iOS 26 Adds Support for Transferring an eSIM to and From Android
With iOS 26, Apple is adding support for transferring an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android device, and vice versa. The new functionality will make it easier for smartphone users to move their numbers between platforms, alleviating the need to contact a carrier for help with a transition between iPhone and Android.
Some iOS 26 users have noticed a "Transfer to Android" option in their cellular settings, though it is not an option for all plans at the current time. On Reddit, an iPhone user with US Mobile's Dark Star eSIM found a cellular option to transfer an eSIM to an Android device.
When adding an eSIM in iOS 26, there's also a "Transfer From Android" option. Tapping on it provides a QR code that can be scanned with an Android device to start the transfer process, and that's also how the iPhone to Android transfer process works.
Apple appears to have implemented the new functionality alongside Google. Prior to when iOS 26 debuted, an Android 16 beta featured a reference to a "Transfer to Android" feature that hinted at the new cross-platform transferring options.
In iOS 18, it is simple to transfer an eSIM from iPhone to iPhone, but it is not easy to transfer an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android device. It typically requires contacting a carrier to get a QR code, as there is no automated way to make the transition. With iOS 26, many iPhone users who want to move to Android should have an easier time doing so.
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