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Activate your eSIMQR code

QR code

QR code activation is a widely supported method for installing an eSIM on your device. After retrieving your QR code, you can activate the eSIM by scanning it directly through your device settings.

This guide applies to both Consumer eSIM and Advanced eSIM profiles.

Step 1: Check device compatibility

1

Confirm with your device manufacturer that your device supports eSIM.

2

Make sure your device is unlocked. If it’s locked to another carrier, eSIM activation may not work.

Step 2: Order your eSIM profile

Order your eSIM profiles in the SIM Shop using the regular ordering of SIMs. Select the eSIM profile product and choose how many profiles you need.

emnify creates a device for each eSIM profile you order and assigns the profile to it. This happens for every eSIM profile order, whether the profile is provisioned on a Consumer (SGP.22) or Advanced (SGP.32) eUICC, and whichever installation method you choose.

Your eSIM profiles become available once the order status changes to Delivered.

At checkout, choose an eSIM profile installation method. This choice determines how you get each profile onto a device, and what the order download contains.

  • I will use activation codes: you receive a QR code, universal link, or numeric code to install each profile.
  • I will link profiles using the EID: you link profiles by entering device EIDs individually or in bulk.

The order download follows this choice. With activation codes, the CSV contains the ICCID, activation code, and Apple Universal Link for each profile. With EID linking, the CSV contains the ICCID only. QR code images are never included in an order download. With activation codes, retrieve them per device from the eSIM tab in Connected Devices, or generate them for a whole order.

For this guide, select I will use activation codes.

The eSIM profile installation method at checkout, with activation codes selected.

Step 3: Retrieve your QR code

Retrieve one QR code

1

In Connected Devices, find and click the device.

2

Select the eSIM tab. The QR code for the device’s assigned profile is shown here.

The Install this eSIM profile dialog, showing the Apple Universal Link, QR code, and activation code for a device.

Generate QR codes for a whole order

The eSIM tab shows one QR code at a time, and the order download contains activation codes but no QR code images. Each QR code holds a profile’s activation code, so you can generate the images for a whole order from the order download.

1

In the emnify Portal, go to the Orders page and open the order.

2

Click More Details on the order item.

3

Click Download ICCIDs & Activation Codes. The CSV file has one row for each profile, with the columns iccid_with_luhn, activation_code, and apple_link.

4

With Python 3 installed, install the qrcode library:

pip install "qrcode[pil]"
5

Save this script as make_qr_codes.py in the folder that holds the CSV file:

import csv
import os
import sys
import qrcode
os.makedirs("qr-codes", exist_ok=True)
with open(sys.argv[1], newline="", encoding="utf-8-sig") as f:
    for row in csv.DictReader(f):
        image = qrcode.make(row["activation_code"])
        image.save(f"qr-codes/{row['iccid_with_luhn']}.png")
6

In that folder, run the script with the name of the CSV file:

python3 make_qr_codes.py iccid-list_order-12345_item-67890.csv

The script creates a qr-codes folder with one PNG file for each profile, named after the profile’s ICCID.

Each QR code image contains an activation code. Store and share the images with the same care as the CSV file.

To generate QR codes without the Portal, use the API. Retrieve an eUICC profile’s LPA activation code returns an SVG image of the QR code when you send the header Accept: image/svg+xml. It takes the ICCID with its check digit, which is the value in the iccid_with_luhn column. Download an order item’s artifact CSV returns the same CSV file as the Portal.

Step 4: Activate your eSIM

Scan the QR code with your device’s camera.

iPhone (iOS 13 or later)

1

Open your device, then go to Settings > Cellular > Add Cellular Plan.

2

Scan the QR code.

3

Follow the on-screen instructions to install and activate your eSIM.

Samsung (Android 10 or later)

1

Open your device, then go to Settings > Connections > SIM Manager > Add Mobile Plan.

2

Select Scan QR Code and scan the QR code.

3

Follow the on-screen instructions to install and activate your eSIM.

Step 5: Configure the APN

After activation, the Access Point Name (APN) must be set to em. For configuration instructions by device type, see Configure the APN.

Once the APN is set, the device establishes data connection. You can verify by browsing the internet or streaming videos.