esim

How to Fix eSIM Stuck on Activating: Easy iPhone Guide

Your eSIM Is Stuck on “Activating”? Read This First

If you’re Googling “esim activation stuck” while standing in an arrivals hall, you’re not alone. That “eSIM stuck on activating” or “eSIM activation issue” screen on your iPhone looks scary, especially when you just want maps, rides, and messages to work.

For most travel eSIMs on iPhone / iOS, “Activating…” does not automatically mean the eSIM is dead. It usually means your phone, the eSIM profile, and the local network haven’t fully “handshaked” yet — often because of location, roaming settings, or data line selection.

This guide focuses on travel eSIMs for iPhone and walks you through:

A 60-second quick checklist you can try right now.
A deeper, step-by-step troubleshooting guide.
Special cases where your iPhone (carrier lock) is the real problem.
When to stop DIY and contact support.
How platforms like BitJoy help you avoid the same pain on your next trip.

Think of this as the calm, tech-savvy friend whispering instructions while everyone else is already queuing for taxis.

How eSIM Activation Actually Works (and Why It Gets “Stuck”)

eSIM activation can get stuck when your iPhone, the eSIM profile, and the local carrier can’t complete their handshake over mobile data. That typically happens if you’re in the wrong country, Data Roaming is off, the wrong line is set as Cellular Data, or the local network is weak or overloaded.

Under the hood, activation is simple:

You install the eSIM (SIM điện tử, tích hợp sẵn trong điện thoại) profile via QR code or app.
Your iPhone uses mobile data to talk to the carrier’s network and activate the line.
Once the carrier approves it, your line goes online and you see signal bars and a network name.

With many travel eSIMs, step 2 only really happens once you’re physically inside the covered country or region. If you install at home, it can sit on “Activating” or even show “No Service” for days. That’s often normal and doesn’t mean anything is broken.

On your iPhone, activation also depends heavily on:

Data Roaming (chuyển vùng dữ liệu) being turned On for that eSIM.
The eSIM being selected as your Cellular Data line.
Having at least basic 4G/LTE coverage from a supported local carrier.

On a recent trip to Tokyo, my travel eSIM stayed on “Activating…” for several minutes after landing at Haneda. The moment I set it as Cellular Data, enabled Data Roaming, and toggled Airplane Mode, it came online in under a minute.

“Stuck Activating” vs “Activation Failed” vs “No Service”

“Activating…”
Your iPhone is still trying to register the eSIM on a network. This often resolves once you’re in the right country, with roaming on and decent coverage.
“Activation Failed”
A network attempt failed. It can still be fixed by improving coverage, turning roaming on, restarting the phone, or trying manual network selection.
“No Service”
The line exists, but your phone isn’t currently attached to any usable network. This could be poor coverage, wrong network, or a plan that doesn’t cover your location.

Pre-trip vs Post-arrival: Two Very Different Situations

Pre‑trip (at home, on Wi‑Fi)
It’s usually fine if a travel eSIM shows “Activating” or “No Service” while you’re still in your home country. Many apps (including BitJoy’s partners) explicitly say this is expected until you land.
Post‑arrival (on the ground at your destination)
If you’re in the right country and your eSIM is still stuck after a few minutes, it’s time to work through a quick fix checklist: roaming, data line, Airplane Mode, restart, and then deeper steps.

60-Second Quick Fix Checklist (iPhone-Focused)

You’ve landed, turned off Airplane Mode, and your travel eSIM is still stuck. Here’s how to fix eSIM stuck on activating iOS as fast as possible.

Steps to fix an eSIM stuck on “Activating” on iPhone:

Confirm you’re in the right country or region.
Make sure your eSIM plan actually covers your current location (e.g., Japan-only vs Europe-wide vs global).
Turn the travel eSIM line On.
Go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) and make sure your travel eSIM line is On (the toggle is green).
Enable Data Roaming for the eSIM.
In Settings > Cellular > [your travel eSIM], turn Data Roaming On for that line.
Set the travel eSIM as your Cellular Data line.
Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and select the travel eSIM as your Cellular Data line.
Toggle Airplane Mode.
Turn Airplane Mode On for 10–30 seconds, then turn it Off to force a fresh network search.
Restart your iPhone and wait a couple of minutes.
Power the phone off and on, then wait 2–3 minutes near a window or outside so it can register on the local network.

