Can I install more than one eSIM on the same phone?

Yes. Most modern phones can hold multiple eSIM profiles at once. iPhone XS and later store 8 profiles; iPhone 13 and later store 10. Galaxy S20 and later, plus Pixel 6 and later, generally store 5-8 profiles depending on Android version. You can only use one or two at a time as active lines, but storing inactive profiles is fine and useful if you travel often. Each profile takes up a tiny amount of storage on the embedded chip.

Below: exact numbers per phone, when storing multiple eSIMs is useful, how to switch between them, and when you should delete old profiles instead of keeping them.

How many eSIM profiles each phone can hold

iPhone (Apple's official limits):

• iPhone XS, XR, 11 series: up to 8 eSIM profiles stored, 1 active at a time (or 2 active with the physical SIM on dual-SIM models).
• iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max: 8 stored, 2 active simultaneously (2 eSIMs or 1 physical + 1 eSIM).
• iPhone 13 series onward: 10 stored, 2 active simultaneously.
• iPhone 14 onward (US): 10 stored, 2 active simultaneously, no physical SIM tray.

Android varies more by manufacturer. General ranges:

• Samsung Galaxy S20 onward: 5-7 stored, 1 eSIM active alongside 1 physical SIM.
• Google Pixel 6 onward: 5-8 stored, 1 eSIM active alongside 1 physical SIM.
• Other Android (OnePlus, Motorola, Oppo, Sony): usually 4-6 stored.

In practice you'll almost never hit the storage limit. Even a frequent traveler with destination-specific plans for 5 countries fits within the cap.

When keeping multiple eSIMs installed is useful

Three real cases:

1. Frequent traveler with destination favorites. If you go to the same 3-5 countries every year, install fresh eSIMs before each trip and leave the old (expired) profiles on the phone for the next trip. You'll already have the profile set up, named, and configured. Just buy a fresh top-up or new plan on that same profile. Saves the install step every time.

2. Back-to-back trips across regions. Buying separate plans for Italy and Japan in advance and installing both before you fly. When you change countries mid-trip, switch the active eSIM in Settings rather than installing on arrival.

3. Backup eSIM. If you've had a plan fail before (carrier-side issues, expired QR, network outage), keeping a second small plan ready as a fallback is the cheap insurance. Costs $5-10 for a 1 GB backup that lives dormant until you need it.

When to delete old eSIM profiles

Storage isn't usually the reason. Even an expired profile takes negligible space. The real reasons to delete:

• Confusing line list. If you have 5+ named lines in Settings, switching becomes more error-prone. Delete profiles you're sure you'll never reuse.
• Re-installing the same plan fresh. If a plan failed and you got a new QR from support, delete the old profile before installing the new one. Avoids stale routing in the phone's cellular cache.
• Selling or giving away the phone. Always delete all eSIM profiles before transferring a phone. Account credentials live in the profiles, and leaving them on a device you don't control is a security risk.

To delete on iPhone: Settings → Cellular → tap the line → scroll to bottom → Remove eSIM → confirm. The profile is removed; if it was an active plan, removing it doesn't refund anything (the plan stays in your Eflexsim account; if it had time left, you can re-install on a different device via support).

To delete on Android (Samsung): SIM manager → tap Eflexsim → Remove. Galaxy may ask if you want to keep the profile for re-activation or delete fully. Pick "delete" unless you specifically need to reuse it later.

To delete on Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → tap the line → Erase SIM.

How to switch between installed eSIMs

Both iPhone and Android handle multiple eSIMs the same way: only some can be "active" at a time. Inactive eSIMs are stored but not registered with their networks. To activate one and deactivate another:

iPhone:

1. Settings → Cellular.
2. Tap the eSIM you want active. Toggle Turn On This Line on.
3. Tap the eSIM you want inactive. Toggle Turn On This Line off.
4. Make sure Cellular Data is set to the now-active line.

Samsung Galaxy:

1. Settings → Connections → SIM manager.
2. Tap the eSIM you want active. Toggle the line on.
3. Tap the eSIM you want inactive. Toggle the line off.
4. Under "Preferred SIMs," confirm Mobile data is set to the active one.

Pixel:

1. Settings → Network & internet → SIMs.
2. Tap the eSIM you want active. Toggle Use SIM on.
3. Tap the eSIM you want inactive. Toggle Use SIM off.
4. Set Mobile data preference to the active one.

The switch is instant. The active eSIM registers to its partner network within 30-60 seconds.

Buying separate plans for back-to-back trips

If you're flying Italy → Greece → Spain over two weeks, you have two strategies:

Strategy A: One regional Europe plan. Buy one plan that covers all three countries, install once, no switching mid-trip. Simpler. See local, regional, or global plans.

Strategy B: Three local plans. Buy three separate eSIMs (Italy, Greece, Spain) before you fly. Install all three. Switch the active eSIM each time you change countries.

Strategy A is simpler for most trips. Strategy B is cheaper if you spend roughly equal time in each country with heavy data usage. Local plans run lower per-GB than regional plans. Pre-installing all three eSIMs at home over Wi-Fi means you don't burn data setting them up at the airport.

To plan multi-country trips, see local, regional, or global plans. To set up your first eSIM, see iPhone install or Android install.