How to activate an eSIM on the Google Pixel 7, Pixel 8, or Pixel 9 family

Whether you’ve bought a brand new Pixel or are getting an older model second-hand, it’s time to activate your device to a network. While many of us traditionally used SIM cards to accomplish this, the arrival of eSIM technology has given us an alternative. This new method is a much faster and more convenient way to activate than a traditional SIM card.

Any Pixel that’s still worth activating will support an eSIM slot, as the company has supported eSIM since the Pixel 2, including the Pixel 3A series and beyond. This guide specifically focuses on how to activate eSIM on a Pixel 7, Pixel 8, or Pixel 9, but the general steps and procedure should largely be the same for all Pixel and Pixel A phones.

If you’re looking to get started with your new device, we’ll guide you on how to activate an eSIM on the Google Pixel 7, 8, or 9 series in this article.

How to activate an eSIM on the Google Pixel 7, Pixel 8, or Pixel 9 series

Activating an eSIM on your Pixel is very easy. The steps change slightly if you purchased the phone through a carrier or unlocked, as carriers will already link the phone IMEI to an appropriate eSIM profile, making the setup a breeze. If the IMEI is not linked to an eSIM profile, then you’d need a QR code from your carrier, as we guide below.

When purchased through a carrier

If you purchased your Google Pixel through a carrier, they have likely assigned and linked an eSIM profile to your device IMEI.

1. When you begin the setup process on the new device, you will get a prompt to download an eSIM.
2. You will need to connect to a Wi-Fi network to download the eSIM, and your phone will automatically take you to the Wi-Fi setup and connection screen.
3. Once connected to Wi-Fi, the phone will search for a linked eSIM profile and download it.
4. Just click activate when the profile is downloaded.

And that’s it. You have successfully activated a linked eSIM on your new Google phone. Since the process is part of the setup flow when purchasing through a carrier, it’s very straightforward as the phone already has an assigned eSIM profile waiting for it from the carrier.

When purchased unlocked or if you’re bringing an existing device to a new network

If you purchased your Pixel unlocked, then your carrier will not have automatically linked an eSIM profile to the phone. You may have also been away from Wi-Fi during setup and missed the prompt. In such a case, you will need to do a bit of preparation before you get started:

• Firstly, you will need to contact your carrier to request an eSIM. Your carrier will likely confirm your identity before raising an eSIM request. Typically there are official apps or online services that make the job easy, though in some cases you may have to talk to customer service directly. You may also be given a QR code, which helps speed the process along.
• Once the request is processed, your carrier will send you information that contains all the relevant information for your phone to read.

With that out of the way, you’re ready to activate your eSIM on your Pixel 7 or higher. Here’s how to do that:

1. On your Google Pixel 7 or 7 Pro, connect to a Wi-Fi connection. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, and choose and connect to your local Wi-Fi network.
2. Once you are connected to the internet through Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs.
3. Click on “Download a SIM instead?” and click Next on the next screen.
4. You will now be asked to scan the QR code from your network, as mentioned in the preparation steps. Just scan the QR code and follow the steps to activate the eSIM.

If you missed activating the eSIM on the setup screen on a carrier-purchased phone, you can follow the above steps to activate the eSIM. You can also follow the steps above to add a second or multiple eSIMs.

Which Google Pixel phones support eSIM?

These Google phones support eSIM:

• Pixel 9 series: Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold
• Pixel 8 series: Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro
• Pixel 7 series: Google Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a
• Pixel 6 series: Google Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 6a
• Pixel 5 series: Google Pixel 5, Pixel 5a 5G
• Pixel 4 series: Google Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4

These Google phones support eSIMs in limited conditions:

• Pixel 3, Pixel 3XL: Phones bought from US or Canadian carriers other than Sprint and Google Fi do not support eSIM. Phones bought in Australia, Taiwan, and Japan also do not support eSIM.
• Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL: Phones bought from Verizon, and phones bought in Japan do not support eSIM.
• Pixel 2, Pixel 2XL: Only phones bought from Google Fi support eSIM. Rest do not support eSIM.

The original Google Pixel and Pixel XL do not support eSIM at all.

How many eSIMs can be used in the Pixel at a time?

With the Pixel 7 series or higher, you can use two eSIMs simultaneously, as long as your carrier supports it. Just set up one eSIM first, then the second one. The Pixel 6 and older can only support one eSIM at a time. In that case, you can still use two SIMs by using one eSIM and one physical SIM card. This also works for newer Pixels, although it’s slightly less convenient.

If you’re facing any other issues, you can check out our guides on common Pixel problems:

• Common Pixel 7 series problems and how to fix them
• Common Pixel 8 series problems and how to fix them
• Common Pixel 9 series problems and how to fix them

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