How to set up eSIM on your new iPhone 14

Apple has had support for eSIM since the iPhone Xs/XR, but this year it is going all in by ditching the physical SIM card slot for all iPhone 14 versions sold in the U.S. While models sold in other countries will have support for both physical and virtual SIM, Apple could eventually remove the SIM slot in more countries depending on availability. The precise instructions vary from region to region. For this guide, we’ve focused primarily on the U.S. market.

ESIM is a substitute for a physical SIM that's embedded in the phone's circuitry so users can easily swap between SIMs. It also enables people to host more than two SIMs. The iPhone 14 will be able to host up to eight SIMs at once. So, how easy is it to load a new eSIM on the iPhone? It should only take a few steps.

Here's how to do it:

Image Credits: Apple

QR code support

Converting physical SIM

Some carriers might support quickly converting the physical SIM to eSIM without having to visit a store. For that, you can go to Settings > Cellular and select Convert to eSIM and then tap on Convert Cellular Plan. After confirming the cellular plan you want to covert tap on Convert to eSIM and wait for it to activate.

Image Credits: Apple

Some U.S.-based carriers might have their own apps and sites to easily set up eSIM. Notably, most iPhone models will need to be connected to the internet through Wi-Fi when switching to eSIM, but eSIM-only iPhone 14 sold in the U.S. can be activated without a Wi-Fi-enabled internet connection.