How to activate eSIM on iPhone, Samsung, and Google Pixel phones, etc. is easy. Everything starts with an eSIM QR Code, a compatible device, and a Wifi Connection, and then 2 – 3 minutes of setup. Let’s figure out with us now.

After placing an order for an eSIM, you will receive a QR Code, SM-DP+ Address & Activation Code. The thing you need to do now is to set up it on your device and activate it for usage.

Don’t know how to start? 👉 We - Gigago.vn - are here to help.

In this post, we will guide you through steps to set up and activate a data eSIM (including the eSIM for Vietnam provided by Gigago) on your device, including:

  • What to prepare before start
  • How to set up and activate your eSIM
  • FAQs

Good to know:

  • Basically, an eSIM can be installed automatically by scanning the QR Code or manually. Although we guide you through both, the former is highly recommended.
  • For a travel eSIM, you should install the eSIM on your device before departure and activate it upon landing in your destination.
  • The setup will take you around 2 or 3 minutes only.
  • If you are using a data eSIM for Vietnam, and you use a 5G smartphone, please disable 5G on the eSIM and switch to 4G / LTE.
  • Turn off your Cellular Data Switch to avoid the roaming fee.

1. What to prepare before starting eSIM installation and activation?

To get started with the eSIM installation on your device, please make sure that the following items are ready:

Tips

  • print your QR code, or borrow someone’s device to keep your eSIM QR code if you have no second device (another phone, desktop, laptop, etc.) to keep it).
  • take note of your SM-DP + Address & Activation code somewhere on your device for easy manual setup by copying and pasting if you cannot print your QR code or have no second device to keep it, or just in case your scanning fails and you need to set up your eSIM manually.

How to activate eSIM - gigago

2. How to activate eSIM

Every data eSIM will go through 2 steps to be ready in your device and data usage. 

In this section, we will guide you through:

  • How to activate eSIM on iPhone
  • How to activate eSIM on Samsung phone, and
  • How to activate eSIM on Google phone.

The wording may be slightly different depending on your device. So, in case you have difficulty installing your eSIM, please contact your eSIM provider.

If you are using iPhone, check the eSIM iPhone list to make sure you can use the eSIM on it, and follow the instructions below for its use. 

2.1.1. Installation

  1. Turn on Wifi-Connection of your iPhone
  2. One your device, go to Settings. If it isn’t available on your Home screen, swipe left to access the App Library, and search for it on the search bar.
How to activate eSIM on iPhone 1
  1. Tap Cellular or Mobile (depending on your phone)
  2. Tap Add Cellular Plan or Add Mobile Data Plan (depending on your phone)
  1. Scan your printed QR code or the QR code you keep on another device. In case you cannot scan the QR code, you can select Enter Details Manually at bottom of your iPhone screen, and enter the following information:
    • SM-DP+ Address which looks like RAP-0126.OBARTHOR.NET
    • Activation Code which looks like FA9F0-MWFO-M4HOC-BUBGX
    • Confirmation Code(optional)
  2. Tab Add Cellular Plan or Add Mobile Data Plan to confirm the installation.
Scan QR code to activate eSIM on iPhone
  1. On the Cellular or Mobile data plan labels screen, choose the available label (such as Secondary, Business, Travel, etc.) or customize label for your eSIM (such as Vietnam eSIM), and then tap Continue
  2. On Default line page, select your Primary number if your data eSIM does not come with a phone number for calling or you do not intend to use this number to make call or send SMS to people who are not in your contacts.
  1. On the iMessage & Facetime page, choose your eSIM.
  2. On the Cellular Data or Mobile Data Plans page, select your eSIM. Remember to turn off the Allow Cellular Data Switching button to avoid expensive roaming charges.

If you do not use the eSIM immediately, just turn it off. And when you need to use it, follow the steps below:

2.1.2 eSIM activation and data use

  1. One your device, go to Settings
  2. Tap Cellular or Mobile Data (depending on your phone)
  3. Select the eSIM to be used and enable Turn On This Line and Data Roaming.
  4. Go to the Messages, switch your phone number to your eSIM and text as guided to activate the data plan (only applicable to Gigago Vietnam travel eSIM)
How to activate eSIM on iPhone - Gigago - 7

In case you cannot connect to the internet, please adjust your phone APN (access point name) by:

  1. On your device, go to Settings
  2. Tap Cellular or Mobile (depending on your phone)
  3. Select your eSIM which has enabled Turn On This Line and Data Roaming
  4. Tap Cellular Data Network or Mobile Data Network (depending on your phone)
  5. Enter provided APN on all APN fields (Cellular/Mobile data, and Personal Hotspot) (for Gigago Vietnam eSIM) or a different value if you use eSIM from another provider, the other fields are left blank.

