How to Check eSIM Support and Carrier Unlock Before Buying a Travel eSIM

You can usually confirm eSIM support and carrier-unlock status in under five minutes by checking for an EID, looking for an “Add eSIM” option in SIM settings, and verifying the carrier lock line on iPhone. Do these checks before buying a travel eSIM so you do not end up with an eSIM you cannot install or activate.

What you are checking: eSIM support vs carrier lock

Two separate things can block a travel eSIM:

1. eSIM support: The phone has the eSIM hardware and software feature enabled. The quickest proof is an EID (Embedded Identity Document) shown on the device.

2. Carrier lock (SIM lock): The phone is restricted to one carrier. Even if the phone supports eSIM, a lock can prevent adding or using an eSIM from another provider.

A helpful baseline (not a guarantee) is that eSIM is common on iPhone XR and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, and Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer. Still, you should check your specific device because the same model name can differ by region or carrier variant.

Quick universal check: dial *#06# and look for an EID

On many phones, dialing *#06# opens an information screen showing device identifiers.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Dial *#06#.
3. Look for EID.

If you see an EID, your phone supports eSIM at the hardware level.

If you do not see an EID:

• Your phone may not support eSIM.
• Or it may support eSIM, but the code screen on your device does not display EID.

Because of that second possibility, treat *#06# as a fast first check, then confirm using the iPhone or Android settings checks below.

How to check eSIM support and carrier unlock on iPhone

Apple makes this straightforward because iOS shows both the EID and the carrier lock status in Settings.

Check carrier lock status: “No SIM restrictions”

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to General > About.
3. Scroll until you find Carrier Lock or Network Provider Lock (the wording varies by iOS version and region).

What you want to see:

• Carrier Lock: No SIM restrictions (or equivalent wording).

If it does not say “No SIM restrictions,” the iPhone is carrier-locked. In that case, a travel eSIM from another provider may fail to activate or may not even install.

Check eSIM support: EID and “Available SIM”

In the same screen (Settings > General > About), look for:

• EID (this confirms eSIM support)
• Available SIM (or a similar entry indicating eSIM capability)

If you see an EID, the phone supports eSIM.

If you do not see an EID on iPhone:

• Confirm you are on a compatible model baseline (iPhone XR or newer), then consider that your device could be a regional variant without eSIM.
• A known example is iPhones sold in mainland China, which do not have eSIM. The model name can look the same as elsewhere, but the hardware feature differs.

Check that iPhone offers eSIM setup

You can also look for the setup entry point:

• Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data)
• Look for Add eSIM (or Add Cellular Plan)

If there is no Add eSIM option, that is a strong sign the device does not support eSIM, or eSIM is disabled for that regional variant.

How to check eSIM support and carrier lock on Android

Android varies by manufacturer and Android version, so the exact labels can differ. The goal is the same: find SIM settings and confirm there is an “Add eSIM” option, and separately confirm you are not carrier-restricted.

Find the “Add eSIM” option in SIM settings

Start in Settings and look for the SIM manager area:

• On Google Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs
• On Samsung: Settings > Connections > SIM manager
• On other Android phones: look for Network & internet, Connections, Mobile network, or SIM cards & mobile networks

What you are looking for:

• Add eSIM, Download a SIM instead, Add mobile plan, or a plus (+) option to add a plan

If you see an Add eSIM-type option, the phone supports eSIM.

If you do not see it:

• The phone may not support eSIM.
• Or your regional variant may not include eSIM even if the same model name does elsewhere.
• Or your carrier software build may hide the option until the device is unlocked or updated.

In that situation, also run the *#06# check for EID and look for any eSIM or “SIMs” management screens that mention “downloaded SIM” or “eSIM.”

Check whether the Android phone is carrier-unlocked

Android does not have one universal “Carrier Lock: No SIM restrictions” line like iPhone. Practical checks you can do:

1. Look for a lock status entry Some Android builds show a status item under:

• Settings > About phone > Status (or SIM status)

If you see wording about network lock, SIM lock, or carrier restrictions, that is relevant. Because labels vary widely, do not rely on this alone.

