There are two separate questions here, and mixing them up is the usual source of confusion. One, does the hardware support eSIM. Two, will this particular handset let you use one.
The thirty second hardware check
On iPhone: open Settings, tap General, then About, and scroll down. If you see an EID number, the phone has an eSIM chip. Broadly, iPhone XR, XS and everything newer.
On Android: open Settings, search for SIM, and look for "Add eSIM", "Download a SIM" or "SIM manager". If the option is there, the hardware is there. Alternatively, dial *#06# and look for an EID in the list that appears.
The three things that block a capable phone
- Carrier lock. A handset bought on contract is often locked to the network that sold it. Ask them to unlock it, which is usually free once the contract is paid off.
- JV (Joint Venture) handsets. A JV phone is SIM-locked to a specific foreign carrier under a contract, which prevents an eSIM from activating regardless of what the hardware supports.
- Mainland China and Hong Kong dual SIM models. Some of these ship with two physical SIM trays and no eSIM at all, even in model years where every other region got one.
Still not sure?
Send us the exact model name, the way it appears in Settings, About. We check it against our list and tell you plainly whether it will work, before any money changes hands. It takes a couple of minutes and it saves everybody a refund conversation.