Apple is known for always starting a new wave and the new one it’s going for is reducing the amount of moving parts on its device. In fact, we think the next-gen iPhone might be completely port-less but that’s not the point of this post.

Those who are hoping to buy any of the new iPhone 14 series in the US will not be able to make use of a physical SIM since that region’s variant doesn’t come with a SIM tray.

However, users in North America will have to adopt eSIMs. While this further enhances the IP rating of the device, it might be an inconvenience for those who constantly travel around the globe (or maybe get an extra smartphone for international purposes).

So if you are opting for the new device, all you have to do is convert your existing line to eSIM but it’s worth noting that the process varies depending on your carrier.

However, I think it might be a good idea to first explain what an eSIM is and why it might be a great idea to adopt it.

So what is an eSIM?

SIM cards are phyiscal devices that wireless carriers use to create a relationship between your smartphone and their network. A phone number is assigned to your phone which in turn connects you to their service allowing you to be able to make phonecalls, send messages, and connect to the internet.

eSIMs on the other function exactly the same way as physical SIM cards only that it’s digital hence electronic-SIM even though the full meaning of eSIM is “embedded subscriber identity module”.

The main difference is that it can be programmed or reprogrammed as many times as required. So rather than hauling multiple physical SIM cards around, you eSIM gets programmed into your device.

The advantage of the new iPhone 14 series is that it can store up to 8 different eSIMs so even if you’re a traveler as mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t be at a big disadvantage.

How to set up your iPhone 14’s eSIM

In order to setup an eSIM on your new iPhone 14, all you have to do when ordering your iPhone, your carrier and phone number gets linked to the device.

In short, your iPhone 14 should come ready to go through the eSIM Carrier Activation process. So you don’t have to necessarily go to your carrier’s office or a registration center to get it done.

Upon turning on the new device, you should come across the screen asking you to confirm that you want to activate your phone number on your iPhone while the device does the rest for you.

Completing the process from start to finish could about a minute but that the time frame will depend on how busy Apple and your carrier’s servers are at the time of the activation since the process is done in the cloud.

If you skipped past transferring your number over to your phone during the setup process, you can still transfer your number and eSIM to the iPhone 14 later by visiting the Settings app, then tap Cellular > Set Up Cellular then follow the prompts. 

Wht about those switching from Android to iPhone 14?

The process for switching from an Android phone with a physical or eSIM to an iPhone 14 and eSIM will vary based on your carrier and whether or not your number was assigned an eSIM when you ordered your phone. 

But in case you have an issue transferring your phone number to your new iPhone oir aren’t prompted by the transfer screen during the initial setup process, then you might need to contact your carrier’s customer service department in order to get a QR code that can be scanned using ttour iPhone in order to activate your eSIM.