How Many eSIMs Can I Have on iPhone? Storage Limit vs. Active Profiles
5 min read
Search "how many eSIMs can I have on iPhone" and most answers hand you a single number. There are two, and they have surprisingly little to do with each other. The storage limit is how many eSIM profiles the phone can hold. The active profiles are how many of those can run at the same time.
According to Apple Support, an iPhone can manage "eight or more" eSIMs, though only two are ever active at once, and that's from iPhone 13 on, per Apple's Dual SIM page. Older models pair one eSIM with one physical SIM.
Storage limit: how many eSIMs fit on a phone?
Storing multiple eSIMs at the same time is standard on modern phones now, the real question is just how many exactly. Apple's "eight or more" is vague on purpose. I read it as a floor, not a ceiling, since Apple doesn't publish a fixed number anywhere.
Samsung's more concrete: a Galaxy device can download up to 20 eSIM profiles, according to Samsung Support. There's a catch: large profiles take up more memory on the eSIM chip, and then fewer fit.
A side note, because people mix this up all the time: a profile is tiny. Deleting one won't win back phone storage. It frees a slot on the chip, that's all.
Active profiles: how many eSIMs can I have on iPhone at once?
This is where it gets tight. Even with two active eSIMs, iPhone uses only one cellular network for data at a time, per Apple. Calls on your home number, data on the travel eSIM? That's exactly what Dual SIM is for.
Samsung adds a rule of its own here, and Samsung Support spells it out clearly: only one eSIM per carrier. Samsung doesn't say on that page which Galaxy models keep two eSIMs active at once. Tech sites report it from the Galaxy S24 series onward. Honestly, I'd check your own model's spec sheet before counting on it.
| Device | Storage limit (stored) | Active profiles at once | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 and older | 8 or more eSIMs | 1 eSIM + 1 physical SIM | Apple Support, September 2026 |
| iPhone 13 and newer | 8 or more eSIMs | 2 eSIMs (data over 1 line) | Apple Support, September 2026 |
| Samsung Galaxy | up to 20 eSIM profiles | 1 eSIM per carrier; 2 eSIMs from S24 per tech reports | Samsung Support, September 2026 |
Travel tip: install before you fly, delete when you're home
You'll rarely hit the storage limit on your first trip. More likely after a few, when Thailand, Japan, the US and Portugal are still sitting in the menu as dead profiles. At some point a new eSIM simply won't add; Apple doesn't document a dedicated "storage full" message for it.
The cleanest habit, in my view: install the travel eSIM at home while the Wi-Fi is stable, then delete it once you're back. Apple Support lays out the path: Settings > Cellular > tap the plan > Delete Plan. With a single plan, the button says Delete eSIM.
One catch remains. Many providers issue a QR code only once, so it's safer to wait until the data package is used up or expired. Which eSIM fills the free slot next? We compare them country by country on Abroadmode. That way there's room left if you ever need multiple eSIMs at the same time on the road, say one for home and one for travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an eSIM and a physical SIM at the same time?
Yes, easily. Dual SIM works with one physical SIM and one eSIM on any iPhone, and from iPhone 13 on you can even run two eSIMs together. Data still runs over only one line at a time, no model changes that.
How many eSIM profiles fit on a Samsung phone?
According to Samsung Support, up to 20 eSIM profiles. Honestly, that number moves around in practice, since large profiles can lower it because memory on the eSIM chip is limited.
What do I do when no new eSIM will install?
I'd just delete an old profile I no longer use: Settings > Cellular > choose the plan > Delete Plan. Worth checking first whether data is left on it, since many QR codes can't be reused.
Can I use the same eSIM on two phones at once?
No, you can't. An eSIM profile is tied to one device, so a second phone needs its own profile.
