Switch the line off in your mobile data settings — the profile stays on the phone, the plan is untouched, and you can switch it back on at any time
Turning a line off and deleting it are very different actions that sit close together in the menu. Off is reversible. Delete usually is not.
iPhone
- Settings › Mobile Data
- Tap the travel line
- Turn off Turn On This Line
Android
- Settings › Network & internet › SIMs
- Tap the travel line
- Turn off Use SIM
When to Switch It Off
- Between installation and departure, so nothing connects early
- When you get home and want the phone back on your usual line
- While a different travel plan is running on another profile
A switched-off line uses no data and no battery, and it does not pause an active plan. If a plan is running, its days keep counting whether the line is on or not.
Do not delete unless you mean it. Deleting removes the profile from the phone, and reinstalling is not always possible — see What Happens if I Delete My eSIM?
There is no need to delete finished eSIMs for tidiness. A phone holds several profiles, and keeping one means your next plan for that destination is a purchase rather than an installation
