eSIM Installation & Technical Support

Setting up your Wee eSIM takes about two minutes. Follow the steps for your phone below. If you've installed it and you have no internet, jump straight to No internet after installing? — there's one setting that fixes it almost every time.

Read this first — it matters

  • Install before you travel, while you're on wifi. You need internet to install an eSIM, and you may not have any when you land.
  • Never tap "Delete" or "Remove" on your eSIM. This is permanent. The QR code cannot be scanned twice and your plan cannot be recovered. If something isn't working, switch the eSIM off instead — never delete it.
  • Save your eSIM link. The link in your email is where you check your remaining data and validity. Bookmark it.

Before you start

Check these three things:

  • Your phone supports eSIM. Most phones from 2019 onwards do — iPhone XS or newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 or newer, Google Pixel 3 or newer. Check your device.
  • Your phone is unlocked. A phone locked to one network cannot use another network's eSIM. If you're not sure, ask your current provider.
  • You're connected to wifi.

Android — install

Samsung, Google Pixel, and most other Android phones. Menu names vary slightly by brand — if yours differ, search your Settings for "SIM".

  1. Connect to wifi.
  2. Open Settings → Connections → SIM manager.
    On Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs.
  3. Tap Add eSIM, then Scan QR code.
  4. Scan the QR code from your eSIM page. You'll need it open on a second screen — a laptop, a tablet, or a printout.
    Only have one device? Tap Quick Install on your eSIM page instead and skip the scanning.
  5. Give it a name you'll recognise, like Wee eSIM.
  6. Make sure the new eSIM is switched On in SIM manager.

Android — settings after installing

These three settings are what actually make the data work. Don't skip them.

  1. Set your mobile data to the Wee eSIM.
    SIM manager → Preferred SIMs → Mobile data → choose your Wee eSIM.
  2. Turn Data Roaming on for the Wee eSIM.
    Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → turn on Data roaming for the Wee eSIM.
    This will not cost you anything extra. Your Wee plan is already paid for. Your eSIM connects to local networks as a visitor, so your phone calls this "roaming".
  3. Leave calls and texts on your normal SIM.
    Under Preferred SIMs, keep Calls and Messages set to your usual number so you don't miss anything.

iPhone — install

iPhone XS or newer, running iOS 12.1 or later.

  1. Connect to wifi.
  2. Open Settings → Mobile Service (older iOS calls this Cellular or Mobile Data).
  3. Tap Add eSIM, then Use QR Code.
  4. Scan the QR code from your eSIM page, open on a second screen.
    On iOS 17.4 or later you can just tap Quick Install on your eSIM page — no scanning needed.
  5. Label it Wee eSIM so you can tell it apart from your normal line.
  6. When iPhone asks about default lines, choose your normal number for calls and iMessage.

iPhone — settings after installing

These three settings are what actually make the data work. Don't skip them.

  1. Set your mobile data to the Wee eSIM.
    Settings → Mobile Service → Mobile Data → select Wee eSIM.
  2. Turn Data Roaming on for the Wee eSIM.
    Settings → Mobile Service → tap Wee eSIM → Mobile Data Options → turn on Data Roaming.
    This costs you nothing extra — your Wee plan is already paid for. Your phone calls it "roaming" because you're a visitor on the local network.
  3. Turn OFF "Allow Mobile Data Switching".
    Settings → Mobile Service → Mobile Data → turn off Allow Mobile Data Switching.
    If you leave this on, your iPhone can quietly switch back to your home SIM and you could get a very expensive roaming bill.

No internet after installing?

Work down this list in order. Stop as soon as you're online.

Fix 1 — Choose the network yourself

This is the one that fixes it most of the time. Your phone tries to pick a local network automatically, and sometimes it picks one your eSIM can't use. Then it just sits there with no data. Choosing manually solves it.

Android

Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Network operators → select your Wee eSIM at the top → turn off Select automatically → wait about 30 seconds for the list of networks to appear → pick one.

iPhone

Settings → Mobile Service → tap Wee eSIM → Network Selection → turn off Automatic → wait about 30 seconds for the list to appear → pick one.

