Troubleshoot: Why is eSIM Stuck on Activating

eSIMs, or embedded SIMs, are the latest SIM eSIM stuck card technology, replacing the usual physical nano SIM cards. eSIMs provide more convenience by quickly switching between cellular plans and operators without inserting different SIM cards.

However, this new technology can sometimes run into activation issues. If you just got a new phone with an eSIM or purchased an eSIM activation code but find that your eSIM is stuck on activating, don’t worry! Here are some tips on how to fix an esim stuck on activating activate properly.

What Does “eSIM Stuck on Activating” Mean?

When you see a “stuck on activating” message for your eSIM, the activation process has failed to complete correctly. The eSIM profile has not been fully downloaded and installed, so your cellular plan is inactive.

Some common ways this issue occurs include:

• Downloading the eSIM profile, but installation failing partially through
• Activation initiated but not completed after some time
• eSIM showing “activating” indefinitely without progress

This leaves your eSIM in limbo – it’s not fully working, but you can’t restart the activation process, and your phone is unable to connect to any cellular network.

Potential Causes of an eSIM Activation Failure

There are a few potential reasons why your eSIM could get stuck during activation:

Cellular Connectivity Issue

Activating an eSIM requires an internet connection. If you have a poor cellular or WiFi signal during activation, it may fail to complete correctly. A loss of connection midway can interrupt the profile installation.

Server Issues on the Carrier Side

Sometimes, activation servers from your eSIM cellular provider could be facing technical issues. Server outages or bugs can prevent your eSIM profile from being delivered and installed correctly.

Software Bugs

Bugs in the phone’s operating system or software can also lead to eSIM activation failures. Software incompatibility issues or errors during installation may also prevent the process from being completed fully.

Insufficient Storage Space

Your phone might not have enough storage space to download and install the eSIM profile. This could happen if your phone storage is nearly complete.

Automatic Activation by Manufacturer

Some phone manufacturers automatically push eSIM activations without consent. A flawed automatic process could be the issue if you did not initiate activation manually.

Fixing an eSIM Stuck on Activating – Troubleshooting Methods

If your eSIM is stuck on activating, don’t fret – here are some step-by-step troubleshooting methods you can try to fix it:

1. Restart Your Phone

Restarting your phone is an essential first step when troubleshooting any software issue:

• Power off your phone completely, wait 30 seconds
• Switch your phone back on and check if the eSIM activates

Restarting resets all software and hardware, often fixing activation failures.

2. Check Cellular and WiFi Connection

Having stable internet connectivity during activation is vital:

• Check if your phone’s cellular data usually works in the Settings app
• Connect to a strong WiFi network if you don’t have cellular service
• Toggle airplane mode on and off to refresh the connections

This ensures your eSIM profile downloads and installs without interruptions.

3. Retry eSIM Activation

If restarting your phone and verifying internet connectivity didn’t help, retry activating the eSIM:

• Go into Settings > Cellular > Add Cellular Plan
• Scan your eSIM QR code again or enter details manually
• Follow activation prompts and wait for it to complete

Sometimes, repeating the process is all you need! Choose a location with a strong signal.

4. Contact Your Carrier

If you purchased your eSIM from a cellular carrier, contact their tech support:

• Call customer service and explain the activation issue
• They can check their systems for server outages impeding activation
• Ask them to resend the eSIM profile or generate a new QR code

Carriers can directly troubleshoot on their end remotely and reinitiate activation.

5. Update Your Phone Software

Having the latest phone software is critical for proper eSIM activation:

• Go to Settings > Software Update and install any available updates
• If you don’t see an update, connect to a computer and update via iTunes or Finder
• Update your iOS, Android, or other OS version to the newest available

Software updates often contain bug fixes for eSIM activation problems.

6. Free Up Storage Space

Ensure your phone has enough storage capacity free for the eSIM profile:

• Check available storage in Settings > Storage
• Delete apps, photos, videos, and files you don’t need
• Transfer pictures and media to cloud backup or external storage
• Leave at least 500MB of internal storage available

Having enough storage space prevents activation failures due to space issues.

7. Reset Network Settings

Resetting all network settings may clear any faulty configurations causing activation problems:

• Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings
• This will reset WiFi, cellular, and Bluetooth settings to defaults
• Try activating the eSIM again after resetting the networks

Resetting can wipe out settings that were causing conflicts.

8. Use a Physical SIM Card Instead

As a last resort, you can switch to using a regular nano SIM card:

• Contact your carrier to obtain a new nano SIM
• Insert the nano SIM into your phone’s SIM card slot
• Follow the standard instructions to activate your SIM card

If you can’t get eSIM working, physical SIM cards are reliable.

Preventing eSIM Activation Issues

Here are some tips to avoid eSIM activation failures in the future:

• Initiate activation in an area with excellent cellular or WiFi signal
• Close all other apps on your phone before starting activation
• Ensure your phone OS and apps are updated
• Only buy eSIMs directly from reputable carriers
• Carefully follow all setup instructions from your carrier
• Double-check account numbers when entering eSIM details manually
• Don’t restart your phone or switch networks mid-activation
• Contact carrier quickly if activation takes more than 10-15 minutes

frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my eSIM shows “waiting for activation” forever?

If your eSIM is stuck on “waiting for activation” indefinitely, restart your phone and retry. Check your internet connectivity. Contact your carrier to resend the eSIM profile and QR code. Update your phone software and reset network settings.

Why does my eSIM fail to activate with an error message?

Error messages during activation typically mean a technical issue on the carrier’s end or a compatibility issue with your phone software/hardware. Contact carrier support and ensure your phone OS is up-to-date. You may need to switch to a physical SIM card instead.

I entered my eSIM details manually, but activation failed. What’s up now?

If you manually entered details like ICCID and SMDP addresses, double-check that you typed everything correctly. Contact your carrier to verify the numbers. Typos when inputting eSIM info manually can lead to failed activations.

How can I tell if my carrier has an eSIM activation server outage?

If your eSIM doesn’t activate despite troubleshooting, check your carrier’s system status page or contact tech support to ask if they are experiencing activation server issues. Mass activation failures indicate a temporary outage at the carrier’s end.

I bought my eSIM abroad – will it activate appropriately in my home country?

eSIMs are region-locked, so an eSIM purchased in another country may not start correctly in your home country due to compatibility issues. Either buy an eSIM in your home country or contact your carrier to see if your foreign eSIM will work in your location.

Conclusion

eSIM technology makes managing cellular plans incredibly convenient. However, technical issues can disrupt the eSIM activation process and leave you stuck. Restarting your phone, retrying activation, updating software, contacting carriers, freeing up storage, resetting networks, and using physical SIMs as a backup are all effective ways to troubleshoot eSIMs stuck on activating.Learn about Intense Marketing through Corporate Events With some patience and trial and error, you’ll quickly get your eSIM up and running.