How to Set Up and Activate eSIM on Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

The Galaxy Z Flip did away with the fiddly SIM tray, and that's quietly one of its best travel features: you can add a mobile plan digitally and run two numbers on one phone — your everyday line plus a travel or work line. Setting it up takes about five minutes, and it's genuinely simple. There's just one step near the end that trips almost everyone up (the eSIM installs fine, then shows no internet), and getting it right is the difference between landing abroad already connected and standing in an arrivals hall troubleshooting. Here's the whole process — checking your Flip supports esim, activating it, switching between lines, and staying online with Airhub when you travel.

Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Support eSIM?

For most models, yes. The Galaxy Z Flip runs one eSIM alongside a physical nano-SIM, so you can hold onto your primary number and add a second line for travel, work, or a clean personal/work split. You can keep several eSIM profiles stored and switch between them, though in practice one eSIM is active at a time next to the nano-SIM.

To check your own handset, open Settings → Connections → SIM manager (older software calls it SIM card manager) and look for Add eSIM or Add mobile plan. If that option's there, you're set.

A few exceptions are worth knowing before you count on it, because they catch people out:

• The US Galaxy Z Flip 5G does not support eSIM at all.
• Several models bought in South Korea — including the original Z Flip, the Z Flip 5G, and the Z Flip3 5G — don't support it either.
• And whatever your model, the phone needs to be carrier-unlocked to run a third-party or travel eSIM.

How to Activate eSIM on the Galaxy Z Flip

No technical know-how required — four steps and you're done. One thing to get right from the start: stay on Wi-Fi the whole time, because the install needs a stable connection.

Step 1: Confirm eSIM support

Head to Settings → Connections → SIM manager. See Add eSIM or Add mobile plan? You're good.

Step 2: Buy your eSIM plan

Sort this before you fly. With Airhub it's quick:

• Open or install the Airhub app (or just buy on the website)
• Pick your destination and esim data plans
• Pay, and your QR code — plus a manual activation code — lands in your inbox

Step 3: Install the eSIM — by QR code or manual code

On Wi-Fi, go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM, then take your pick:

• QR code: tap Scan QR code, point the Flip at it, and hit Add. Give it a moment to install, and don't interrupt it mid-process.
• Manual code (useful if you're reading this on the same Flip and can't scan a code on your own screen): choose Enter activation code instead, type in the address and code from your provider, and tap Add.

Step 4: Turn on mobile data and data roaming

Here's the step that catches everyone — installing an eSIM isn't the same as switching it on. Once it's added:

• In SIM manager, set your eSIM as the line for mobile data.
• Turn Data roaming ON for that eSIM line (Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Data roaming).

That roaming toggle is usually the thing that actually brings a travel eSIM to life. A foreign-network eSIM registers as roaming even though you bought it on purpose — so leaving roaming off is, hands down, the number-one reason an eSIM installs perfectly and then refuses to load a single page.

And a note on timing that saves a lot of worry: plenty of travel eSIMs only finish activating once you land and connect to a local network, which is often when the plan's validity period starts counting down. So installing at home and letting it switch on when you arrive is normal — not a fault.

Setting up an S25 or a different Samsung instead? There's a guide for that too.

How to Switch Between eSIM and Physical SIM

Because the Flip runs a physical SIM and an eSIM side by side, you get to decide which line does what. In Settings → Connections → SIM manager, under Preferred SIM, you can assign calls, texts, and mobile data independently. That's the trick that lets you keep taking calls on your home number while your Airhub eSIM quietly handles the data abroad. (Wondering how many profiles you can stack up? Here's how many eSIMs can you have.)

How to Convert a Physical SIM to eSIM

There are two ways in, and which you'll use comes down to your carrier:

• On-device, if your carrier allows it: go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager, tap your physical SIM, and look for Convert to eSIM. Follow the prompts.
• Through your carrier, if there's no on-device option: ask them for an eSIM QR code tied to your number, then scan and install it exactly as above.

Which Samsung Models Support eSIM

Here's the broad picture of Samsung's eSIM-capable range — though support shifts by region and carrier, so the SIM manager check above is always the final word:

Series	eSIM-capable models
Galaxy Z	Z Flip 6, Z Flip 5, Z Flip 4, Z Flip 3, Z Fold 6, Z Fold 5, Z Fold 4, Z Fold 3
Galaxy S	S25, S24, S23, S22, S21, S20 series
Galaxy Note	Note 20, Note 20 Ultra
Galaxy A	A55, A54, A35 (varies by region)
Galaxy Tab	Tab S9 series, Tab FE series, Tab Active5

Still not sure about your exact device? Check our eSIM Compatible devices list, or just open SIM manager and look for Add eSIM.

How to Transfer Your eSIM to a New Phone

An eSIM is bound to the device it was activated on, so "moving" it really means re-activating it:

• Remove the eSIM from the old phone (SIM manager → select eSIM → Remove).
• On your Flip, re-scan the same QR code if it's still valid, or ask your provider for a fresh activation.

⚠️ One caution: for many travel eSIMs, removing a profile is permanent — you may not be able to re-add it, and any leftover data can vanish with it. If you're unsure, switch the eSIM off instead of removing it, and check with your provider first.

eSIM Not Working? Quick Fixes

Installed but not connecting? Work through these in order — the first one solves it far more often than not:

1. Check you're set as the data line, and that data roaming is ON for the eSIM.
2. Toggle airplane mode — on for 15–30 seconds, then off.
3. Restart the phone fully.
4. Confirm the plan is active and still has data, in the provider's app.
5. Still nothing? Re-check the APN, or reach out to Airhub support.

For the full rundown, see why is my eSIM not working.

Staying Connected with Airhub

Once your Flip is eSIM-ready, Airhub takes care of the travel half: coverage across 190+ countries, activation in minutes, and data-only plans, so your home SIM stays free for calls while the eSIM does the data. Load a plan before the trip, switch it on when you land, top up in the app if you run low. Browse esim data plans when you're ready to go.

FAQs

Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip support eSIM?

Most models do — one eSIM alongside a physical nano-SIM. Check via Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM. Just note the US Z Flip 5G and some Korea-bought models don't support eSIM, and your phone has to be carrier-unlocked for a travel eSIM.

Can I use an eSIM and a physical SIM at the same time?

Yes. The Galaxy Z Flip is dual SIM — one physical nano-SIM plus one active eSIM — so you can run two numbers and assign calls, texts, and data to whichever line you like.

Do I need to turn on data roaming for a travel eSIM?

Usually, yes. A travel eSIM runs on a foreign network, so your phone treats it as roaming even though you bought it deliberately. Switch data roaming ON for the eSIM line, or it may install but never load.

Can I install my eSIM at home and activate it later?

Often, yes. Many travel eSIMs install any time but only activate once you reach your destination and hit a local network — which is usually when the validity period starts.

Can I reinstall my eSIM if I remove it?

Sometimes — only if your QR code or activation details are still valid. For many travel eSIMs, removal is permanent, so switch the eSIM off rather than deleting it if there's any chance you'll want it again.

Is eSIM secure?

Yes. An eSIM is built into the phone, so there's no physical card to lose or swap, and it's harder to clone than a traditional SIM.