Be patient here. The list can take half a minute to appear — don't assume it's broken if it looks empty at first.

Try them one at a time. If the first network doesn't connect, go back and choose the next one. Often only one network in a country will work with your plan. Once you find it, your phone will remember it.

Fix 2 — Check Data Roaming is on

This is the single most common cause of "no internet". Your eSIM connects as a visitor to local networks, so your phone treats it as roaming and blocks the data unless you allow it.

Android: Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Data roaming (for your Wee eSIM) → On.

iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → Wee eSIM → Mobile Data Options → Data Roaming → On.

It will not cost you extra. Your plan is prepaid.

Fix 3 — Check mobile data is set to the Wee eSIM

Having the eSIM switched on isn't enough. Your phone also needs to be told to use it for data, otherwise it keeps using your home SIM.

Android: SIM manager → Preferred SIMs → Mobile data → Wee eSIM.

iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → Mobile Data → Wee eSIM.

Fix 4 — Restart the connection

Turn on Aeroplane mode, wait ten seconds, turn it off again. Give it a minute to find a network.

If that doesn't work, restart the phone completely. Plenty of eSIMs only connect properly after a restart.

Fix 5 — Turn off your home SIM's data

Switch your normal SIM's mobile data off for a minute, so your phone has no choice but to use the Wee eSIM. This also protects you from an accidental roaming bill on your home network.

Fix 6 — Check you're using the right eSIM

If you've installed more than one eSIM, it's easy to have the wrong one switched on.

Tap each eSIM in your settings and check its ICCID against the one on your eSIM page. Only the matching one will work.

Fix 7 — Check the APN (Android only)

Usually set automatically, but worth checking if nothing else works.

Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Access Point Names → select your Wee eSIM. There should be an entry with a dot next to it. If the list is empty, contact us and we'll send you the right settings for your plan.

Fix 8 — Check your plan is still valid

Open your eSIM page and tap Check Usage. It shows how much data you have left and when your plan expires.

If it shows no data remaining, or the plan has expired, you'll need a new one. If it shows 0 MB used and the plan hasn't started, your phone hasn't connected yet — go back to Fix 1.

Problems installing

The QR code won't scan

You can't scan a QR code that's displayed on the same phone you're installing it to. Open your eSIM page on a second screen — a laptop, a tablet, or a printout.

If you only have the one device, tap Quick Install on your eSIM page instead. That skips the QR code completely.

It says "eSIM already in use" or won't install again

Each eSIM can only be installed once, on one device. If it's already been installed — even on a different phone — the code can't be used again.

Check whether it's already sitting in your phone's SIM settings before assuming it failed. If you're stuck, email us with your order number.

My phone says the eSIM isn't supported

Two usual causes: your phone doesn't support eSIM, or it's locked to a network. Check your device here, and if you're unsure about the lock, ask your current provider — they can unlock it, usually free.

Common questions

When does my plan start counting down?

When your eSIM first connects to a network in your destination — not when you buy it, and not when you install it. So you can install it safely at home before you fly.

Can I still use my normal phone number?

Yes. Your Wee eSIM handles data only. Keep your usual SIM active for calls and texts on your own number. Just make sure your home SIM's data roaming stays off, or you could be charged by your home network.

Can I make calls or send texts on my Wee eSIM?

No — it's a data plan. But you can use WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger, Telegram and any other app that works over the internet.

Can I install the same eSIM on a second phone?

No. An eSIM can only be installed once, on one device. Make sure you're installing it on the phone you're travelling with.

I deleted my eSIM by accident. Can you send it again?

Unfortunately not. Deleting an eSIM permanently destroys it and the QR code can't be used again. This is how eSIM technology works everywhere — it isn't specific to us, and we can't recover it.

If you're having trouble, always switch the eSIM off rather than deleting it.

Can I share my data with another device?

On most phones, yes — use your personal hotspot as normal. Bear in mind hotspot data comes out of the same allowance, and laptops get through it quickly.

Still stuck? We'll help.

Email us and we'll get you online. Please include your order number and your ICCID (it's on your eSIM page) — it lets us find your eSIM straight away instead of asking you for it.

support@weemobile.co.uk