Installing eSIM on Android: Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi
Android has no single install screen for eSIM: Samsung, Google Pixel and Xiaomi each label the option differently and bury it in different settings menus, and some budget or region-specific models don't support eSIM physically at all. Below are the typical paths for the three brands Funsim customers ask about most, a general rule that works on almost any Android phone, and why the exact same QR code installs in a minute on one device and throws an error on another.
Check support first — it isn't guaranteed by brand alone
eSIM support on Android depends not just on the model but on the specific regional version and even the carrier the phone was sold under: the same smartphone bought in different countries may or may not have a physical eSIM chip on the board. It's more reliable to open the network settings on the device itself and look for an add-eSIM option than to trust general model lists online.
Second, the phone must not be locked to a single carrier under a contract. On locked devices, the option to add a third-party profile can be hidden or blocked even when the right chip is present.
Samsung: the path through Connections
On most Samsung Galaxy phones the path is: Settings, then Connections, then SIM Manager, and the option Add Mobile Plan or Add eSIM. From there the system offers to scan a QR code with the camera or enter the code manually.
On some One UI builds the label is slightly different — 'Download via carrier QR code' — but the logic is the same: choose an add method first, then scan or enter manually. After installation, Samsung immediately asks what the new line should be used for — calls, texts or mobile data.
If there's no 'Add eSIM' option in SIM Manager, try typing 'eSIM' into the settings search bar — on some Samsung builds that's faster than hunting through menus by hand.
Google Pixel: eSIM is built into the network settings flow
On Pixel the path is shorter: Settings, Network & Internet, then SIM cards, and a plus button next to 'Add'. Pixel usually launches the QR scanner full-screen right away, without an intermediate screen for choosing a method.
Pixel has one distinctive feature: some models support several active eSIM profiles at once alongside a physical SIM, and the phone offers a convenient switch between data lines right in the quick settings shade — handy for comparing which line gets a stronger signal while travelling.
Xiaomi: the menu differs between MIUI and HyperOS
On Xiaomi, the section name depends on the firmware version. On older MIUI builds the path is usually: Settings, SIM Cards & Mobile Networks, then a plus icon or Add Plan. On HyperOS the section is sometimes just called 'SIM Cards' without the extra 'mobile networks' wording, but the add logic is the same.
On some Xiaomi models, especially units sold outside the global market, eSIM support is disabled in firmware by the regional build even when the chip is physically present on the board. If there's no add-eSIM option anywhere in settings at all, that almost always means a regional restriction rather than user error.
- MIUI: Settings → SIM Cards & Mobile Networks → add plan
- HyperOS: Settings → SIM Cards → add eSIM
- No option anywhere → likely a regional firmware restriction
- Check for the latest MIUI/HyperOS update before travelling
What every Android device has in common
Regardless of brand, the process always comes down to the same thing: open the SIM cards or mobile networks section, find the option to add a new plan, scan the QR code from the email or enter the details manually, then set the new line as the one used for mobile data. Menu wording differs, but the order of steps is the same on any brand.
As with any device, the install itself needs a stable Wi-Fi connection — the carrier profile is downloaded from the network, and a connection dropping midway is the most common reason the install stalls.
If the menu label doesn't match anything described above, search 'eSIM' in the phone's settings search bar — almost every Android build indexes that section regardless of where it's physically tucked away.
Common mistakes on Android
Most Android install failures trace back to a regional firmware restriction or the roaming toggle, not to the eSIM profile itself.
- No add-eSIM option at all — check the firmware's regional build and carrier lock status
- QR code won't scan — raise the brightness on the source screen, or request a text activation code instead of an image
- Profile installed but no internet — turn on data roaming specifically for the eSIM line in its own settings
- Phone offers to delete the old profile — wait until the new one is confirmed working on the trip before removing it