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Faylo
Get an eSIM

Does the iPhone 8 Plus support eSIM?

No eSIM

No — the iPhone 8 Plus doesn't support eSIM.

Apple added eSIM with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR in 2018. Earlier iPhones only take a physical SIM card, and no software update can add eSIM.

Check your own iPhone 8 Plus in 10 seconds

  1. 1. Dial *#06#. If you see a 32-digit EID number next to your IMEI, the phone has eSIM. Only an IMEI and no EID means it doesn't.
  2. 2. Look in settings: Settings → Mobile Service (or Cellular) → Add eSIM.

Have an EID but no "Add eSIM" option? Your mobile network may have switched eSIM off on your line — here's what to do.

No eSIM? You still have options

A local SIM card at the airport, or roaming on your home network, will still get you online. Compare your options.

Travelling with someone else's phone, or upgrading? These Apple phones do support eSIM: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Air.

Common questions

Does the iPhone 8 Plus have eSIM?

No — the iPhone 8 Plus doesn't support eSIM. Apple added eSIM with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR in 2018. Earlier iPhones only take a physical SIM card, and no software update can add eSIM. To be sure about your own phone, dial *#06# and look for a 32-digit EID number.

Can a software update add eSIM to the iPhone 8 Plus?

No. eSIM needs a chip built into the phone at the factory. If your phone doesn't have one, no update will add it — the EID check (*#06#) tells you straight away.

Does eSIM work if my phone is locked to a network?

A phone locked to one carrier usually can't use another provider's eSIM. Ask the carrier you bought it from to unlock it before you travel.

My phone shows an EID but there's no "Add eSIM" option. Why?

Some mobile networks switch eSIM off on their lines, even when the phone supports it. Only the network can switch it back on — ask them to enable eSIM on your line, or install the eSIM using a different phone.

Other Apple phones

Other brands: Samsung, Google, Tecno, Infinix, itel

Checked September 2026 against: Apple — Using Dual SIM with an eSIM; Apple — Using eSIM in China mainland. Regional versions can differ — the *#06# check on your own phone is always the final word.