Is your phone ready for an eSIM? A two minute check for iPhone and Galaxy
How to see whether a phone bought in Japan, Korea, Taiwan or Hong Kong supports eSIM and is free of carrier lock, before you buy a plan.
A travel eSIM needs two things from your phone: it has to support eSIM, and it has to accept a SIM from a carrier other than the one that sold it. Both take about two minutes to check, and checking at home is much calmer than finding out at the airport.
Step one: does it support eSIM?
The quickest test on any phone: open the dialer and type *#06#. If the screen shows a line called EID next to the IMEI, the phone has an eSIM chip.
On iPhone: go to Settings, General, About. If you see an EID line, eSIM is supported. Every iPhone from the XS and XR onward has eSIM, with one exception worth knowing: some iPhone models sold in Hong Kong and Macau, and in mainland China, use two physical SIM slots instead of eSIM. If you bought yours there, the EID check settles it.
On Galaxy: go to Settings, Connections, SIM manager. If there is an option to add an eSIM, the phone supports it. Galaxy models sold in Korea gained eSIM later than some versions sold elsewhere, after Korean carriers started offering eSIM in 2022, so go by the menu rather than the model name.
Step two: is it carrier unlocked?
On iPhone: Settings, General, About, then look for Carrier Lock. If it says No SIM restrictions, you are ready. Anything else means the phone only accepts its original carrier's SIM, and that carrier is the one who can unlock it.
On Galaxy: there is no single menu that says it plainly. The reliable ways are to ask the carrier that sold the phone, or to try a SIM from a different carrier and see whether it connects.
If you bought your phone in Japan: carriers there have, as a rule, sold phones without SIM lock since October 2021. A phone bought before then may still be locked, and the carrier can unlock it, usually online.
In Korea, Taiwan or Hong Kong: phones bought outright are usually ready, but if yours came with a carrier contract, ask that carrier whether any restriction applies.
Before you buy a plan
Once both checks pass, you can pick a plan for your destination from the catalog, install it at home on Wi-Fi, and switch it on when you land.
Questions travelers ask
How do I know if my phone supports eSIM?
Type *#06# in the dialer. If an EID appears, your phone supports eSIM. On iPhone you can also look for EID in Settings, General, About.
How do I check if my iPhone is unlocked?
Go to Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock. "No SIM restrictions" means it is unlocked.
Do iPhones from Hong Kong support eSIM?
Some models sold in Hong Kong and Macau have two physical SIM slots instead of eSIM. Check for an EID line to be sure.
Is my Japanese phone SIM locked?
Phones sold by Japanese carriers since October 2021 are, as a rule, not SIM locked. For an older phone, check the Carrier Lock line or ask your carrier.