Two things have to be true: your phone needs an eSIM chip, and it needs to be unlocked. The fastest test is to look for an EID number in your settings, or to dial *#06# on the keypad; if an EID appears, the phone has eSIM hardware. Most phones sold in the UK since roughly 2019 do.
The ten-second check
On an iPhone
- 1Open Settings.
- 2Tap General, then About.
- 3Scroll down and look for EID. If you see one, your iPhone supports eSIM.
- 4You may also see Available SIM or Digital SIM listed, which means the same thing.
On an Android phone
- 1Open Settings.
- 2Tap Network & internet, then SIMs (some phones call this Connections or Mobile network).
- 3Look for Add eSIM, Download a SIM instead or Add mobile plan. If it is there, you are set.
- 4Alternatively, open the phone keypad and dial *#06#. If an EID is shown alongside the IMEI, the phone has eSIM hardware.
Common compatible models
| Brand | Supported from | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone | iPhone XS, XS Max and XR onward | Includes SE (2nd generation) and later |
| Google Pixel | Pixel 3 onward | Pixel 3 on some networks needed a software update |
| Samsung Galaxy S | Galaxy S20 onward | Excluding some regional variants |
| Samsung Galaxy Z | Z Flip and Z Fold onward | Fold and Flip families support eSIM |
| Samsung Galaxy Note | Note 20 onward | |
| Motorola | Razr (2019) onward, plus selected Edge models | Varies by model, check for an EID |
| Sony Xperia | Xperia 10 III onward | Varies by model and region |
| Honor, Oppo, Huawei | Selected recent models only | Support is patchy; the EID check is the only reliable test |
If your phone is on the list and the EID is there, you can go straight to how to set up your spare eSIM.
The carrier-lock catch
A phone bought on contract may be locked to the network that sold it. A locked phone will often show an EID and even let you start the setup, then refuse the profile or fail to register on the network. This catches people out, because the hardware looks fine.
- Phones bought outright or on SIM-free deals are normally unlocked.
- Phones from a pay-monthly deal may be locked until the contract is paid off, though most UK networks now sell them unlocked.
- Unlocking is free and is requested from the network that sold you the phone, not from us.
- If in doubt, ask your network whether the handset is unlocked before you buy a spare number.
Region variants and other gotchas
The same model name can mean different hardware in different countries. Some Samsung variants sold outside Europe ship without an eSIM chip, and a handful of dual-tray models drop eSIM in exchange for the second tray. Phones bought abroad or second-hand from overseas sellers are the usual culprits.
- Dual physical SIM variants sometimes have no eSIM at all.
- Some phones support an eSIM but only allow one active line at a time, which defeats the point of a spare number.
- A refurbished phone may still carry a lock from the network its first owner used.
What if my phone cannot do eSIM?
If your handset has two SIM trays, a second physical SIM from a network does much the same job. If it has one tray and no eSIM, your realistic options are a newer phone or a different approach altogether, and it is worth reading eSIM vs a second phone and eSIM vs virtual number apps before you spend anything.
Once you have confirmed the EID, pick a number: see the WhatsApp plan or see the Telegram plan. Your everyday number and contract are untouched either way.
Common questions
What is an EID?
It is the serial number of the eSIM chip inside your phone, a long string of digits. Its presence in Settings or after dialling the device information code is the clearest sign the phone supports eSIM.
My iPhone shows an EID but setup fails. Why?
The most common cause is a carrier lock. The eSIM hardware is there, but the phone will not accept a profile from another network until your original network unlocks it.
Can I use a spare eSIM on an iPad or smartwatch instead?
Many tablets and watches support eSIM, but our numbers are meant for a phone, where calls, texts and verification codes all land in one place. We would not recommend installing it elsewhere.
Does my phone need to support two active lines?
Yes. The point of a spare number is having both lines live at once, so a phone that can only keep one line active at a time is not a good fit.
Get a spare number
A real UK line that lives on your phone as an eSIM, beside the SIM you already have. Installed in minutes.