“No SIM available” on an iPhone with an eSIM means the phone can’t find an active eSIM line to connect to the cellular network, so it can’t use mobile data on that line. Most fixes take minutes: turn the eSIM line on, restart, update, check for a carrier lock, and reinstall the eSIM only if those fail.
You land. The phone is your boarding pass, your map and your ride home. The screen says it has no SIM.
Why does an iPhone with an eSIM say “No SIM available”?
The usual causes are an eSIM line that is switched off, an install that never finished, a plan that has ended, a locked phone or a software glitch. Check them in that order, cheapest first.
You can install a Maya eSIM any time, but it won’t connect to a network until you arrive in your destination. Your plan’s validity period begins once you switch the Maya eSIM on in Settings. An expired plan stays inactive until you buy a new one. A phone locked by its carrier can’t install plans from other carriers, and that shows up as an unsupported eSIM error. Often the eSIM is already installed, sometimes in the background after you scan the QR code, so look in Settings > Cellular before you reinstall anything.
How do you turn your eSIM line back on in iPhone Settings?
Open Settings > Cellular, tap the eSIM line, then tap Turn On this Line. A switched-off line is the first thing to rule out, and it takes a few taps.
Apple’s iPhone User Guide gives the steps:
- Go to Settings > Cellular.
- Below Cellular Plans, make sure two lines are turned on. To turn a line on or off, tap a line, then tap Turn On this Line.
With a Maya eSIM, the same move happens on landing: switch on your Maya eSIM and select it for Cellular Data. Apple adds one warning to the steps: you may pay roaming charges if Data Roaming is on and you’re outside the country or region your carrier covers. On February 25, 2026, Mullen gave Maya five stars on Trustpilot and wrote: “So easy to use…works the minute you step off plane…no messing…Good value…highly recommend”.
How do you fix “No SIM available” when your iPhone eSIM is already on?
Restart the phone, check for a carrier settings update, then confirm Data Roaming is on and the eSIM is selected for Cellular Data. If the line is on and the message stays, toggle Airplane Mode on, wait 30 seconds, switch it off, and give the eSIM up to 15 minutes to sign in to the network again.
Apple Support’s guide for “invalid SIM” and “no SIM” alerts runs in this order for an eSIM:
- Make sure you have an active plan with your wireless carrier.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Check for a carrier settings update: open Settings > General > About. If an update is available, you’ll see a prompt to select OK or Update.
- If your device has an eSIM, contact your carrier.
Skip nothing, and don’t jump to step 4 first. In a one-star Trustpilot review of Airalo from October 9, 2026, a customer wrote: “Paid for a package in Kenya and now in Tanzania and phone does not connect to the network!!! Rip off It used to work very well in the past”. If you’ve worked through these and the eSIM still isn’t installed, contact us and we’ll help.
When should you delete and reinstall the eSIM on your iPhone?
Reinstall only after the line switch and the resets have failed, and ask your eSIM provider first. Deleting an eSIM can remove the plan from the phone, and not every provider allows a second install.
Apple Support spells out the risk: don’t erase an eSIM as a troubleshooting step unless your carrier tells you to, and if you erase one you’ll need to contact your carrier to get a new one. If your provider does tell you to, Apple’s steps are:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Cellular.
- If you have a single plan, tap Delete eSIM.
- If you have multiple plans, tap the plan you want to erase, then tap Delete Plan.
A removed eSIM can’t be reinstalled on a different device.
How do you tell a carrier lock or hardware fault from an eSIM problem?
Check Settings > General > About for the carrier lock line. A locked iPhone can’t take another network’s eSIM, and that is a job for the carrier that locked it. If the iPhone is unlocked and every reset fails, the fault may be in the phone, and Apple Support is the next call.
Apple Support’s check:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap About. If “No SIM restrictions” appears next to Carrier Lock, your iPhone is unlocked.
If the Carrier Lock field says anything else, the phone is locked. The fix is to contact your carrier to have it unlocked, which can usually be done over the air through its customer service phone number or live chat. If you still see the alert after all of this, Apple says you might need service.
