If you buy an iPhone 14 series phone in the US, you will find that one important feature is missing: a SIM card tray. That’s because Apple is going all-in on eSIM, a digital version of the tiny card that lets you use your wireless carrier’s network.
There is good news and bad news here. If you’re switching from an older iPhone, activating an eSIM on your new iPhone is incredibly easy. If you switch from an Android phone to an iPhone 14, it’s less easy.
Whatever path you need to take, we have some guidance for you.
Follow these steps to switch from an iPhone with a physical SIM card to an eSIM iPhone 14:
Confirm you see your carrier’s icon and service bars at the top of your screen, and voila: you’re living the eSIM life. Keep in mind that your old physical SIM will no longer work and if you want to switch back at any point, you will need to contact your carrier for a new one.
To switch from an Android phone to an iPhone 14 — whether you’re using a physical SIM or already have an eSIM — you’ll need help from your wireless carrier. This can vary in difficulty depending on your carrier. For example:
Regardless of who your carrier is, remember to disable RCS on your Android device before switching so you don’t miss any messages. In Google’s Messages app, you can do this by tapping the profile icon (or the three-dot menu icon) at the top right of the screen. Tap Messaging Settings > Chat Features and switch off Enable chat features.
If you need to call your carrier to move your number to your new iPhone, make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi and call from a different phone line if possible. If you are unable to do so, let the customer service representative know that you are calling from the line you wish to switch as the connection is likely to be lost. They should be able to email you a QR code so you can complete the installation process yourself.