Menu names may differ slightly depending on your iOS version, but the paths are essentially the same.

Warning:
Do not delete your eSIM at this stage. Removing the profile can permanently kill the plan unless your provider has explicitly said they can reissue it.

Full Troubleshooting Guide: eSIM Stuck on “Activating” on iOS

If the quick checklist didn’t bring your eSIM online, walk through these steps more carefully.

Step 1 – Double-check Basic Requirements

Before you dive deeper, confirm that your setup is even eligible to work.

Plan coverage
Make sure the eSIM is valid for the country/region you’re in:
- Japan-only eSIMs won’t work in Korea.
- A Europe eSIM won’t activate in the US.
- Regional plans (e.g., “Asia”, “Europe”) may skip some countries — check your plan details or app.
Plan validity and timing
Some travel eSIMs:
- Start counting days only after first connection to the network.
- Others run on fixed calendar dates once purchased.
  Check your provider email/app to ensure the plan is still within its valid window.
Device compatibility and carrier lock
- iPhone XS / XR and newer generally support eSIM.
- The phone must be an unlocked phone (bản quốc tế).
  A carrier-locked iPhone (bought on contract or from an employer) may reject foreign travel eSIMs.

If the eSIM doesn’t cover your location, or your device is not compatible or is locked, no amount of setting tweaks will fix it. This is the point where you should contact your eSIM provider or your carrier to clarify.

Step 2 – Clean Up Your Cellular Settings

Next, remove conflicts between your home SIM and the travel eSIM.

Turn the travel eSIM line On
- Go to Settings > Cellular.
- Find your travel eSIM and make sure the line toggle is On.
Turn off mobile data for your home SIM (temporarily)
- In Settings > Cellular, tap your home line.
- Disable Data Roaming and ensure it is not set as the data line.
  This prevents iOS from silently using your home data/roaming instead of the travel eSIM.
Set Cellular Data to the travel eSIM
- In Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, choose your travel eSIM as the Cellular Data line.
Enable Data Roaming for the travel eSIM
- In Settings > Cellular > [travel eSIM] > Data Roaming, turn it On.
Disable Allow Cellular Data Switching while troubleshooting
- In Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, turn Allow Cellular Data Switching Off.
  This keeps iOS from hopping back to the wrong line while you’re testing.

If this step works, you’ll usually start to see signal bars next to the travel carrier name after a minute or two.

Step 3 – Improve Signal & Force a Fresh Network Search

Sometimes the eSIM is fine, but the network around you isn’t.

Do this:

Move to a better coverage area
- Step outside the building or at least closer to large windows.
- Avoid underground areas (basement arrivals, metro stations) where signals are weak.
- Watch your signal bars and carrier name in the top status bar.
Toggle Airplane Mode
- Turn Airplane Mode On.
- Wait about 30 seconds.
- Turn it Off again.
  This forces your iPhone to rescan for networks and can help it “see” the local partner carrier.
Wait 2–5 minutes
Travel eSIMs sometimes take a few minutes to register on a foreign network, especially in crowded airports or when the local network is busy.

On one trip connecting through Paris CDG, my eSIM wouldn’t move past “Activating” while I was in the lower-level baggage area. As soon as I went upstairs near the main terminal windows, toggled Airplane Mode, and waited two minutes, the line switched to 4G and everything came alive.

If, after this, you still see “Activating” or “No Service”, move on to manual network selection.

Step 4 – Try Manual Network Selection

Auto network selection doesn’t always pick the best partner for your eSIM.

Open Network Selection for the travel eSIM
- Go to Settings > Cellular > [travel eSIM] > Network Selection.
Turn Automatic Off
- Toggle Automatic to Off.
- Wait for your iPhone to list available networks.
Pick the recommended partner network
- Check your eSIM provider (or BitJoy app) for recommended carriers, e.g.:
  - Japan: NTT Docomo, SoftBank, KDDI
  - US: AT&T, T‑Mobile
  - Europe: Vodafone, Orange, etc.
- Tap the recommended one.
Restart and wait
- Restart your iPhone once more.
- Give it a couple of minutes to register on the selected network.

