stores your line so you know what's actually being moved.

Written byNadia Osei

Nadia Osei covers mobile and consumer gadgets for Pandromeda: smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, earbuds and smart-home devices. She tracks launches, software updates and pricing across Apple, Google, Samsung and the rest, and builds comparisons from the manufacturers' published specifications.

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