Now, enjoy your internet in Vietnam and discover our amazing places.

Currently, the carrier-unlocked Samsung S20, S21, S22, Note 20, Fold and Z Flip are supporting eSIM technology. You can check if your Samsung phone supports eSIM here, and follow the steps below to use its data on your device.

2.2.1 Installation

  1. One your device, go to Settings
  2. Tap Connections 
  1. Choose SIM card manager
  2. Choose Add mobile plan
How to activate eSIM on samsung phones
  1. The searching for plan comes. 
  2. If the No Plans found screen appears, tap OK on the popup message, and then tab Scan carrier QR Code.
  3. Position the QR Code within the guided lines to scan it. In case the scanning fails, tab Enter code instead at the bottom of the scree, and enter the activation code provided to you by the eSIM provider which looks like LPA:1$RtP-0026.OBARTHAR.NET$PJ2HV-UABNN-SPKQE-GHKFZ.
    • Note: In some cases, you select the Add using QR code option, but you still see the Activation code line on your scanning screen, tab it and then enter the activation code.
  1. Once the eSIM plan has been detected, tap Confirm/Add (depending on your phone)
  2. When your plan has been registered, select OK to turn on the plan (if you are in Vietnam and want to use the plan immediately), or Cancel (if you are not in Vietnam or don’t want to use the data plan immediately).

2.3 eSIM activation and data use

When you need to use your travel eSIM, you will need to:

  1. Go to Settings >> Connections > SIM card manager, and select your eSIM and turn it on, and select your eSIM as Mobile data.
  2. Then get back to Connections > Mobile networks to turn on Data roaming of your phone.
  3. Go to the Messages, switch your phone number to your eSIM and text as guided to activate the data plan (only applicable to Gigago Vietnam travel eSIM)
How to activate eSIM on Samsung phones 4

In case you cannot access the internet, please set up your APN (access point name) by:

  • Going to Settings >> Connections >> Mobile networks 
  • Tapping Access Point Names >> Tapping Add
  • Select the APN field and enter the mobile operator’s APN, such as m9-itelecom.

That’s all you need for activating your travel eSIM on your Samsung phone.

eSIM works well on Google Pixel 3, 4, 5, 6 series except for certain cases specified here.

After confirming that your Pixel phone supports eSIM, and got the QR code from the eSIM provider, you will follow the steps below to use it.

2.3.1 eSIM installation

  1. Go to Settings > Tap Network & internet
  2. Tap Add (+ icon) next to “Mobile network” or “SIMs
1 - How to activate eSIM on Google Pixel Phones
  1. Tap Download a SIM instead?
  2. Tap Next
  3. Scan your eSIM QR code,
  4. Tap Download to add the eSIM profile to your phone,
  5. Turn off your eSIM

Note: In case you want to rename your eSIM plan, please select the SIM and choose the pen icon on the right top to edit its information.

2.3.2 eSIM activation and data use

  1. Go to Settings > Tap Network & internet
  2. Tab SIMs to see list of the SIMs available on your phone
  3. Select your eSIM which will be used and turn it on
  4. Turn your eSIM’s Mobile Data and Roaming on
  5. Go to Messages, switch to Gigago Vietnam eSIM phone number (if you have a physical SIM phone number on your phone), and text to activate your eSIM plan (only applicable to eSIM provided by Gigago).
  6. In case you cannot access to the internet, please set up your APN (access point name) by:
    • Going to Settings >> Network & internet >> SIMs
    • Turn on your eSIM if it is turned off, and scroll down, and tap Access Points Names
    • Tap Add, and select the APN field and enter the provided APN. Other fields can be left blank.

3. FAQs

It’s not difficult to do so:

  1. Go to Settings of your iPhone,
  2. Tap General >> About.
  3. Scroll down to the ‘Available SIM’ section and view the IMEI. If eSIM has already been installed, the SIM IMEI displays in the ‘ESIM’ section.

How to activate on iPhone 13 is the same as other iPhone series. Please refer to the section above for instruction.

How to activate eSIM on Note 20 ultra is the same as other Samsung phones. Please refer to the section above for instruction.

To add the eSIM to iPad, you will need to:

  • Navigate to Settings > Cellular Data > Add a New Plan
  • Scan QR code provided by your eSIM provider and follow the prompts
  • Tap Confirm

However, for GIGAGO Vietnam eSIM, as you will need to make a call to activate, you need to install in on another eSIM compatible device, activate it, and then remove it from that device and install in again on your iPad.