Most iPhones sold in the last few years support eSIM, but not all of them, and a few details decide whether it will actually work for you. This is the list as Apple publishes it, how to check your own phone without guessing, and the Pakistan-specific points about locked and imported handsets that the lists leave out.
The short answer
iPhone XS, XS Max and XR (2018) were the first iPhones with eSIM, and every iPhone after them supports it. Apple’s current user-guide list starts at the iPhone SE (2nd generation) and the iPhone 11. The iPhone X and anything older cannot use an eSIM. Your phone also has to be carrier-unlocked.
The list, by generation
This follows Apple’s “Models that support eSIM” page, with Apple’s own eSIM requirements page for the 2018 models.
- 2018: iPhone XS, XS Max, XR (the first eSIM iPhones).
- iPhone SE: 2nd generation and later.
- iPhone 11: 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max.
- iPhone 12: 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max.
- iPhone 13: 13 mini, 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max.
- iPhone 14: 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max.
- iPhone 15: 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max.
- iPhone 16: 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, and 16e.
- Newest line: iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air and 17e.
Not on the list: iPhone X, iPhone 8 and earlier, and the first-generation iPhone SE. They have a physical SIM slot and no eSIM.
Does it matter which country the phone was sold in?
Yes, in a few places. Apple’s page says that in mainland China only the iPhone 17e and iPhone Air support eSIM, and for Hong Kong and Macao it names a shorter list of models. Phones bought in those places are often the ones that surprise Pakistani buyers, so check the exact model before you pay. In the US, recent iPhones are sold without a physical SIM tray at all, so an eSIM is the only way to add a line.
Apple also says that iPhone 13 models and later can hold two eSIMs, so you can keep a travel plan alongside your home line without removing anything.
How to check your own iPhone in thirty seconds
- Open Settings, then General, then About.
- Scroll down. An eSIM-capable iPhone shows an EID number and a Digital SIM or Available SIM entry.
- Look at “Carrier Lock” on the same screen. “No SIM restrictions” is what you want to see.
If you are not sure, our compatibility checker covers iPhones and Android phones, and the iPhone setup guide walks through installation.
The two things that catch people out
A locked phone. An iPhone that is still locked to a carrier can refuse a plan from someone else, even when the model supports eSIM. This is common with phones bought on contract in the US or UK. The fix is to ask the original carrier to unlock it before you travel, not after.
Mixing up eSIM and PTA. Supporting eSIM is a hardware question. Whether a Pakistani network will serve a phone with a local SIM is a different question, decided by whether its IMEI is registered with PTA. An imported iPhone can support eSIM and still be non-PTA. Our guide to SIM time and the 120-day rule explains the registration side, and the options for an imported phone cover what to do with a handset bought abroad.
Buying a used or imported iPhone? Check these first
- Ask to see Settings, General, About and look at the EID and Carrier Lock lines yourself. A seller who will not show you is telling you something.
- Read the model number on the same screen. It begins with a letter: M for a new retail unit, F for refurbished, N for a replacement, P for a personalised one. A refurbished phone can be perfectly good, but you should know that is what you are buying.
- Check the IMEI before you hand over money, both for carrier or finance locks and, if the phone will be used with a Pakistani SIM, for PTA status. Our guide to SIM time and registration explains the Pakistani side.
- Confirm the region. A phone sold in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao can have a different SIM setup from the same model sold elsewhere.
The eSIM option is missing even though the model is on the list
This almost always has one of three causes. The phone is still locked to a carrier. The software is out of date, so update to the latest iOS and look again. Or it is a regional variant with different SIM hardware. If none of those fits, contact Apple Support with the model number rather than trying several apps or resets.
Moving a plan to a new iPhone
Apple lets you transfer a line to a new iPhone from the Settings app, but a prepaid travel eSIM is often single-install by design, and some cannot be moved at all. Before you upgrade or replace a phone mid-trip, ask the provider whether your plan can be reinstalled or reissued. Do not delete a working eSIM first; keep it until the new phone is confirmed working.
What about Android?
Support is less tidy on Android because it varies by maker and by region. Many recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models support eSIM, but check the exact model rather than the brand. The compatibility checker is the quickest way to confirm a specific handset.
Before you buy a plan
Confirm three things: the model supports eSIM, the phone is unlocked, and you have Wi-Fi to install the plan. If all three are true, you can compare live eSIM plans and install before you travel. If a model is borderline, ask support before you pay.
