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Keep LINE, KakaoTalk and WhatsApp on your own number while you travel

Your messaging account stays tied to your home number, and the eSIM only carries the data. How to set up the two lines so nothing changes for the people who message you.

A common worry before a first eSIM trip: will my LINE, KakaoTalk or WhatsApp switch to a new number? It will not. A travel eSIM adds a data line next to your home SIM. Your chat accounts stay exactly where they are, and the people who message you see nothing different.

How the two lines share the work

Think of your phone as having two jobs. Your home SIM keeps your number: it receives calls and text messages, including the sign in codes your bank and apps send. The eSIM carries mobile data: maps, photos, and every message you send in LINE, KakaoTalk, WhatsApp or iMessage.

Chat apps do not care which line the data comes from. Your LINE account was registered with your number once, and after that it only needs a connection.

Setting it up on iPhone

  1. Go to Settings, Cellular (or Mobile Data), then Cellular Data, and choose the eSIM.
  2. Turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching, so the phone never falls back to your home line's data.
  3. Open your home line and make sure Data Roaming is off.
  4. Open the eSIM line and make sure Data Roaming is on.

iMessage and FaceTime keep using your number while your home line stays switched on.

Setting it up on Galaxy

  1. Go to Settings, Connections, SIM manager.
  2. Under mobile data, choose the eSIM.
  3. In mobile networks, keep data roaming on for the eSIM and off for your home SIM.

Two habits that save trouble

Do not log out or reinstall a chat app while abroad. Logging back in often asks for a code sent by text to your number. If your home line is on, the code can still reach you, but it is one more thing that can go wrong on a weak signal. Leave the apps as they are until you are home.

Know what your carrier charges for incoming texts and calls abroad. Receiving texts while roaming is free with many carriers, but not all, and answering a regular call can cost money. If you would rather avoid any charge, you can switch your home line off completely: chats keep working on the eSIM, and only regular texts and calls wait until you return.

Find your plan

When your phone is set, choose the plan for your trip in the catalog and install it at home on Wi-Fi.

Questions travelers ask

Will my LINE or KakaoTalk number change with an eSIM?

No. The account stays on your home number. The eSIM only provides the data the app uses.

Can I still receive verification codes by text?

Yes, as long as your home SIM stays switched on. The codes arrive on your home number.

Should I turn off my home SIM?

You can keep it on for texts with data roaming off, or switch it off to avoid any roaming charges. Chat apps keep working on the eSIM either way.

Is it safe to log in to LINE again while abroad?

It usually works, but it may ask for a code sent to your number. It is calmer to stay logged in and leave the app alone until you are home.