If you bought an iPhone 14 or 15 series phone, or one of the latest iPads, in the United States, you’ll notice that it’s missing a key feature: a SIM card tray. That’s because Apple is all about eSIM, a digital version of the tiny card that lets you use your wireless provider’s network.
There’s good news and bad news here. If you’re switching from an older iPhone, enabling eSIM on your new iPhone is very simple. If you’re switching from an Android phone to an iPhone 14, things aren’t that simple.
No matter which path you need to take, we’ve got some guidance for you.
To switch from an iPhone with a physical SIM card to an eSIM iPhone, follow these steps:
Make sure you see your carrier’s icon and services bar at the top of the screen, and voila: you’re living the eSIM life. Please note that your old physical SIM card will no longer be valid and if you want to switch back at any time, you will need to contact your telecom operator to obtain a new card.
To switch from an Android phone to an iPhone 14 or 15 (whether you’re using a physical SIM card or already have an eSIM card), you’ll need help from your wireless carrier. This may vary depending on your telecom provider. For example:
No matter who your carrier is, remember to turn off RCS on your Android device before switching to avoid missing any messages. In Google’s Messages app, you can do this by clicking the profile icon (or the three-dot menu icon) in the upper right corner of the screen.tap Message settings > Chat function and close Enable chat.
If you do need to call your carrier to port your number to your new iPhone, make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi and, if possible, use a different phone line to make the call. If you are unable to do this, please let a customer service representative know that you are calling on the line you want to switch as you may be disconnected. They should be able to email you a QR code so you can complete the setup process yourself.
Updated at 2:00 pm ET on May 7, 2022: This article was originally published on November 9, 2022, and has been updated to include current iPhones and iPads.
