eSIM Installed but No Internet? 8 Fixes That Actually Work

Your eSIM is installed, the plan shows as active, and there is still no internet. This is one of the most common problems travellers hit, and in most cases it is a setting rather than a fault with the eSIM.

Work through these checks in order. The early ones fix the large majority of cases.

1. Turn on data roaming

This is the single most frequent cause. A travel eSIM connects to a partner network in the country you are visiting, and to your phone that counts as roaming — even though you are not being charged roaming fees.

On iPhone: Settings, Mobile Service (or Cellular), select your eSIM plan, then enable Data Roaming.

On Android: Settings, Network & Internet, SIMs, select your eSIM, then enable Roaming.

If data starts working after this, nothing else on this list matters.

2. Check the eSIM is set as your mobile data line

Installing an eSIM does not automatically make it the line your phone uses for data. Your original SIM may still be selected.

On iPhone: Settings, Mobile Service, Mobile Data, and choose the travel eSIM.

On Android: Settings, Network & Internet, SIMs, then set the eSIM under Mobile data.

Leave your home SIM enabled for calls and texts on your usual number if you want to keep receiving them. Just make sure data is pointed at the travel eSIM.

3. Confirm the plan has actually started

Most travel eSIM plans begin their validity period when the eSIM first connects to a network in the destination country, not when you buy it. If you installed it at home before flying, it may not have activated yet.

This is expected behaviour. The plan should connect shortly after you land and your phone finds a partner network.

4. Toggle Airplane mode

Switch Airplane mode on, wait about fifteen seconds, then switch it off. This forces your phone to search for available networks again.

It sounds trivial and it resolves a surprising number of cases, particularly right after landing when the phone is still holding onto a network it can no longer reach.

5. Select the network manually

If automatic selection is not finding a usable network, choose one yourself.

On iPhone: Settings, Mobile Service, select the eSIM, Network Selection, turn off Automatic, then pick a listed network.

On Android: Settings, Network & Internet, SIMs, select the eSIM, then Choose network automatically — turn it off and select manually.

Pick the carrier your plan is supposed to use. Each Alis eSIM destination page lists the carrier for that country, so check there if you are unsure which to select.

6. Check the APN setting

Most eSIMs configure this automatically, but occasionally the APN is missing or wrong, which leaves you connected to the network with no data path.

On iPhone: Settings, Mobile Service, select the eSIM, Mobile Data Network. On Android: Settings, Network & Internet, SIMs, select the eSIM, Access Point Names.

If the APN field is blank, enter the value supplied with your plan. If you do not have one, contact support rather than guessing.

7. Restart the phone

A full restart clears stale network state that toggling Airplane mode does not. Worth doing before concluding something is broken.

8. Confirm your phone is unlocked

A phone locked to a home carrier will install an eSIM profile and then fail to connect to any other network. If you bought the phone on contract and have never used another carrier's SIM in it, this is worth ruling out with your original provider.

Still not working?

If you have worked through all of the above, note down what you have already tried and contact support. Useful details to include:

• Your phone model and operating system version.
• Whether the eSIM appears in your settings at all.
• Whether it shows any signal bars, or none.
• Which of these steps you have already attempted.

That information usually turns a long back-and-forth into a single reply.

Avoiding the problem next time

If you have not installed yet, our guide to installing an eSIM without an app covers the QR setup. Install the eSIM before you fly, while you still have reliable Wi-Fi, but expect it to activate on arrival. Enable data roaming in advance, and set the travel eSIM as your data line before take-off. Doing those three things at home removes most of the reasons this guide exists.