How to Convert Your Physical SIM to eSIM on iPhone and Android

Fortunately, converting a physical SIM to an eSIM is a relatively easy process. Before you get started, you have to make sure your new phone accepts eSIMs.

Published

9 months ago

April 7, 2025

OhiBaba

332 Views

(CNET): You’re probably already familiar with the SIM card, a tiny chip in your phone that connects it to your cell phone carrier of choice.

For years, this chip was on a physical card that you could swap in and out by ejecting a SIM card tray from your phone.

Most modern phones, however, also support eSIMs.

Instead of a physical card, eSIMs are embedded directly into the phone’s circuitry and the carrier information is programmed remotely via software.

This allows for a few conveniences, such as letting you try out service on a new carrier without needing to get a physical SIM in the mail or at a store.

The problem arrives if you want to convert an existing physical SIM card to an eSIM.

You might want to do so if a new phone is eSIM-only or if you want to load multiple eSIMs in a single device.

Or perhaps you just don’t want to deal with the hassle of swapping physical cards in and out of devices any more.

Fortunately, converting a physical SIM to an eSIM is a relatively easy process. Before you get started, you have to make sure your new phone accepts eSIMs.

As we mentioned earlier, most modern phones do. All iPhones since the iPhone XS and XR support eSIM, and in the US, the iPhone 14 and newer are eSIM-only.

Most Android phones also include eSIM support, including the Google Pixel 6 and later along with the Samsung Galaxy S21 and later.

eSIM on an iPhone

There are a few different ways to convert a physical SIM to an eSIM on an iPhone.

Here’s how to do it if you’re converting a physical SIM to an eSIM on the same iPhone (that means the phone needs to support both).

1. Open Settings, then select Cellular.Then, if your carrier allows it, you’ll see an option that says Convert to eSIM. If you don’t see it, then your carrier likely does not support this action.

2. Tap Convert Cellular Plan.

3. Tap Convert to eSIM. Your eSIM will now activate. If, on the other hand, your transferring a physical SIM to an eSIM on a completely different iPhone, here’s how to do it.

On your new iPhone,
1. go to Settings,
2. then choose Cellular.Scroll down until you see Add eSIM.
3. Select it.Then you have two choices. One is Transfer From a Nearby Phone, which requires both handsets to have iOS 16 or newer.
If you select that, you’ll follow the instructions on your previous iPhone.
4 You can then select Transfer to confirm and then enter a verification code.
Obviously this only works if both phones are iPhones.Another option is to Use a QR Code.
This is what you would use if a QR Code is provided by your carrier, or if your previous phone was a non-Apple handset.
To scan the code, you open up the Camera app and point it at the QR Code.
Tap the Cellular Plan Detected notification. If using an iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later, you can touch and hold the QR code and then tap Add eSIM.
Go ahead and follow the on-screen instructions, hit Continue and tap Add Cellular Plan.
Alternatively, you can also choose to enter in the eSIM details manually if your carrier provided them.
If you want to do that, you can select Settings, then Cellular, then Add Cellular Plan and then tap Enter Details Manually.eSIM on an Android phone.
The process of converting a physical SIM to an eSIM on Android can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
The most surefire way to do so is to simply contact your carrier and tell them you’re switching to an eSIM.
They’ll then either walk you through the process manually or send you a QR code. If they do send a QR code, here’s how to add it to your phone.Go to Settings.
Then tap either Connections or Network & Internet.
Select Sim Manager or SIMS.Tap Add mobile plan or Download SIM card or Add SIM.
Then follow the on-screen instructions and scan the QR code when prompted.
If you have a Samsung device, however, the process is a little more straightforward.
Here’s how to do it on a Samsung.
Launch Setting.
Then tap Connections.
Select SIM card manager.
Choose your SIM (If you only have a physical SIM, it’ll just be the only one listed).
Tap Convert to eSIM.
Follow the on-screen instructions and then you’re done.
We should note that different carriers might have different ways of adding a new eSIM to your device.
If you run into any problems when doing so, please contact them directly. And if you are transferring from an iPhone to an Android phone or vice-versa, you’ll need to contact your carrier to get their assistance with making the transition.
If you want to learn more about eSIMs and if they’re better or worse than physical cards, then please check our eSIM guide which goes into more depth on the pros and cons of each.

Up Next

Stray bullet from VIP convoy kills bystander in Abuja after road crash

Don't Miss

Lagos: Woman drowns after canoe capsizes on

Click to comment

University lecturers to Get 40% Salary Increase – Tinubu

Published

22 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Charles Flames

19 Views

The Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a 40% salary increase for university lecturers as part of a landmark renegotiated agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ending an eight-year review process of the 2009 FGN-ASUU pact.

