Right so i was setting up my new iPhone 16 (yep finally upgraded lol) and the esim stuff caught me off guard. ngl i had no idea apple fully ditched the sim tray (at least in the US). like… no hole on the side. just. gone.
So yeah, I started wondering how many esims can iPhone 16 have? and not just “can i have 2 lines?” but like… how many can you save there.
spoiler: it’s 8 or more. seriously.
Wait, what even is an esim again?
if ur confused same lol. so: it’s basically a sim card… but digital. no plastic. no tool to poke in the side of the phone. you just scan a code or hit a button and boom, it’s active.
i didn’t think it was a big deal at first but like, not having to carry sims around when traveling? kind of a vibe.
Back to it, how many can you actually store?
soooo from what i saw + what other folks posted online:
- u can store 8+ esim profiles
- but can only use 2 at the same time
Some people online said they had 10 or even 20 saved. idk if that’s true everywhere tho. Maybe it depends on the carrier?
but yeah, 2 active at once is the hard cap. so like, one for work and one for travel. or main + side hustle.
Switching is easy af
i was like ok this is gonna be annoying… but nah. u just go to settings > cellular > add esim.
then scan the code or transfer from your old iPhone. It worked on bluetooth for me. wild.
Also you can name them. Mine are called “Main” and “Roaming” because I’m basic.
Small heads up
not every carrier supports esim yet. especially in smaller countries. So if you live somewhere random or use a niche network, double check first.
also: in the u.s. model, there’s no sim tray at all. Apple just removed it. abroad models still have one sometimes though.
Do you even need that many?
idk depends. like, i travel a lot so having a few saved is actually handy. i have a japan esim, dubai esim, and two for local stuff.
switching between them takes like 10 seconds, no reboot or anything.
Anything annoying?
not really. Maybe you can’t use more than 2 at the same time. It would be cool if I could run 3 lines lol. But who actually needs that?
also: transferring esims from old phones sometimes bugs out. like i had to delete one and re-add it. not a huge deal but still.
battery life seems normal. calls work fine. messages too.
tl;dr
- How many esims can iPhone 16 have? → 8 stored (some ppl say more)
- How many are active at once? → just 2
Would I go back to physical sim cards?
nah. not after this. esim is just… easier. less stuff to carry. and feels more modern tbh. If you’re planning to use multiple lines, the iPhone 16 handles it better than most phones now. just be ready for a little learning curve. and keep your carrier’s esim qr code handy just in case.
FAQs
How many eSIMs can I store on iPhone 16?
You can store around 8 eSIM profiles, maybe more depending on region and carrier.
Can I use all eSIMs at the same time?
Nope only 2 eSIMs can be active at once. The rest just stay saved on the device.
Is iPhone 16 eSIM-only?
In the U.S., yes. There’s no SIM card slot at all. But in some other countries, you might still get a hybrid model.
Is it hard to switch between eSIMs?
Not at all. You just go into settings, pick the one you want, and it activates in seconds.
What happens if I switch phones?
You can transfer eSIMs via Bluetooth if your carrier supports it. Sometimes it’s smooth, other times it’s a bit buggy.
Do I need a special plan or carrier for eSIM?
You need a carrier that supports eSIM, which most big ones do now but check first if you’re unsure.
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