If manual selection worked, the status should shift from “Activating…” to showing signal bars and a carrier name. Apps like WhatsApp or Google Maps should start loading.

Step 5 – Switch Voice & Data to 4G/LTE Only

In some cities, 5G networks can be patchy or not fully supported for roaming, and that can stall activation.

Open Voice & Data settings for the travel eSIM
- Go to Settings > Cellular > [travel eSIM] > Voice & Data.
Force LTE / 4G
- Change from 5G On or 5G Auto to LTE or 4G.
Retry connection
- Toggle Airplane Mode again, then wait 1–2 minutes.

Many travel eSIMs are tested primarily on 4G LTE (tốc độ mạng phổ biến cho roaming), so forcing LTE removes one variable. On several trips, my eSIM stayed in limbo on 5G but came to life as soon as I locked it to LTE.

If this helps, you’ll see stable 4G/LTE with data working smoothly. You can always try switching back to 5G later once everything is stable.

Step 6 – What You Should Almost Never Do: Deleting the eSIM

This is the part people regret later.

Do not delete your eSIM profile just because activation looks stuck.
On most travel eSIM platforms, deleting the eSIM from your iPhone:
- Does not automatically give you a new QR code.
- Can permanently remove your active plan from that device.

You should only consider deleting if:

Your eSIM provider explicitly tells you to, and
Confirms they can reissue or restore the plan after deletion.

Before contacting support (or even thinking about deletion), prepare:

Screenshots of:
- The eSIM status:
  “Activating”, “Activation Failed”, “No Service”, or “SIM Not Supported”.
- Your Cellular screen showing which line is the data line.
- The Data Roaming and Voice & Data settings for the travel eSIM.

Send these to your provider’s support. On BitJoy, support teams often ask for exactly these screenshots so they can see if the issue is settings, coverage, or something on the network side. During special promotional periods, BitJoy may also offer no-questions-asked refund windows if activation genuinely can’t be completed despite correct setup.

Warning:
Deleting the eSIM is a last resort, not a troubleshooting step.

Special Case: When the Problem Is Your iPhone, Not the eSIM

Some “esim activation stuck” situations have nothing to do with your travel eSIM at all. Instead, your iPhone itself blocks the connection — usually because it’s carrier-locked.

This is more common if:

Your phone came from a carrier on a contract.
It’s a corporate/work device with restrictions.
You bought it used, and it was never properly unlocked.

How to Tell If Your iPhone Is Carrier-Locked

Go to Settings > General > About.
Look for Carrier Lock or Network Provider Lock.

You’ll typically see one of these:

“No SIM restrictions” or similar
→ Your iPhone should be unlocked, and travel eSIMs are allowed.
A specific carrier name or text indicating “Locked”
→ Your phone may only work with that carrier’s SIM/eSIM, and foreign travel eSIMs might be blocked.

If it’s locked, you’ll need to talk to that carrier. This is not something a travel eSIM provider (or BitJoy) can override from their side.

What to Do If You See “SIM Not Supported”

“SIM Not Supported” during setup or activation is a classic sign of carrier lock or device restrictions.

Try this:

Contact the original carrier
- Ask if your phone is unlocked.
- If it isn’t, ask about the process (and eligibility) to unlock it.
If the carrier claims it’s unlocked but you still see “SIM Not Supported”
- Contact Apple Support with your device’s IMEI/EID and the carrier’s confirmation.
- Sometimes iOS needs to refresh its lock status.
For corporate devices
- Check with your IT or telecom manager; they may have intentionally blocked third-party eSIMs.