The agreement, concluded on December 23, 2025, was announced by ASUU in a circular dated December 24, 2025, describing it as a comprehensive framework aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s public university system.

Key highlights of the deal include:

– A 40% upward review of academic staff salaries under improved conditions of service.

– Reaffirmation of pension benefits, allowing professors to retire at age 70 with a pension equivalent to their final annual salary, subject to service requirements.

– Introduction of a tailored budgeting template to address universities’ specific funding needs.

– Provisions for enhanced university autonomy, academic freedom, and systemic reforms to curb brain drain and underfunding.

– Commitments to innovation, research funding through a proposed National Research Council, and duty-free imports for educational materials.

ASUU expressed optimism that the government would commence prompt implementation, with the new salary structure expected to take effect from January 1, 2026.

The breakthrough averts potential industrial action, following months of tense negotiations that began in 2017. Earlier reports in November and early December indicated the government’s proposal of the 40% increment as a key offer to resolve lingering disputes over withheld salaries, earned allowances, and revitalization funds.

Multiple outlets, including Politics Nigeria, The Star, Legit.ng, and The Guardian, confirmed the agreement, noting its potential to stabilize the tertiary education sector amid ongoing challenges like inflation and emigration of academics.

Education stakeholders have welcomed the development, viewing it as a significant step toward addressing long-standing grievances in Nigeria’s public universities.

The Ministry of Education is yet to issue an official statement, but sources indicate alignment with President Tinubu’s directive to avoid disruptions in the academic calendar.

Crime

Invictus Obi Released from U.S. Prison After Serving Time in $11 Million Fraud Case

Published

22 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Charles Flames

22 Views

Obinwanne Okeke, the Nigerian businessman popularly known as Invictus Obi, has been released from United States federal prison after serving approximately six years for his involvement in an $11 million internet fraud scheme, multiple reports confirmed on Thursday.

Records from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator indicate that Okeke is listed as “Not in BOP Custody as of: 12/23/2025,” signaling his exit from federal incarceration ahead of his original projected release date of September 3, 2028.

Okeke, 38, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in February 2021 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charges stemmed from a sophisticated business email compromise (BEC) scheme between 2015 and 2019, where he and associates used phishing tactics to divert funds, including a major interception targeting Unatrac Holding Limited, a UK-based exporter linked to Caterpillar Inc.

Prosecutors described the operation as causing “staggering losses of about $11 million” to victims through impersonation and computer hacking.

His early release is widely attributed to good conduct credits and provisions under the First Step Act, a U.S. criminal justice reform law that allows sentence reductions for certain non-violent offenders.

Reports from outlets including Linda Ikeji’s Blog, Peoples Gazette, and BusinessDay indicate that deportation proceedings to Nigeria are underway, consistent with his non-U.S. citizen status and the terms of his plea agreement. As his crimes were federal, a transfer to state custody is considered unlikely.

Once hailed as a rising star in African entrepreneurship, Okeke founded the Invictus Group, claiming investments in construction, agriculture, oil and gas, telecommunications, and real estate across Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.

In 2016, he was featured on Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 list, celebrated for his purported success story from humble beginnings.

His 2019 arrest by the FBI at Dulles International Airport as he attempted to leave the U.S. marked a dramatic fall, sparking widespread discussions on cybercrime, the allure of quick wealth, and scrutiny of young Nigerian entrepreneurs.

With his release, questions now focus on Okeke’s future: potential supervised release conditions in the U.S., his return to Nigeria, and any ongoing restrictions.

No official statement has been issued by U.S. authorities or Okeke’s representatives regarding the exact terms of his release.

The case continues to highlight global efforts to combat BEC scams, which remain a significant threat to businesses worldwide.

News

President Tinubu Marks Christmas with Courtesy Visits in Lagos.

Published

23 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Charles Flames

18 Views

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu celebrated Christmas Day with traditional courtesy visits in Lagos, including a stop at the residence of renowned philanthropist and business mogul Chief Kessington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu.

Later, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, paid a reciprocal visit to the President’s Lagos residence.

The outings underscore the President’s commitment to cultural ties, family traditions, and unity during the festive season, as he spends the Yuletide holidays in his home state.

See photos below:

Photos 1 & 2: President Bola.Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, visit Chief Kessington Adebutu in Lagos. Thursday, December 25, 2025

Photo 3: Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi visits President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu at the President’s residence in Lagos. Thursday, December 25, 2025

Photo 4: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi at the President’s residence in Lagos. Thursday, December 25, 2025

The visits were highlighted on the official State House website and widely shared across media outlets, reflecting the warm exchanges among Nigeria’s leaders during the holidays.

President Tinubu, who arrived in Lagos earlier in December for the festive period, continues to blend rest with engagements honoring longstanding relationships.