eSIM Not Working? Fix It Step by Step

Updated: October 2026

A phone showing a QR code, with tools beside it; risograph illustration

Short answer: The great majority of eSIM problems sit in one of three settings: which line is selected for data, data roaming on the eSIM line, and the APN. Work through the steps below in order; most problems are solved by step two.

1. No data: check these two settings first

Is the eSIM selected as the data line? Settings → Cellular (Mobile Service in the UK, Connections on Android) → Cellular Data → choose your eSIM line.
Is data roaming on for the eSIM line? This is the setting most often missed: for the eSIM line, data roaming must be ON. The eSIM is built for use abroad, so this roaming costs nothing; with it off, no data comes through at all. (The roaming you switch off is your home SIM's; do not mix the two up.)

2. The QR code will not scan

If you are scanning the code from another screen, turn up the brightness and hold the camera a little further away.
If the phone is your only device, you cannot scan the code; use the manual install details on your order page and in your email (the SM-DP+ address and the activation code).
If you see an "eSIM already added" message, the code has done its job: the eSIM is installed, find it in the list.

3. Installed, but "not activated"

Most plans activate the first time the eSIM connects to the network of the country you are visiting. While you are still at home, "not connected" is normal; once you arrive, switch the phone into Airplane Mode and back out.

4. Signal, but very slow data

Restart the phone; set the network mode to automatic 5G/LTE.
In crowded places (a stadium, an airport at peak time) every network slows down; moving a few hundred metres is often enough.

5. The APN setting

Rarely needed; if it is, your plan's APN value is on your order page. Enter it exactly as written under Settings → Cellular → eSIM line → Cellular Data Network.

If you have not scanned the QR code yet, the setup steps for your phone: iPhone, Samsung, Xiaomi.

Still not working?

Write to destek@peregrinapp.com with the details from your order page, or message our WhatsApp support line; include your phone model and the step you are stuck on, and it is usually solved in a single reply. The help page answers the most common questions too.