A quick comparison reference:

Symptom	Likely cause	Who to contact first
“SIM Not Supported” on setup	Carrier-locked iPhone	Original carrier, then Apple
All eSIMs fail to activate	Device / account restriction	Carrier & Apple
One eSIM fails, others work	Plan or provider issue	eSIM provider (e.g., BitJoy)

[Ảnh: Màn hình “Settings > General > About” với mục Carrier Lock hiển thị “No SIM restrictions”, số IMEI được làm mờ.]

When to Stop DIY Fixes and Contact Support

You’ve tried the checklists, toggled everything, and your eSIM still won’t behave. This is when structured escalation saves you time.

Who to Contact First? (Provider → Carrier → Apple)

Your eSIM provider support (BitJoy or whoever you bought from)
- This should always be your first stop. They can:
  - Check if your eSIM has been properly activated on their side.
  - Confirm that the QR code / profile is still valid.
  - Tell you which carrier(s) you should see in Network Selection.
  - Flag any known outages with their partner networks.
The local mobile carrier
- Only after your eSIM provider confirms:
  - The plan is active, and
  - Everything looks normal from their side.
- At that point, there may be a local network issue or a restriction on the carrier side.
Apple Support
- If both eSIM provider and carrier say the plan and network are fine, or if you suspect:
  - A device bug.
  - iOS issue.
  - Confusing carrier lock behavior.

Use phrases like “eSIM not activating” or “eSIM stuck on activating” when you describe the issue so support agents immediately understand what you’re dealing with.

What Information to Prepare Before You Contact Support

Having these ready can dramatically cut down debugging time:

Screenshots:
- eSIM status on the iPhone (e.g., “Activating”, “Activation Failed”, “No Service”, “SIM Not Supported”).
- Settings > Cellular showing:
  - All lines.
  - Which one is set as Cellular Data.
- Settings > Cellular > [travel eSIM] showing:
  - Data Roaming On/Off.
  - Voice & Data (LTE/5G).
  - Network Selection (Automatic or manual choice).
Device details:
- iPhone model (e.g., iPhone 13, iPhone 15).
- iOS version (Settings > General > About).
Plan details:
- eSIM country/region (e.g., Japan, Europe, Global).
- Plan size and duration (e.g., 5GB/7 days).
- Purchase date and time.
- When and where you installed it (home vs airport vs hotel).
- Where you are right now (city, indoors/outdoors).

This is exactly the kind of information BitJoy’s support team, local carriers, and Apple will ask for.

How BitJoy Handles Stuck Activation Cases

A good travel eSIM platform shouldn’t leave you guessing.

On BitJoy, the focus is on making activation and troubleshooting as painless as possible:

Clear pre-travel instructions
- When to install (at home vs after landing).
- What it means if the eSIM shows “Activating” before you travel.
Transparent partner network info
- Each eSIM plan lists the local carriers it uses (e.g., Docomo, SoftBank, AT&T).
- That makes manual network selection much easier if auto-selection fails.
Responsive, traveler-aware support
- Support walks you through the same kind of checklist you’ve seen here.
- They can check activation logs on their side and confirm if the plan is alive.
Optional refund guarantees during promo periods
- During specific promotions, BitJoy runs no-questions-asked refund windows if activation truly cannot be completed, giving first-time users extra peace of mind.

You’re never forced to use BitJoy, but choosing a platform that understands travel and eSIM pain points reduces the chances of being stranded without data.

Pro Tips to Avoid “Activation Stuck” on Your Next Trip

Once you’ve wrestled with a stuck eSIM once, it’s worth making sure it doesn’t happen again.

Install on Wi‑Fi at home (if recommended), but don’t panic at “Activating”
- Many travel eSIMs will stay on “Activating” until you reach the destination.
- As long as your provider says pre-installation is okay, this is normal.
Check device lock status before buying
- Go to Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock and confirm there are no SIM restrictions.
- If your phone is locked, talk to your carrier before you invest in an international eSIM.
Read your provider’s installation guide carefully
- Look for:
  - Whether you should install before departure or after landing.
  - Any APN (Access Point Name – tên điểm truy cập mạng) instructions (if none are given, you can ignore APN).
  - The recommended partner networks for manual selection.
Help less techy travelers before they fly
- For parents or colleagues, set up the eSIM together at home:
  - Install the profile.
  - Show them the Data Roaming toggle.
  - Explain that once they land, they just need to turn the line and roaming on.
Use a reliable travel eSIM platform like BitJoy
- Instant-activation eSIM packages in over 190 destinations.
- AI-powered recommendations that match data size and coverage to your actual travel pattern.
- Flexible payments, including cards and a wide range of cryptocurrencies.
- Optional refund guarantee during special promotional periods so you can try eSIMs with less risk.

