eSIM not working

Traveler troubleshooting eSIM connection at airport

eSIM Not Working? Complete Troubleshooting Guide (Works in Any Country)

If your eSIM isn’t working, you’re not alone. Travelers frequently experience temporary connection issues after arriving in a new country.

Common problems include:

  • Signal but no internet
  • No signal
  • Slow data
  • Activation failure

The important thing to know: In most cases, your eSIM is not broken — it just needs a quick fix.

This guide explains every possible reason why an eSIM may not work and how to solve it step-by-step, anywhere in the world.

Step 1 — Check if roaming is enabled

This is the #1 reason eSIM doesn’t work.

Travel eSIM profiles require roaming turned ON.

  • Fix: Settings → Mobile Data → eSIM → Data Roaming → ON

Step 2 — Restart your device

Many connectivity issues are temporary system glitches.

Restarting your phone:

  • Refreshes network registration
  • Reloads carrier settings
  • Reconnects to local towers

This alone fixes many cases.

Step 3 — Switch network manually

Phones often connect automatically to the wrong carrier. Manual selection can instantly solve the problem.

Steps:

  • 1. Open network selection
  • 2. Disable automatic mode
  • 3. Choose another network
  • 4. Test connection

Step 4 — Confirm your eSIM is selected for data

Your phone may still be using your physical SIM.

  • Check: Settings → Mobile Data → Data Line → select eSIM

Step 5 — Check if your plan is active

Your plan may:

  • Not be activated yet
  • Be expired
  • Be out of data

Look for usage notifications:

  • Activation message
  • 50% used
  • 80% used
  • Data finished
  • Expiry warning

Step 6 — Toggle airplane mode

  • 1. Turning airplane mode ON for 10 seconds resets network connection.
  • 2. Then turn it OFF.

This forces the device to reconnect to local towers.

Step 7 — Verify device compatibility

Not all phones support all network frequencies.

  • Important: eSIM supported ≠ compatible with every country network
  • Older or imported phones may lack required bands.

Step 8 — Reinstall the eSIM profile (rare cases)

If installation failed or profile is corrupted:

  • Delete eSIM
  • Reinstall using QR code or activation link

Only do this if other fixes fail.

Step 9 — Coverage limitations

Some areas simply have weak coverage:

  • Mountains
  • Rural areas
  • Highways
  • Tunnels

Even local SIM cards may not work there.

Quick universal fix checklist

Try these in order:

  • Turn roaming ON
  • Restart phone
  • Toggle airplane mode
  • Switch network manually
  • Confirm eSIM selected for data
  • Check remaining data

Most problems are solved within minutes.

Most common misconception

  • Myth -> My eSIM doesn’t work.
  • Reality -> Your settings or network selection are causing the issue.

When you should contact support

Contact support only if:

  • No networks appear
  • Installation fails
  • QR code doesn’t work
  • Profile missing

These are rare cases.

Country-specific troubleshooting guides

If you want targeted fixes for your destination, open your country guide:

Final verdict

If your eSIM isn’t working anywhere in the world, the cause is almost always:

  • Settings
  • Network selection
  • Compatibility
  • Coverage

Not the eSIM itself. Most issues can be fixed in under 2 minutes. Find plans that work globally: 👉 https://novesim.com/destinations/

Frequently asked questions

Why is my eSIM not working?

Usually because roaming is disabled, the wrong network is selected, or your device is not compatible with local bands.

Yes. This can happen if your data plan expires or your device switches to another network.

Yes. Restarting often resolves temporary network connection issues.

Yes. Travel eSIM profiles require roaming enabled to connect abroad.

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