How to Install an eSIM on Samsung Galaxy (Turkey eSIM Guide)
Set up your Turkey eSIM on a Samsung Galaxy: SIM manager path, QR code install, and data roaming settings in One UI — step by step for your Türkiye trip.
Updated August 15, 2026
Three things to know before you start
It connects only at your destination
Install at home, but expect “No Service” or “Activating…” until you land — that is normal. The plan wakes up when the line first finds a network at your destination.
Your QR code works exactly once
Seeing “invalid QR” after a scan almost always means the eSIM is already on your phone. Don’t rescan — open your SIM list and just switch the line on.
No internet after landing? Check Data Roaming
Turn the travel line on, set it as your mobile data line, and switch Data Roaming ON for it. This one toggle causes most “it doesn’t work” messages.
Installation steps
- 1
Buy your plan in the Turkey eSIM app
Open the Turkey eSIM app, choose a data plan for your trip, and complete the checkout. Your QR code and activation details appear in the app immediately after purchase.
- 2
Connect to Wi-Fi
Install the eSIM at home over a reliable Wi-Fi connection, before you travel. The download needs internet access, and setting it up in advance means you land in Türkiye ready to go.
- 3
Open Settings and go to Connections
Settings Connections
On your Galaxy, open Settings and tap Connections at the top of the list.
- 4
Open SIM manager
Settings Connections SIM manager
Tap SIM manager. This screen lists your physical SIM and any eSIMs on the phone. On older One UI versions the option to add one may be labeled Add mobile plan instead of Add eSIM.
- 5
Tap Add eSIM and scan the QR code
SIM manager Add eSIM
Tap Add eSIM, then Scan QR code from service provider. Show the QR code from the Turkey eSIM app on another screen or a printout and scan it. If scanning isn't possible, choose Enter activation code and paste the details from the app.
- 6
Confirm and download the eSIM
SIM manager eSIM
One UI will confirm the plan it found — tap Add and wait a minute while the eSIM downloads and registers. Give it a recognizable name like Türkiye in SIM manager, and leave the line switched off until your trip.
- 7
On arrival, enable the eSIM and set it for mobile data
When you land in Türkiye, go back to Settings, Connections, SIM manager, switch the Turkey eSIM on, and under Preferred SIMs set Mobile data to the eSIM. Keep your home SIM selected for calls and texts if you want to stay reachable.
- 8
Turn on data roaming for the eSIM
Mobile networks Data roaming
Go to Settings, Connections, Mobile networks and enable Data roaming for the Turkey eSIM line. This doesn't cost anything extra — your plan is billed at local rates, and the toggle only affects the travel eSIM.
Traveling to Türkiye with a Samsung Galaxy? An eSIM gets you online the moment you land — no queuing at an airport SIM kiosk, no fiddling with a SIM ejector tool, and no roaming charges from your home carrier. You buy a prepaid data plan in the Turkey eSIM app, download the eSIM to your phone, and it works alongside your regular SIM so you stay reachable on your own number.
This guide covers the complete setup in One UI: buying your plan, installing the eSIM through the SIM manager with a QR code, and the settings to switch on when you arrive — selecting the eSIM for mobile data and enabling data roaming for that line. It applies to all eSIM-capable Galaxy phones, from the S and Note flagships to the Z series and recent A models.
The installation itself takes about five minutes. Do it over Wi-Fi before you fly: your plan’s validity only starts the first time the eSIM connects to a network in Türkiye, so there’s no downside to installing early — and every reason not to leave it until you’re standing in arrivals.
Before you start
- eSIM-capable Galaxy (S20 or newer, Note 20, Z Flip/Fold series, A54 and newer A models)
- Carrier-unlocked phone
- Stable Wi-Fi connection
- Turkey eSIM app installed with a purchased plan
Troubleshooting
There's no Add eSIM option in my SIM manager.
Either your Galaxy model doesn't support eSIM or the feature is disabled on your variant. eSIM is available on Galaxy S20 and newer, Note 20, the Z Flip/Fold series, and recent A models like the A54 — but some carrier-specific or regional variants ship without it. Dial *#06#: if an EID is shown, your phone supports eSIM; if not, it doesn't.
The QR code won't scan.
Turn up the brightness on the screen showing the code and hold the phone steady about 20–30 cm away. If it still fails, use Enter activation code in the SIM manager and copy the SM-DP+ address and activation code from the Turkey eSIM app.
The eSIM downloaded, but I get an error like "Couldn't add plan" mid-setup.
This usually means the connection dropped during the download or your phone is carrier-locked. Confirm you're on stable Wi-Fi and that the phone is unlocked, restart it, and try adding the eSIM again — your QR code stays valid until the profile is successfully installed once.
I'm in Türkiye but mobile data isn't working.
Open SIM manager and check that the eSIM is switched on and selected as the Mobile data SIM, then confirm Data roaming is enabled for it under Mobile networks. If it still won't connect, toggle Airplane mode on and off, or restart the phone to force it to register on a Turkish network.
Will enabling data roaming cost me extra?
No — for the Turkey eSIM line, roaming must be on for it to connect, and your prepaid plan is charged at local rates with no roaming fees. Just make sure data roaming stays off for your home SIM so your regular carrier can't bill you.
The QR code says invalid, already used, or the install fails on a second try.
An activation code is single-use, so this error almost always means the first scan already worked and the eSIM is on the phone. Do not keep rescanning. Open the phone's SIM list (the cellular or SIM manager screen) or My eSIMs in the Turkey eSIM app: if the line is listed, the install is done — turn the line on, give it mobile data and enable Data Roaming instead of installing again.
Do I have to scan the QR code at all?
No. In the Turkey eSIM app, open My eSIMs, tap your plan and tap Install — the profile installs on the same phone with no camera involved. The QR route exists for installing from a second screen; both end in the identical profile, and the steps after the install are the same either way.
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