Last updated on 9 November 2026
Open the delivery email on the phone that will use the eSIM and tap the install button. An iPhone on iOS 17.4 or later then installs the eSIM straight from the link, with no QR code and no second device. That is what Apple states (as of 1 November 2026). On Android, Google Play services take over the link, and we offer the button from Android 13. Between February and October 2026, customers asked our support team in 9 WhatsApp conversations how the installation works in the first place. You will find every destination in the POVNOMAD eSIM store.
The link has two limits. It installs the eSIM on exactly the phone you tap it on. And the code behind it can be redeemed once, just like the QR code. Below you get the three methods side by side, the minimum versions with the manufacturer source, and the cases where the QR code is the better choice.
How do I install an eSIM without a QR code?
- Open the delivery email on the phone you travel with. The email says so itself: “Open this email on the phone that will use the eSIM.”
- Connect the phone to Wi-Fi. Apple asks for a Wi-Fi network or a hotspot during setup.
- Under “Or install it directly”, tap “for iPhone” or “for Android”.
- iPhone: when the Activate New eSIM notification appears, tap Allow, then Continue at the bottom of the screen. Android: the phone opens its eSIM setup, and you follow the steps on screen.
- At your destination, turn on data roaming for the eSIM. If it shows signal there but nothing loads, read eSIM installed but no internet.
The same buttons sit on your installation page at go.povnomad.com. You reach it from the delivery email, from WhatsApp and from the POVNOMAD app. There they read “Install on iPhone” and “Install on Android”. Below them, the page shows the QR code for a second device and the two values for manual entry.
Which iOS and Android version do I need for the link?
iPhone: iOS 17.4 or later. Apple names this version in its eSIM setup guide, in the section on activating an eSIM with a carrier link (Apple Support, Set up eSIM on iPhone, published 22 October 2026). In the iOS 17.5 developer release notes, Apple describes the link for carriers and also gives iOS 17.4 as the lower limit. For the eSIM itself, Apple lists an iPhone XS, XR or later as the requirement.
Android: Google does not publish a minimum version. On 1 November 2026 we searched the Android developer pages, Pixel Help and the Google System services release notes. None of them gives a version or a device list for the esimsetup.android.com link. What is documented is who opens the link: Google’s link association file on esimsetup.android.com assigns it to Google Play services. Our limit of Android 13 is therefore our own choice. The installation page puts it this way: “Android 13 or later on many devices.”
Does the Android link work the same on Samsung, Pixel and other phones?
The route is the same, because the link does not run through the manufacturer’s software. It goes to Google Play services, which Samsung, Pixel and most other Android phones have. Here is what we can document and what we cannot:
- Documented: Google assigns the link to Google Play services (association file, retrieved 1 November 2026).
- Not documented: Samsung does not mention the link in its help pages. Samsung lists three methods: eSIM Simple Setup through the carrier, scanning a QR code and entering the activation code (Samsung Support, Galaxy eSIM). Pixel Help does not mention it either. Google does not say publicly which version of Google Play services you need.
- Without Google Play services, no app picks up the link. The browser then shows an empty page titled “eSIM Setup”. In that case, use the QR code or enter the values manually.
- Without an eSIM, nothing works: in two conversations the button failed on an Android phone. Both times the device had no eSIM. Our support team checks this with the code *#06#. If the phone shows no EID there, it has no eSIM.
Link, QR code or manual entry: which method suits me?
| Method | What you need | Minimum version | Second device needed? | Typical pitfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Link (one tap) | Delivery email or go.povnomad.com on your travel phone, Wi-Fi | iPhone: iOS 17.4 (Apple). Android: no manufacturer figure, Android 13 at POVNOMAD, with Google Play services | No | Email opened on a laptop or on someone else’s phone. Then nothing happens, or the eSIM lands on the wrong device. |
| QR code | The code on a second screen or printed, Wi-Fi | Any eSIM phone (iPhone from XS and XR) | Yes. On iOS 17.4 or later, Apple says you can also touch and hold a QR code in Mail or a browser and tap Add eSIM. | Scanning the code a second time. The iPhone then shows “eSIM Cannot Be Added” and “This code is no longer valid.” |
| Manual entry | SM-DP+ address and activation code from the email or go.povnomad.com, Wi-Fi | Any eSIM phone | No | Swapping the two values or pasting them with spaces. Copy them instead of typing. |
Sources: Apple Support 118669 (22 October 2026), Apple’s iOS 17.5 developer release notes, Samsung Support “Galaxy eSIM and supported network carriers”, Google’s association file on esimsetup.android.com, our delivery email and installation page. All retrieved on 1 November 2026.
What if the link does not work?
| Cause | How you can tell | Fix | Device and menu path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email opened on the wrong device | Nothing happens after the tap, or a computer just opens a web page | Open the email on your travel phone. Or show the QR code on the computer and scan it with the phone. | iPhone: Settings › Cellular › Add eSIM › Use QR Code |
| iOS older than 17.4 | No Activate New eSIM notification appears after tapping “for iPhone” | Update iOS, otherwise use the QR code or manual entry | iPhone: Settings › General › Software Update |
| Android without suitable Google Play services | The browser shows an empty “eSIM Setup” page | Scan the QR code or enter the activation code | Samsung: Settings › Connections › SIM manager › Add eSIM › Scan QR code › Enter activation code |
| Phone has no eSIM | There is no Add eSIM option, and *#06# shows no EID | The eSIM cannot be installed, write to us about a refund | All devices |
| eSIM already installed | iPhone says “Unable to Activate eSIM”, the installation page says “This eSIM is already installed” | Do not tap or scan again, check the bottom line | iPhone: Settings › Cellular |
| No internet during installation | Setup stops or hangs | Connect to Wi-Fi. First check under Cellular whether the eSIM is already there, then try again. | All devices |
Based on WhatsApp conversations with our support team, 10 Feb to 7 Oct 2026, more than one cause per conversation possible. iPhone menu words from the iOS 26.7.1 texts (applelocalization.com; UK iPhones say Mobile Service instead of Cellular), Samsung words from Samsung Support, retrieved on 1 November 2026. We retrieved the empty “eSIM Setup” page ourselves on the same day.