Which travel eSIM should you install before you fly?
The table lists how each company’s published plans are structured and priced, so you can match one to your trip before you leave. Ours is one eSIM for 165+ countries, priced flat by trip length, with 20+ cruise lines on the separately priced Global + Cruise plan.
| Travel eSIM | How plans are sold | Unlimited plan allowance, as published |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Mobile | One Global eSIM for 165+ countries, unlimited data at a flat price by trip length: USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7 days, USD 27.99 for 14 days, USD 49.99 for 30 days | A daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota) at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it, reset every 24 hours; unlimited data at standard speed once the Daily Quota is used |
| Airalo | Per country, per region, or one global plan; priced in USD | Our unlimited data packages don’t have a fixed total data cap. However, to keep the network running fairly for everyone, when you use more than 3GB in a day, we’ll slow down (or “throttle”) your internet speed to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. |
| Holafly | Per country, per region (Europe, Latin America, Cruise plans), and unlimited monthly/annual global plans | Unlimited data means there is no fixed limit on the amount of data you can use. However, some network operators may temporarily reduce your speed after a certain amount of high-speed data usage, as explained above. |
| Saily | Per country and per region, plus one global plan; by the gigabyte, unlimited, or both | The Unlimited plan gives you 5 GB per day at full 4G/5G speed, then keeps you online at 1 Mbps for the rest of the day — fast enough for navigation, messaging, and standard browsing. |
| Nomad | Per country, per region and global plans; by the gigabyte | How many GB of high-speed data you wish per day. You can continue to use your data at a throttled speed of 512kbps after you’ve used up your daily allocation. |
The rival rows quote each company’s published wording or briefly summarize it, and the Maya Mobile row comes from maya.net.
How Maya keeps one eSIM installed on your iPhone for every trip
The way to stop this message at the start of a trip is to stop reinstalling. Maya installs once and stays on your phone permanently. You install it in about 3 minutes, name the line “Maya eSIM” or after the country you’re visiting, and it stays put after your plan ends, ready for the next trip. Each trip needs a plan, and if yours has expired you can buy a new one in the app in under a minute. One eSIM covers unlimited data in 165+ countries from USD 9.99, and 20+ cruise lines on the separately priced Global + Cruise plan.
On June 9, 2026, Paula C. gave us five stars on Trustpilot and wrote: “Travelled to France and Spain for 2 months using unlimited data eSIM. I cannot recommend highly enough, just brilliant! No problems installing or connecting once at destination. I had to contact customer service via chat on one occasion and they immediately resolved the issue.”
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between “No SIM available” and “Invalid SIM” on an iPhone?
Apple Support covers both messages in one guide, with the same first steps. Confirm an active plan, restart, update carrier settings, and on an eSIM contact your carrier. Treat them alike and work down the fix list above.
Which iPhones support an eSIM?
Check your exact model with our compatibility checker. A phone that doesn’t show the options to enter a manual activation code doesn’t support eSIMs. The iPhone must also be carrier-unlocked, as the lock check above shows.
How do you choose which line your iPhone uses for cellular data?
Go to Settings > Cellular, tap Cellular Data, then tap a line, according to Apple Support’s Dual SIM steps. To let the phone use either line depending on coverage, turn on Allow Cellular Data Switching. For a Maya eSIM, keep your home line as Primary for voice, SMS and iMessage, and use the Maya eSIM for mobile data only.
How do you set Data Roaming for a travel eSIM on iPhone?
Open Settings > Cellular, tap the line you want, tap Cellular Data Options, and turn on Data Roaming, per Apple Support. Data Roaming must be on for the Maya eSIM to work. Turn it off on your home line so that line doesn’t pick up roaming charges.
Does Maya’s eSIM stay on my iPhone after the trip ends?
Yes. The eSIM stays on your phone after the plan expires, ready for the next trip. Plans are one-time purchases, and we don’t charge you automatically when one ends unless you turn on Auto Top-Up. Auto Top-Up is optional and off by default.
Maya keeps one eSIM installed on your iPhone across 165+ countries, so your next trip starts with a plan and no reinstall.
