eSIM stuck on "Activating" or "No Service" before your trip

An eSIM stuck on "Activating" before your trip is usually normal. Your travel eSIM connects only to partner networks at your destination, so at home it can show "Activating…", "Failed to activate" or "No Service". Turn the line off until you arrive.

eSIM stuck on "Activating": why it happens

After installation the phone tries to register the new line on a mobile network. Outside the plan's coverage area there is no partner network to register with, so the line waits. This does not mean the installation failed.

What to do before you travel

1. Check that the eSIM appears in your phone's SIM list. If it does, do not scan the code again and do not delete it.
2. Turn the travel eSIM line off so it does not keep searching.
3. Keep your home SIM as your mobile data line for now.
4. Check the "Validity starts" line for your eSIM in the order email.

iPhone

Go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data), tap the travel eSIM and turn off Turn On This Line.

Android

• Samsung: Settings > Connections > SIM manager, then tap the switch next to the eSIM.
• Google Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, tap the eSIM and turn off Use SIM.

Menu names vary by brand.

What to do when you arrive

1. Turn the travel eSIM line back on (same menus as above).
2. Choose it as your mobile data line.
3. Turn on Data Roaming for the travel eSIM: see should I enable Data Roaming.
4. Turn Airplane Mode on for about 30 seconds, then off.
5. Give the phone a few minutes to find a network. If nothing changes, restart it.

If you still see "No Service" or "Failed to activate" at your destination, follow the eSIM No Service checklist and try to select a network manually.

Quick answers

Does installing the eSIM at home start my plan?

Most plans start when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at your destination, but some start at installation. Check the "Validity starts" line for your eSIM in the order email.

Still not working?

Tell us where you are and how long you have been there. Reply to your order email or write to us through the contact page (support@esimcircle.com). To get a fast answer, include your order number, the eSIM's ICCID, the country and network name your phone shows, and screenshots of the error and of the eSIM's cellular settings. See what to send support for where to find each item.