With the new iOS 16 for iPhone you can now transfer eSIMs that are issued by supporting cellular carriers. The feature has been made available in multiple countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Earlier this week, the first beta of iOS 16 was put into the hands of developers. They’ve planned a public beta for release in July. Apple says that iOS 16 will be officially released to all users in the fall.
To access the eSIM transfer, go into the Settings app on your iPhone running iOS 16. Click on “Set up eSIM” and it will bring up an option to transfer an eSIM and its associated phone number from another iPhone via Bluetooth.
Per Apple, the other iPhone must be nearby, unlocked, have Bluetooth turned on, and is running iOS 16 or later.
As always, Apple continues to provide the more traditional option of setting up an eSIM by scanning a QR code provided by a carrier.
What is an eSIM anyway?
An eSIM is a digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan from a carrier without having to use a physical SIM card.
Users of the iPhone XS and newer have access to a single eSIM, while all four iPhone 13 models support dual eSIMs.
