How to turn off an eSIM: Quick guide and tips in 2026

Turning off your eSIM can be helpful in many situations. You may want to disable a travel data plan, switch to another SIM, or avoid roaming charges. The process is quick and you can do it from your phone’s settings.

Turning off the eSIM won’t affect your profile as turning off an eSIM isn’t the same as deleting it. When you turn it off, the eSIM stays on your phone but it stops connecting to the network.

We’ll show you the easiest way to turn off an eSIM on Android and iPhone. We’ll also explore the main reasons you might want to deactivate your eSIM.

The fastest way to disable your eSIM

The steps vary slightly depending on whether you’re using an Android or an iPhone, but both let you turn the eSIM off in your settings menu.

On iPhone

You’ll find this under your phone’s settings.

And that’s it! If you want to turn your eSIM back on, just follow the same steps in your Settings and toggle the switch on.

On Android

Follow these quick steps to deactivate your eSIM.

Samsung

Pixel

1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs.
2. Select the eSIM you want to turn off.
3. Turn off the toggle next to Use SIM.

Xiaomi

1. Go to Settings > SIM cards & mobile networks.
2. Select the eSIM you want to disable.
3. Toggle the switch next to Use SIM off.

Once you turn off the eSIM, your phone will stop using it for mobile data, calls, and messages. If you have another SIM available, your phone may automatically switch to that line.

Disabling vs. deleting an eSIM

When you disable an eSIM, your phone stops using that line. The eSIM profile stays saved on your device, and you can turn it back on at any time.

Deleting an eSIM removes the profile from your phone entirely. If you do happen to hit “delete” on your profile, you’ll have to set up and activate your eSIM again. You’ll likely need to download the eSIM profile from your carrier. You may need to scan the QR code again or contact customer support. Only delete an eSIM if you no longer need to use that plan.

Why would you turn off your eSIM?

Turning off your eSIM is useful in several situations, particularly when traveling. Here are the cases where you might want to disable your eSIM:

• To avoid roaming charges: If you travel to another country, your main carrier may charge roaming fees for using mobile data abroad. Turning off your primary eSIM can prevent these charges.
• To manage multiple SIMs: You might use one number for work and another for personal calls. Turning one eSIM off helps you avoid confusion when making calls or sending messages.
• To conserve battery: Disabling unused eSIMs reduces the number of network connections. It may improve battery life, especially when traveling between areas with weaker signals.
• To manage travel data plans: Turning off your travel eSIM (rather than deleting it) when you return home makes it easy to reactivate the plan if you visit the same country or region later.
• To troubleshoot connectivity: Switching between carriers or moving between regions can cause network issues. Temporarily turning off the eSIM can help reset the connection.
• To conserve data: If you have a prepaid travel plan with a data cap, you may want to turn off your eSIM in areas with reliable Wi-Fi to ensure you don’t run out of data during your trip.

Troubleshooting tips

If you run into problems turning off your eSIM, a few simple checks can help resolve the issue.

• SIM manager isn’t displaying the eSIM. If your eSIM profile isn’t showing in your settings, the phone may not be recognizing it. Restarting the device or updating the phone’s software can help.
• eSIM is still using data. In some cases, your device may still use data from the eSIM you turned off. Disabling data roaming ensures the device doesn’t continue to pull data from the eSIM.
  • On iPhone: Go to Settings > Cellular or Mobile Service > SIMs to turn off data roaming.
  • On Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile networks to turn off data roaming.

Knowing how to turn off an eSIM gives you more control

Once you know how to find the right settings, managing your eSIMs becomes straightforward. The SIM menu lets you switch networks, manage data usage, and adapt your phone to different situations as needed.