How to Activate an eSIM on Samsung Galaxy

Installed but no internet: four connection checks

At your destination, confirm the plan covers your location and has data and validity remaining. Keep the eSIM installed while troubleshooting.

1. Enable Data Roaming for the Wanderly eSIM and select it for mobile data. Keep data roaming off for your home SIM.
2. If the current network gives you trouble, turn off automatic network selection and try another network listed for your plan. Allow a minute for each connection attempt.
3. Temporarily turn off other SIMs/eSIMs in SIM settings, leaving Wanderly enabled. This pauses calls and texts on those lines; turn them back on after testing. Do not delete any eSIM.
4. Restart your phone, then turn Wi-Fi off briefly to test mobile data at your destination.

Manual network selection on your phone

Try a supported network listed in your plan details. If no networks are shown, ask Wanderly support which to choose.

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Service) > Wanderly eSIM > Network Selection > turn Automatic off.
• Samsung: Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Network operators > turn Select automatically off for the travel line.
• Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Wanderly eSIM > turn Automatically select network off. Menu names vary by phone.

Add the eSIM

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.
2. Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM.
3. Tap Scan QR code from service provider, or Enter activation code to type the details manually.
4. Confirm the download and wait for the profile to install.
5. Rename the SIM to "Travel" so the two lines are easy to tell apart.

Set it as your data line

1. Back in SIM manager, under Preferred SIM, set Mobile data to the travel eSIM.
2. Leave Calls and Messages on your home SIM.
3. Tap the travel eSIM and turn on Roaming (or Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Data roaming).
4. Toggle airplane mode to re-register.

If the download fails

Samsung reports most download problems as "Couldn't add eSIM" or "Download failed", which describes the symptom rather than the cause. Work through these in order.

• Turn off any VPN, then retry. Samsung's Secure Wi-Fi feature counts as a VPN — switch it off too.
• Move off captive-portal Wi-Fi (hotel, airport, cafe) to home Wi-Fi or another phone's hotspot.
• Check the phone is carrier-unlocked. Samsung devices bought on contract or instalments often are not, and a locked handset produces exactly this error.
• If "Add eSIM" is missing from SIM manager entirely, the model or its regional variant has no eSIM hardware. Dial *#06# — if an EID is listed, the hardware is present and a carrier lock is the likelier blocker.
• Do not retry more than twice. A repeatedly failing code usually needs reissuing, and further attempts cannot fix it.

If it installs but does not connect

• Reset the APN to default rather than entering one manually.
• Confirm Roaming is on for the travel line specifically — Samsung sets it per SIM, not globally.
• Try manual network selection under Mobile networks > Network operators, allowing about 30 seconds per attempt.
• Turn the home SIM off briefly so the phone cannot move data back to it.