Lost Your eSIM QR Code? How to Get It Back

If your eSIM is already installed on your phone, losing the QR code does not matter at all - the profile lives inside the phone, and a reliable eSIM from €3.07 keeps working whether or not you ever see the code again. The QR code is only the delivery method, like the box a phone ships in. Once you have scanned it and the plan appears in your settings, the box has done its job. This guide walks you through both situations: the easy one where the eSIM is already on your device, and the one where you lost the code before installing, and need to get it back.

eSIMpass sells eSIMs for 200+ destinations; the examples here use a US plan, but the retrieval steps are identical for every country.

First, Answer One Question: Is the eSIM Already Installed?

Everything depends on this. Check before you panic:

• On iPhone: Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data). Scroll down to your list of plans. If you see the travel eSIM listed there (often labeled "Travel", "Personal", or the country name), it is installed.
• On Samsung: Settings > Connections > SIM manager. Look for the eSIM under your list of SIMs.
• On Google Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs. The downloaded eSIM appears in the list.

If you can see the plan in that list, you are done - you do not need the QR code again. The profile is stored on the phone's embedded SIM chip. You can delete the confirmation email, lose the screenshot, and it makes no difference. Skip ahead to the activation section to make sure it is switched on correctly.

If the plan is not in that list, the eSIM was never installed, and you do need to retrieve the code. Keep reading.

Why the QR Code Does Not Matter After Installation

An eSIM is a digital profile. Scanning the QR code is simply how that profile gets downloaded onto the small embedded chip in your phone. After the download finishes, the connection between your phone and the network no longer involves the QR code in any way.

This is different from a physical SIM, where the card itself is the thing you can lose. With an eSIM there is no card. Once installed, the profile stays on the phone until you manually delete it, even through restarts, software updates, and airplane mode. If you want the full picture of how this works, our guide on what an eSIM is explains the embedded-chip concept in plain terms.

The one time this bites people: an eSIM QR code is usually single-use. After you scan it once and install the profile, re-scanning the same code normally fails. So if you are trying to move the eSIM to a different phone, the old QR code will not help - you need a fresh profile. More on that below.

If You Lost the Code Before Installing: Step 1, Check Your Email

Most "lost QR code" cases are just a misplaced email. Work through these in order:

1. Search your inbox for words like "eSIM", "QR", "activation", or the order number. Search is faster than scrolling.
2. Check your spam and junk folders. Automated delivery emails land there constantly, especially on Outlook, Hotmail, and corporate accounts.
3. Check the Promotions or Updates tabs if you use Gmail's tabbed inbox. Order confirmations often get sorted there.
4. Confirm you are searching the right email address. If you checked out as a guest, the eSIM went to whatever address you typed at checkout.

For eSIMpass orders, the QR code is emailed to the address used at checkout, usually within a few minutes of purchase. If it has been longer than that, move to the next step.

Step 2, Log Into Your Account or Order Page

If the email is truly gone, the code almost always lives in your provider account or order-status page:

1. Go to the provider's website and log into the account you used to buy the eSIM.
2. Open your order history or my eSIMs section.
3. Find the relevant order and open it. The QR code is usually displayed right there, ready to view again or re-scan.
4. If you bought as a guest, look for an order lookup or track my order page where you enter your order number and email to pull the code back up.

This is the fastest self-service route and it works at any hour. For eSIMpass, your order confirmation email contains a link back to your order details, and your account area keeps a record of purchased eSIMs so you can re-open the QR without contacting anyone.

Step 3, Contact Support to Reissue It

If the email is gone and you cannot find the code in your account, support can help. Before you write, have these ready to speed things up:

• The order number (from your receipt or bank statement).
• The email address used at checkout.
• The destination and plan you bought.

Then contact support and ask them to resend or reissue your eSIM. One important expectation to set: because a QR code is often single-use, a reissue may come as a brand-new profile rather than the original code, especially if the first one was already partly activated. That is normal and nothing to worry about. If the old profile was never used, you often get the same code back; if it was, you get a fresh one.

What Happens if the QR Was Already Scanned Once

This is the trickiest case. If you scanned the code, the profile installed, and then you deleted it or moved phones, re-scanning the same QR will usually fail with a "cannot add" or "already used" message. That is expected behavior, not a fault.

Your options:

• If the eSIM is still on your original phone, you generally cannot copy it to a new phone by re-scanning. Some newer phones support a direct eSIM transfer between devices; see our guide on transferring an eSIM to a new phone for the exact steps and limits.
• If you deleted the eSIM, deletion is often permanent, and you will need support to issue a new profile. Our guide on deleting and reinstalling an eSIM covers when a reinstall is possible and when you need a fresh one.

The safe rule: never delete an installed eSIM unless you are certain you no longer need it or you already have a replacement lined up.

eSIMpass Plans, and What a Reissue Looks Like

Here is an example of the plans on offer, so you can see what a replacement covers if you end up buying fresh:

If your original eSIM was never activated and cannot be recovered, buying a new plan is instant - the QR arrives by email within minutes and installs in under three. There is no waiting for a physical card in the mail, which is the whole point of an eSIM.

Once You Have the Code Back: Installing and Activating It

When you have your QR code in hand again, installation is quick. Note that installing an eSIM needs a Wi-Fi or working internet connection, but the download itself does not use your travel plan's data.

On iPhone: Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Use QR Code, then scan. Label the line, then go to Cellular > Cellular Data and set the travel eSIM as your data line, and turn on Data Roaming for that line (this is required for travel eSIMs and does not incur extra charges - it is how the eSIM connects to the local host network).

On Samsung: Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM > Scan QR code. Then set it as your mobile data SIM.

On Google Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Download a SIM, then follow the prompts.

Our full eSIM installation and activation guide has screenshots and per-line settings if you want the complete walkthrough. If you are keeping your home SIM in the phone alongside the travel eSIM, our notes on eSIM-compatible devices confirm which phones support running two profiles at once.

Avoid Losing It Next Time

A few habits make the QR code impossible to misplace:

• Screenshot the QR code the moment you receive it and save it to a "Travel" album.
• Install the eSIM at home before you fly, while you have reliable Wi-Fi. Once installed, the code is irrelevant.
• Star or archive the email in a dedicated folder rather than leaving it loose in your inbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

I deleted the QR email but the eSIM works. Do I need to get the code back?

No. If the eSIM is installed and showing data, the QR code has already done its job and is no longer needed. You can safely ignore the missing email. The profile stays on your phone until you delete it.

Can I reuse the same QR code on a second phone?

Usually not. Most eSIM QR codes are single-use and will not install a second time. To use the plan on a different phone, you generally need a fresh profile from support, or a supported direct device-to-device eSIM transfer.

I never installed the eSIM and lost the email. Can I still get it?

Yes. Check your spam folder first, then log into your account or order-lookup page to re-view the code. If it is nowhere to be found, contact support with your order number and checkout email and they can resend or reissue it.

Will a reissued code be the same one or a new one?

It depends. If the original was never activated, you often get the same code back. If it was already partly used, support typically issues a brand-new profile, which installs exactly the same way. Either is fine.

Does re-scanning a QR code cost me data?

No. Downloading and installing an eSIM profile uses your Wi-Fi or existing internet connection, not the travel plan's data allowance. Your plan's data only starts counting once you are connected and browsing.

How do eSIMpass customers retrieve a lost QR code?

Check the confirmation email sent to your checkout address, including spam. It links back to your order details where the QR is displayed. If you cannot find it, contact eSIMpass support with your order number and email, and they will resend or reissue the eSIM.