1. Use a different SIM as a real-world test If you can, insert a SIM from a different carrier. If the phone rejects it or shows a “SIM not supported” or “network locked” message, the device is locked. This is the most reliable practical test, but it requires access to another SIM.

2. Ask your carrier to confirm unlock eligibility If the phone was bought through a carrier plan, the carrier can tell you whether it is locked and what you must do to unlock it.

Why the same phone model can have different eSIM support

Even within Apple, Google, and Samsung lineups, eSIM availability can differ by:

• Country or region where the phone was sold
• Carrier-specific variants
• Regulatory or market differences

This is why model-name lists are only a baseline. For example, iPhones sold in mainland China have no eSIM, even when the same iPhone model sold in other regions supports it.

If you are buying a second-hand phone, do not rely on the listing title alone. Ask for a screenshot of:

• iPhone: Settings > General > About showing EID and the Carrier Lock line
• Android: SIM settings page showing an Add eSIM option, plus *#06# showing an EID if available

What a carrier lock is, and how to get your phone unlocked

A carrier lock (SIM lock) restricts the phone to one carrier’s network. It is common on phones purchased on installment plans or subsidized deals.

If your phone is locked, you can still use Wi-Fi abroad, but a travel eSIM from another provider may not work.

How to request an unlock

The exact process depends on the carrier, but the steps are generally:

1. Contact the carrier that the phone is locked to.
2. Ask for a device unlock (SIM unlock) for international travel or permanent unlock.
3. Meet the carrier’s conditions. Common requirements are that the device is fully paid off and not reported lost or stolen.
4. Follow the carrier’s instructions. Some unlocks apply automatically; others require a restart, connecting to the internet, or entering an unlock code (more common on older devices).

On iPhone, the simplest confirmation after the carrier processes it is to go back to Settings > General > About and check that Carrier Lock changes to “No SIM restrictions.”

Dual SIM and eSIM limits: what “supported” really means

Even when a phone supports eSIM, there are two separate limits that affect travel setup:

• How many eSIM profiles can be stored on the phone
• How many SIMs can be active at the same time (physical SIM plus eSIM, or two eSIMs)

These limits vary by model and sometimes by region. In practice:

• Many phones let you store multiple eSIM profiles so you can switch without scanning again.
• Active lines are usually limited. Some phones allow one physical SIM plus one eSIM active; some allow two active eSIMs; some allow two physical SIMs and no eSIM depending on region.

How to check your situation quickly:

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data). You will see your lines listed. If you already have an eSIM installed, you can see whether you can add another eSIM profile and which lines can be turned on.
• Android: Settings > SIMs / SIM manager. Look for an option to add another plan, and see how many SIMs can be toggled on at once.

This matters for travel because you may want to keep your home SIM active for incoming calls and SMS while using the travel eSIM for data. If your phone only allows one active line in your configuration, you may need to choose which line stays on.

Before you buy a travel eSIM: a simple pre-flight checklist

Use this checklist when you are ready to purchase:

1. Confirm eSIM support

• *#06# shows EID, or
• iPhone Settings > General > About shows EID, or
• Android SIM settings shows Add eSIM

1. Confirm the phone is carrier-unlocked

• iPhone: Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock shows No SIM restrictions
• Android: confirm with your carrier, or test with another carrier SIM if possible

1. Plan your line setup

• Decide whether you will keep your home SIM on for calls and SMS
• Confirm you can keep the travel eSIM active for data at the same time

If your phone passes these checks, you can buy a travel eSIM with much less risk of installation failure. If you need a plan, BeeSim offers travel eSIM data plans for single countries, regions, and global coverage, and each plan shows validity and supported networks before you pay. Browse destinations at beesim.space/esim, then install on Wi-Fi before you leave and switch the eSIM line on after arrival with data roaming enabled for that eSIM line. For edge cases and installation issues, beesim.space/faq is the fastest place to check what applies to your device and OS version.