Conclusion – Getting Your eSIM (and Future Trips) Unstuck

Seeing “esim activation stuck” on your iPhone right after landing is stressful, but it doesn’t automatically mean your plan is broken. In most cases, troubleshooting eSIM activation comes down to a few key variables: being in the right country, turning Data Roaming on, setting the travel eSIM as your Cellular Data line, and giving the network a clean chance to register via Airplane Mode toggles and a restart.

Use this article in three layers:

The 60-second quick checklist to fix obvious settings and timing issues.
The full troubleshooting guide to tune network selection and LTE/4G settings, and to avoid risky moves like deleting the eSIM.
The device-level checks and escalation path (provider → carrier → Apple) for stubborn cases, especially when carrier locks are involved.

In real-world trips, most travelers get online after just a few minutes of tweaks and a bit of patience in a decent coverage area. For future journeys, using a travel-focused platform like BitJoy — with instant eSIM activation, AI-based plan recommendations, flexible payments (including crypto), and clear refund policies during promo periods — can dramatically lower your chances of being stuck offline in a new country.

Câu Hỏi Thường Gặp

What should I do if my eSIM is stuck on “Activating” on iPhone?

If your eSIM is stuck on "Activating," don't panic. This often happens before you reach your destination and usually means it hasn't connected to the local network yet. Try these quick fixes: ensure your travel eSIM is On, set as your Cellular Data line, Data Roaming is enabled, toggle Airplane Mode, and restart your iPhone.

Why is my travel eSIM stuck activating on my iPhone?

Your travel eSIM may be stuck activating because it requires a connection to the local network in your destination country to complete registration. It might also be due to incorrect cellular settings, poor signal, or a device carrier lock. Ensure your eSIM is for the correct region and properly configured on your iPhone.

How can I fix an eSIM that shows "Activation Failed" on iOS?

If you see "Activation Failed," first check you are in the correct country and have a stable signal. Go to Settings > Cellular, ensure the travel eSIM is On and set as your Cellular Data line with Data Roaming enabled. Try turning Airplane Mode on and off, and restarting your iPhone.

Should I delete my eSIM if it's stuck activating?

Generally, do not delete your eSIM if it's stuck activating, as this often permanently removes your plan without a replacement. Unless your provider explicitly instructs you to delete it and confirms they will reissue the plan, try troubleshooting steps first. Contact your eSIM provider's support for guidance.

How long does eSIM activation usually take on iPhone?

eSIM activation typically takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes once your iPhone has established a stable connection to the local network in your destination. If your eSIM shows "Activating" before you arrive, it's normal; it should complete quickly after landing and configuring your settings.

What should I do if my iPhone shows "SIM Not Supported" with an eSIM?

"SIM Not Supported" usually indicates your iPhone is carrier-locked and may not accept foreign eSIMs. Verify your iPhone's carrier lock status in Settings > General > About. If locked, contact the original carrier to request an unlock. If it's unlocked, contact Apple Support or your eSIM provider.

When should I contact eSIM provider support for activation issues?

Contact your eSIM provider support if you've followed all troubleshooting steps (including checking device lock status and trying manual network selection) and the eSIM is still not activating after 15-20 minutes in a good signal area at your destination. Be ready to provide screenshots of the error and your settings.

How can I prevent eSIM activation issues on my next trip?

Before traveling, ensure your iPhone is unlocked, your eSIM is for the correct destination, and you understand its activation timeline (e.g., activate on arrival vs. pre-activation). Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi and check if "Activating" is normal before travel. Always keep provider instructions handy and consider using a reliable platform like BitJoy for clear guidance.

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Date created January 5, 2026