The steps with pictures are in our guides for Android and Samsung and for the iPhone.
When is the QR code the better choice?
- You set up the eSIM for someone else. Show the QR code on your screen and let the other person scan it with their phone. Or forward the email so they tap it themselves. In three conversations, both eSIMs of one order landed on one phone, although one was meant for a second device. Only a replacement eSIM helped.
- Your iPhone still runs a version before iOS 17.4. It will not react to the link. The QR code and manual entry still work.
- Your Android phone has no Google Play services or shows only the empty page after the tap.
- You only have the email on your laptop. Then the laptop is your second device: open the QR code there and scan it with the phone.
Manual entry needs neither the link nor a second device. On the iPhone, go to Settings › Cellular › Add eSIM and tap Enter Details Manually. On a Samsung, use Enter activation code. Copy both values from your installation page.
Do I still need Wi-Fi when I install from the link?
Yes. The link saves you the scan, nothing more. Your phone still downloads the eSIM profile from the internet. Apple asks for a Wi-Fi network or a hotspot during setup. Our Android guide names Wi-Fi or a mobile connection. So install the eSIM at home. According to the product page, the validity period only starts with the first connection at your destination. At home the eSIM shows no signal yet, and that is normal.
What does “Can only be installed once” mean?
That line is in the delivery email. The link, the QR code and manual entry all use the same code. After the first installation it is used up. If you tap the link again or scan the QR code afterwards, the iPhone shows an error. “Unable to Activate eSIM” came up in 12 of 131 conversations with our support team (10 Feb to 7 Oct 2026). In most of them the eSIM was already installed and sat as the bottom line under Cellular. If you delete an installed eSIM, you usually cannot set it up again.
When is it not your fault?
Some cases no setting can fix:
- Carrier lock or faulty device (6 cases): a locked phone accepts no outside eSIM, whatever the method. Only your home carrier can unlock it.
- Device without an eSIM (4 cases): neither the link nor the QR code will work.
- eSIM on the wrong phone or deleted: the code is used up.
Then only a replacement eSIM or a refund helps. From 10 Feb to 7 Oct 2026 our support team issued 14 replacement eSIMs. Write to us through the chat on povnomad.com, on WhatsApp or in the POVNOMAD app. This guide is also available in German.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install an eSIM without a QR code?
Yes. An iPhone on iOS 17.4 or later installs the eSIM straight from a link, as Apple confirms in its help page of 22 October 2026. On Android, Google Play services open the link, and we offer the button from Android 13. Without the link, manual entry with the SM-DP+ address and activation code works too.
Which Android version does the eSIM link need?
Google gives no minimum version, as of 1 November 2026. The link runs through Google Play services, so it depends more on them than on the brand. We show the button with the note “Android 13 or later on many devices.”
Why does nothing happen when I tap “for iPhone”?
Usually the email is open on the wrong device, such as a laptop, or the iPhone runs a version before iOS 17.4. Open the email on your travel phone or update iOS. If neither helps, scan the QR code or enter the values manually.
How do I install the eSIM for my parents or my child?
Show the QR code on your screen and let them scan it with their phone, or forward the email. Do not tap the link on your own phone. In three conversations between February and October 2026, both eSIMs of one order landed on one phone, and only a replacement eSIM helped.
Can I use the installation link twice?
No. The link and the QR code use the same code, and it can be redeemed once. “Unable to Activate eSIM” came up in 12 of 131 conversations with our support team, and in most of them the eSIM was already installed.
Do I need Wi-Fi to install from the link?
Yes. The phone downloads the eSIM profile from the internet, and Apple asks for Wi-Fi or a hotspot (help page of 22 October 2026). Install at home, since the validity period only starts with the first connection at your destination.
Does the link work on a Samsung Galaxy?
The link runs through Google Play services, which Samsung phones have. Samsung itself does not mention it in its help pages (retrieved 1 November 2026) and lists the QR code, the activation code and eSIM Simple Setup. If the button fails, go to SIM manager › Add eSIM and scan the QR code or tap Enter activation code.
Where does this information come from, and how current is it?
The minimum versions come from Apple (help page of 22 October 2026, iOS 17.5 developer release notes) and from Google’s association file, retrieved on 1 November 2026. The case numbers come from WhatsApp conversations with our support team from 10 Feb to 7 Oct 2026. Menus and limits can change with new system versions.
📦 Matching eSIM plan: the top-selling destinations in October 2026 were Turkey, Morocco and Indonesia including Bali. Every other country is in the eSIM store.
Last updated on 1 November 2026. Manufacturer information retrieved on 1 November 2026, support figures from 10 Feb to 7 Oct 2026. Minimum versions and menus can change with every system update.