There are two stages: install at home, on Wi-Fi, and turn the line on once you arrive. The QR code arrives by email and also lives in My eSIMs, in your account. Installing does not spend your plan: validity only starts when the eSIM first connects in a covered country.
1. Install (at home, on Wi-Fi)
- 01
Open Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service)
Tap Add eSIM (on older iOS versions, Add Cellular Plan or Add Mobile Plan) and choose Use QR code.
- 02
Scan the QR code
Point the camera at the QR code from the email and wait without leaving the screen: activation can take a few minutes. Is the QR code on this same iPhone? In My eSIMs, tap Quick install on iPhone (iOS 17.4 or later), or use Enter Details Manually and paste the details shown there.
- 03
Name the line Wavee
When the iPhone asks for a label for the line, choose Custom Label and type Wavee. That is the name you will look for when you activate it.
- 04
Keep your usual line for now
On the next screens, which ask which line to use for calls, iMessage and FaceTime, and Cellular Data (Mobile Data), choose your usual line. You switch data to Wavee at your destination.
2. Activate (at your destination)
- 01
Turn on the Wavee line
In Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service), scroll to the SIMs section and tap Wavee, the eSIM you installed. Make sure Turn On This Line is on.
- 02
Turn on Data Roaming on the Wavee line
Go back, tap Wavee again and turn on Data Roaming. That is how the eSIM connects to networks abroad.
- 03
Switch data to the Wavee line
Go back, tap Cellular Data (Mobile Data) and choose Wavee instead of your usual line. On the same screen, keep Allow Cellular Data Switching (Allow Mobile Data Switching) off.
Two mistakes that cost you
Turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching (Allow Mobile Data Switching), under Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service) › Cellular Data. With it on, a call on your home number moves your data to your home SIM, and your home carrier bills you for international roaming. And keep Data Roaming off on your home line during the trip: a roaming bill would come from it, not from the Wavee line.
Do not delete the eSIM while you still need it. Once deleted, it usually cannot be installed again on the same device. Delete it only after the trip is over.
3. If something goes wrong
- 01
It may already be installed
A refused QR code often means the eSIM already went in on an earlier attempt. To check:
- 01
Turn on any lines that are off
In Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service), look under SIMs for a line that is off. Tap it and turn on Turn On This Line: our eSIM's ICCID only shows while the line is on.
- 02
Find the eSIM's ICCID
In My eSIMs, open the eSIM and look at its ICCID.
- 03
Look for that ICCID on the iPhone
Settings › General › About shows one ICCID for each line that is on, including your home SIM's. Look for the one from My eSIMs among them; the last few digits are enough to compare.
Found it? The eSIM is already installed: name the line Wavee (Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service), tap the line › Cellular Plan Label › Custom Label) and go to 2. Activate. Not there? The eSIM is not on the phone: turn the line you switched on back off, if you don't use it, and check the items below.
- 01
- 02
Connect to Wi-Fi
Installing downloads the eSIM over the internet. Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network and scan the QR code again.
- 03
Check that the iPhone supports eSIM
In Settings › General › About, Carrier Lock (Network Provider Lock or Service Provider Lock, depending on the country) must say No SIM restrictions; if it says anything else, the phone is locked to the carrier that sold it, and only that carrier can unlock it. On the same screen, look for EID: without it, the phone has no eSIM. That is the case for most iPhones sold in mainland China, which use two physical SIMs, and for some models sold in Hong Kong and Macao. Check your model on the compatible phones list.
- 04
Do not delete it to try again
A deleted eSIM usually cannot be installed again. If nothing above helped, reach us on WhatsApp at +55 41 99569-2535 or by email at help@wavee.global, with a screenshot of the error message.
At home, No Service on the Wavee line is normal: the eSIM only finds a network in a covered country. At your destination, work through these in order:
- 01
Check that the country is in your plan
In My eSIMs, open the eSIM and tap Coverage and networks. A regional or global plan covers a list of countries; a local plan covers only its own country. Outside the list, the eSIM has no network.
- 02
Check the three settings from step 2
Turn On This Line and Data Roaming on for the Wavee line, and Cellular Data (Mobile Data) set to Wavee.
- 03
Airplane Mode for 30 seconds
Turn on Airplane Mode, wait 30 seconds and turn it off. The iPhone searches for a network again.
- 04
Restart the iPhone
Turn it off and on again, and give it a few minutes to find a signal.
- 05
Pick the network manually
In My eSIMs, check Coverage and networks for the country's local carrier. Then, in Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service), tap Wavee › Network Selection, turn off Automatic, wait for the list to load (it can take a minute) and choose that carrier.
- 06
Still no internet?
Reach us on WhatsApp at +55 41 99569-2535 or by email at help@wavee.global with the country you are in, your iPhone model and a screenshot of Settings › Cellular (or Mobile Data / Mobile Service).
Frequently asked questions
Can I install it before traveling?
Yes, and we recommend it. Installing needs internet, and a problem is far easier to solve at home than at the airport. Validity does not start at installation.
Does my home SIM stop working?
No. The eSIM is a second line: your number stays active for calls and texts, and you choose which of the two uses the internet.
- See compatible phones
Check your model before installing.
Need support?
Our team can help with installation, coverage, payment and travel questions.