Quick answer
Will a travel eSIM work on a carrier-locked phone?
A carrier-locked phone cannot use another operator’s travel eSIM until its carrier unlocks it. Check this before buying an eSIM paid in crypto from eSIMwithCrypto. Japan 5 GB for 30 days costs $7.39, but an installed eSIM is not refundable. On iPhone, Carrier Lock must show “No SIM restrictions”. Updated 15 October 2026.
What are the key facts?
| On a locked phone | The eSIM can install, then show no signal |
|---|---|
| iPhone check | Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock: “No SIM restrictions” means unlocked |
| Who can unlock | Only the carrier that locked the phone; Apple cannot |
| When carriers refuse | Some refuse during the first months, or until the phone is paid off (seller sources) |
| Two carriers on one iPhone | The carrier must unlock the iPhone, or both plans must come from the same carrier (Apple) |
| Samsung eSIM transfer | Needs an unlocked device (Samsung) |
| eSIM support check | Dial *#06#: an EID shows eSIM support, not the lock status |
| Our checkout | You confirm that your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked |
| Refunds | Rule: an eSIM that is not installed, or that we cannot deliver, is credited back to your balance; an installed eSIM is not refundable |
What happens if I install a travel eSIM on a locked phone?
It can install, then never connect. A carrier lock limits the phone to the lines of the carrier that sold it, so the travel eSIM profile downloads but the phone does not use it. eSIM sellers describe this as a frequent cause of “no signal” after activation (Firsty, aloSIM).
This matters for your money: at eSIMwithCrypto, an eSIM that is not installed, or that we cannot deliver, is credited back to your balance; an installed eSIM is not refundable. An eSIM that installed on a locked phone counts as installed. So check the lock first, then install.
How do I check if my iPhone is carrier-locked?
Open Settings > General > About and look at Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means the iPhone is unlocked and takes any carrier's eSIM. Any other text means a carrier lock. Only the carrier can remove it: Apple cannot (Apple).
If you want to keep your home line and add a travel eSIM, Apple adds one rule: to use plans from two different carriers, your carrier must unlock the iPhone, or both plans must come from the same carrier. Also check that your model supports eSIM: iPhone XS, XS Max, XR or later, with exceptions for some models sold in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao (check your model).
How do I check an Android phone, a Samsung Galaxy or a Google Pixel?
Android has no single screen that shows a carrier lock on every model, so use the carrier itself as the reference.
- Ask your carrier, or look in your carrier account, whether the phone is unlocked. This is the most reliable answer.
- Test another carrier's SIM or eSIM at home. If your own SIM works but the other one gets no service, the phone is probably locked.
- Samsung Galaxy: Samsung notes that its eSIM transfer between phones needs an unlocked device. A listed model may also lack eSIM depending on its country of origin.
- Google Pixel: the eSIM is added in Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM; a lock, if any, comes from the carrier that sold the phone.
Dial *#06# as well: an EID on screen confirms that the phone has an eSIM chip. It does not tell you whether the phone is locked.
How do I get my phone unlocked?
Ask the carrier that sold it: only that carrier can unlock it. Carriers set their own conditions. Some refuse during the first months of a contract, or until the phone is fully paid, according to eSIM sellers (Firsty, aloSIM). Ask well before your trip.
If the phone stays locked, no travel eSIM from any seller will connect on it. Your options are an unlocked phone, or your own carrier's roaming offer.
What should I check before buying a travel eSIM?
Three checks, in this order:
- eSIM support: your model and the market where it was sold (eSIM-compatible phones).
- No carrier lock: iPhone Carrier Lock says “No SIM restrictions”, or your carrier confirms the unlock.
- Wi-Fi to install: Apple says an iPhone must be on Wi-Fi to add an eSIM, except some eSIM-only models in some countries. Install before you leave (when to install).
At eSIMwithCrypto's checkout, you confirm that your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. There is no ID check: the account is a 16-digit account number created at payment, with no email needed. Plans start at $0.89 on the pricing page.
What else should I know before buying?
Will a travel eSIM work on a carrier-locked phone?
No. The eSIM may install, but a carrier-locked phone only connects with its own carrier's lines, so it shows no signal. Have the phone unlocked by the carrier that sold it before you buy a travel eSIM. On iPhone, Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock must say “No SIM restrictions”.
How do I know if my iPhone is unlocked?
Open Settings > General > About and read Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means the iPhone is unlocked and can use a travel eSIM from any seller. Any other message means it is locked to a carrier, and only that carrier can unlock it.
Can Apple unlock my iPhone?
No. Apple says only the carrier can unlock an iPhone. Contact the carrier that sold the phone or whose plan locked it. Some carriers refuse during the first months of a contract or until the phone is paid off, according to eSIM sellers.
Can I get a refund if my phone turns out to be locked?
Only if the eSIM is not installed. Our rule: an eSIM that is not installed, or that we cannot deliver, is credited back to your balance; an installed eSIM is not refundable. The credit never expires and is used first on your next order, an eSIM or a data top-up. So check the lock before you scan the QR code.
Does a locked phone still show an EID?
Yes, if it has an eSIM chip. Dialing *#06# shows the EID, which proves eSIM support, not that the phone is unlocked. You need both: eSIM support and no carrier lock. On iPhone, Carrier Lock in Settings > General > About must say “No SIM restrictions”.
Can I keep my carrier's SIM and add a travel eSIM?
Yes, on an unlocked phone with Dual SIM: your home line keeps calls and bank codes, and the travel eSIM carries the data. Apple notes that plans from two different carriers need an unlocked iPhone, unless both come from the same carrier.
Which sources support this guide? (8)
- Unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier (support article 109316) — Apple (checked 2026-10-09)
- Use Dual SIM with an eSIM (support article 109317) — Apple (2026-09-17)
- Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone (Apple Support 118227) — Apple (checked 2026-10-15)
- Galaxy eSIM and supported network carriers — Samsung UK (checked 2026-10-15)
- Use an eSIM on your Pixel phone (article 9449293) — Google (checked 2026-10-15)
- Can I use an eSIM on a locked phone? firsty.app/post/can-i-use-esim-on-a-locked-phone — Firsty (eSIM seller) (checked 2026-10-09)
- Can I use an eSIM on a locked phone? alosim.com/blog/can-i-use-esim-on-a-locked-phone — aloSIM (eSIM seller) (checked 2026-10-09)
- Complete guide to tourist SIM and eSIM options in South Korea getroamify.com/en/blogs/complete-guide-to-tourist-sim-and-esim-options-in-south-korea — Roamify (eSIM seller) (checked 2026-10-09)