URL: https://esimgo.in/help/transfer-esim/
Source: eSIM Go (esimgo.in)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimgo.in/author/
Updated: 12 Oct 2026

# Moving a travel eSIM to a new phone: what works and what does not

## Short answer: a travel eSIM is not moved like your Indian eSIM

How to transfer eSIM from one phone to another depends on who issued it. Your Jio, Airtel or Vi eSIM moves through your operator. A travel eSIM bought here does not: the network provider behind our plans says its eSIMs cannot be transferred from one device to another (read 28 Sep 2026). Write to us before you delete anything.

| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| New phone, QR code never scanned | Install the eSIM on the new phone; nothing has to move |
| New phone, eSIM on the old phone, never connected | Write to us before deleting; the refund rule below may apply |
| New phone, eSIM already used abroad | Take the old phone on the trip, or buy a new plan for the new one |
| Phone changed during the trip, old one still works | Keep the eSIM in the old phone; share its data by hotspot within your plan's rules |
| Phone lost or broken abroad | Tell your operator and bank, then write to us |

The same provider says its eSIMs generally cannot be reinstalled, and that a removed eSIM may show an error if you try to download it again. Our catalogue lists no plan where a reinstall is allowed. So a deleted profile usually cannot be installed again from the same code, and deleting it on the old phone first is the expensive mistake.

## Changing phones before the trip

Before the trip, the next step depends on whether you scanned the QR code. Not scanned: install the eSIM on the new phone with the eSIM QR code or the activation code from your order page. Installed on the old phone but never connected: write to us before you delete it, because the refund rule depends on that.

Full refund within 30 days of purchase, as long as the eSIM has not connected to any network. If the eSIM doesn't work and it isn't your phone's fault, we refund the payment whether or not it was installed. The [refund policy](/refund-policy/) has the full terms.

Do not use the phone's transfer tools for the travel eSIM. Apple's eSIM Quick Transfer works only "If your network provider supports eSIM Quick Transfer", and needs iOS 18.4 or later on both iPhones. Google says its SIM transfer on Pixel phones varies by operator and needs Android 12 or later on both phones. Install steps for the new phone are in the [iPhone](/how-to-install-esim/iphone/) and [Android](/how-to-install-esim/android/) guides.

## Changing or losing your phone during the trip

During the trip, keep the travel eSIM where it is. If the old phone still works, carry it and use its hotspot for the new phone; the [hotspot guide](/help/esim-hotspot/) has the plan rules and the steps. Do not delete the eSIM or reset the old phone before we reply, and turn the line off only if you must.

Turning the line off does not stop the clock: the provider says the validity period does not pause while an eSIM is switched off. The [turn off or delete eSIM guide](/help/delete-esim/) explains the difference.

A lost or broken phone takes the profile with it. Tell your Indian operator and your bank first, because OTPs and UPI sit on your Indian number; the [OTP guide](/help/keep-indian-sim-for-otp/) explains why. Then write to us with your order number. We cannot promise a replacement eSIM, so if you need data at once, a new plan is the only route we can confirm.

## What to send support

Send these details in one message, so we can check the order without a back-and-forth: the order number from your confirmation e-mail, the e-mail used at checkout, the old and new phone models, whether the eSIM is still on the old phone, whether it has connected abroad, and the country you are in.

Reach us on [WhatsApp](/go/in) or through the [help centre](/help/). If the old phone shows an error, a screenshot saves time. Do not send the QR code to anyone else: it is the key to your plan, and an eSIM installs on one phone.

## Your Jio, Airtel or Vi eSIM is a separate job

Moving your Jio, Airtel or Vi eSIM is done by your operator; see its own page. That line carries your Indian number, OTPs and UPI, and it is not part of your order with us. Apple's Quick Transfer and Google's SIM transfer are built for that kind of line, where the operator supports them.

On a new iPhone, Apple notes that "When the mobile plan on your new iPhone activates, it will deactivate your previous SIM". That applies to the line you move. Leave the travel eSIM on the old phone until we reply.

## Sources

Checked on 12 Oct 2026 (IST).

1. [Apple Support India: Set up eSIM on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/en-in/118669), published 18 Sep 2026
2. [Google Pixel Help: Transfer a SIM to a new phone](https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/16115951?hl=en-IN)
3. The network provider behind our plans: help page on reinstalling an eSIM and article on moving an eSIM to a new iPhone (read 28 Sep 2026; not linked, as we do not name our wholesale partner)
4. Our catalogue (no plan lists a reinstall exception) and our refund rule, 12 Oct 2026

## FAQ

### Can an eSIM be transferred from one phone to another?

Your Indian eSIM often can, through your operator or your phone's transfer tool where the operator supports it. A travel eSIM bought here cannot: the network provider behind our plans says its eSIMs cannot be transferred from one device to another. Write to us with your order number before you buy another plan.

### Can I use the same QR code on my new phone?

If you never scanned it, yes: install the eSIM on the new phone, because nothing is installed yet. Once it is on the old phone, do not count on it. A deleted profile usually cannot be installed again from the same code.

### Does eSIM Quick Transfer work for a travel eSIM?

Apple says Quick Transfer works if your network provider supports it. The network provider behind our plans says its eSIMs cannot be transferred, so do not rely on it. Keep the travel eSIM on the old phone and write to us with your order number.

### I lost my phone abroad. What should I do?

Tell your Indian operator and your bank first, because OTPs and UPI sit on your Indian number. Then write to us with your order number. The travel eSIM was on the lost phone and cannot be moved, so if you need data at once, a new plan is the only route we can confirm.