Typing the eSIM details in by hand instead of scanning a code — you need it when there is no second screen to scan from, or when the camera will not read the code
The QR code is only a picture of two pieces of text. Entering that text directly installs exactly the same eSIM.
What You Need
SM-DP+ Address
The server that holds your profile. It looks like a web address without the https
Activation Code
A long string of letters and numbers, unique to your eSIM
Both are printed beside the QR code in your confirmation eMail and in My eSIMs.
On an iPhone
- Settings › Mobile Data › Add eSIM
- Choose Use QR Code, then Enter Details Manually
- Paste the SM-DP+ address and the activation code
- Leave the confirmation code field empty unless one was supplied
On Android
- Open the add-eSIM screen as you would to scan
- Choose Enter code manually or Need help?
- Paste the details; some phones want them as one line beginning LPA:1$, which is exactly what the QR code contains
Copy and paste rather than retyping. These strings are long and case-sensitive, and a single wrong character produces an error that looks like a broken eSIM rather than a typo.
If manual entry also fails, the cause is usually elsewhere — no internet connection, a carrier-locked phone, or a code already used. Why Can My Phone Not Add the eSIM? works through those
