Is your phone unlocked?

A compatible phone can still be locked

A carrier lock can restrict a phone to the provider that sold it. The phone may show an EID and an Add eSIM button while still refusing an eSIM from another provider. For a travel eSIM from another provider, confirm the phone is unlocked before paying.

The screen passcode and SIM PIN are different settings. Knowing your passcode or turning off a SIM PIN does not remove a carrier lock.

Check an iPhone

Apple gives a direct way to see the status.

1. Open Settings → General → About.
2. Find Carrier Lock, sometimes called Network Provider Lock.
3. Look for “No SIM restrictions”. If it says anything else, contact the original carrier before buying another provider’s eSIM.

Check an Android phone

There is no single lock-status menu shared by every Android phone. Ask the provider that originally sold your device to confirm its SIM-lock status and unlocking requirements. Buying a phone used, paying a bill, or reaching the end of a contract does not by itself tell this website whether an unlock has been completed.

Google says Pixel phones bought from the Google Store are unlocked; phones from a mobile provider can be locked. Samsung also directs customers to their carrier for model-specific unlock rules. Get confirmation for your own device, then follow that carrier’s activation instructions.