Airalo eSIM not working? Here’s the order to check things in

Read this before you do anything else

Do not delete the eSIM. With Airalo specifically, this is close to irreversible, and their own help centre says so in four different places:

“No, eSIMs typically can’t be reinstalled. We highly recommend you don’t remove any eSIM that you still intend to use.”

“Once an eSIM is removed from your device, you may encounter an error when trying to download it again. You will need to purchase, install, and activate a new eSIM to access mobile networks in your destination.”

This matters because generic advice on the internet says to delete and reinstall, and with some providers that is the documented fix. With Airalo it can destroy a paid plan.

If you need to stop the eSIM temporarily, Airalo’s own recommendation is to disable the line, not delete it:

“We recommend temporarily disabling the eSIM when you are not using it. Please note, your validity period is not paused when you temporarily disable your eSIM.”

If you already deleted it, open the Airalo app and go to My eSIMs. There may be a “Deleted your eSIM?” option that checks whether reinstallation is possible for your plan. It is not guaranteed, but try it before buying anything.

First: is it actually installed, and has it connected?

Airalo publishes a status distinction that clears up a lot of confusion:

“Installed: The eSIM profile has been successfully downloaded and configured on your device. In Use: The eSIM has successfully connected to a mobile network and initiated a data session.”

If the app says Installed but not In Use, the profile is on your phone and has not registered on a network yet. That is a connection problem, not an install problem, and the steps below are the right ones.

Also worth ruling out first, because Airalo puts it at the top of their own article: your eSIM only works in its coverage area. An eSIM for France will not work in Belgium.

The sequence, in Airalo’s published order

Work through these in order rather than jumping around.

1. Check it is installed properly. It should appear under SIMs or Cellular in your device settings. Label it something obvious so you can tell it from your Australian line.
2. Check you followed the connection steps. The eSIM turned on, and selected for data.
3. Turn aeroplane mode off. Airalo’s own note: “It may seem simple, but it’s one of the most common reasons devices fail to connect.”
4. Check the APN. Airalo says “in many cases, the APN is set automatically”, but not always. The correct APN is in your Airalo app under the eSIM’s details. Our APN settings guide explains what the field does.
5. Turn data roaming on. For the Airalo line specifically. It feels wrong because you are already roaming, and it is correct. See why that toggle catches people out.
6. Select the network manually. Airalo is unusually honest about why this is needed: “In most cases, it will automatically connect to the strongest available network — in some cases, it may choose the wrong network.” The list of networks your plan can use is in the Airalo app.

On iPhone: Settings, Cellular, tap the eSIM, Network Selection, turn Automatic off, pick the network your app lists.

1. Turn your other SIM off temporarily. Two active lines can fight over the data connection.
2. Change your network mode. Airalo: “If you’re attempting to use 5G, try connecting with 4G/LTE or 3G.” This one fixes a surprising number of cases and almost nobody thinks of it.
3. Restart the phone. 10. Check your signal coverage.

The step most guides leave out

On iPhone, after selecting the Airalo eSIM as your data line, go to Settings, Cellular, Cellular Data, and turn off “Allow Cellular Data Switching”. Otherwise your phone can quietly fall back to your Australian line, which will not work and may trigger a roaming charge from your Australian carrier.

If it never installed

“This code is no longer valid” on a first install. Airalo says this can be a poor connection, a VPN, or too many eSIMs already stored on the device. Turn off any VPN and try again. Airalo also flags MDM profiles: “VPNs or mobile device management (MDM) profiles may interfere with eSIM installation.”

“Unable to Activate eSIM” on iOS. Check you are on a solid wifi connection, restart, update iOS, and check whether your phone is carrier locked.

The app says installed but you cannot find it. Match the ICCID. On iPhone: Settings, General, About. On Pixel: Settings, About Phone, SIM Status. On Samsung: Settings, About phone, Status, Network, SIM card.

PDP Authentication Failure. Airalo’s own explanation: “your device is struggling to verify your eSIM with the local network. This is typically caused by incorrect settings or an empty data balance.” Check the APN spelling, check your balance is not zero, and confirm you are on a supported network.

One named device issue. Airalo publishes exactly one known-problem model: “Some Samsung Galaxy S22 users have reported a known issue where they cannot delete an Airalo eSIM profile from their device or the SIM manager fails to load due to a software bug.”

Hotspot not working even though data is?

This is a genuine trap and Airalo documents it in a place most people never look. If your eSIM needed a manual APN, you have to set the Personal Hotspot APN separately:

“In the Personal Hotspot APN field, type the APN as written in the eSIM installation details (all lower case, all one word). Leave Username and password blank.”

On Android, set the APN before enabling hotspot.

Worth knowing that Airalo’s tethering policy itself is generous: “There is no limit on tethering or the number of devices you connect.”

Contacting Airalo

24/7 live chat in the app and on the web, plus email. No phone support and no WhatsApp.

Have your eSIM details ready. Airalo notes that support “may ask you to provide further information to support your refund request, such as screenshots of the Device settings.”

One practical point: Airalo’s help centre articles carry no last-updated dates anywhere, so you cannot tell how current any given instruction is.

If you want a refund

Airalo has a self-service refund button. In the app, go to My eSIMs, select your package, and look for Request Refund in Package History, or find it via Profile then Orders.

Two things to know before you press it. The button only appears for eligible orders, and expired or fully used eSIMs are not eligible. And the reason you pick changes what you can get back: “for ‘Wrong purchase’ and ‘Plans changed’, the Airmoney option (our in-app currency) is the only available refund method.” For “Installation issues” and “eSIM not working” you can choose Airmoney or your card.

So if you want money rather than credit, the reason you select matters.

Full detail in how an Airalo refund actually works.

Separately, and regardless of what any policy says: if you bought as an Australian consumer, your consumer guarantees are not limited by a seller’s refund window or by a clause putting the contract under English law. What Australian Consumer Law says about a travel eSIM that doesn’t work covers it.

If you are at the point of choosing another plan, our best travel eSIM guide for Australians compares the current options and their practical trade-offs.

Questions people actually ask

Should I delete my Airalo eSIM and reinstall it?

No. Airalo says removed eSIMs typically cannot be reinstalled and you would need to buy a new one. Disable the line instead.

I already deleted it. Is it gone?

Possibly not. Open the app, go to My eSIMs, and look for a “Deleted your eSIM?” option, which checks whether reinstallation is possible for your plan.

Why does my Airalo eSIM say no service?

Most often data roaming is off for that line, the eSIM is not selected as your data line, or the phone has picked the wrong network. Work through steps 5, 2 and 6 above.

Do I need to set an APN?

Often not, since Airalo says it is usually automatic. If data is not working, check it against the details in the app. If you want to use hotspot, you may need to set the hotspot APN separately.

My data works but hotspot does not. Set the Personal Hotspot APN separately, using the same APN in all lower case as one word.

Can I call Airalo?

No. Chat and email only, 24/7.

Will a refund come back to my card?

Only if you select “Installation issues” or “eSIM not working” as the reason. The other two self-service reasons only offer Airmoney credit.

Sources

All Airalo guidance and quotes retrieved 17 August 2026 from Airalo’s own Help Center and Terms of Use (last updated July 2026), including their articles on why an eSIM is not working, reinstalling an eSIM, tethering, and the Unlimited Data Plans Fair Use Policy.

Written by Lachlan, who runs The SIM Shop from Brisbane and answers the support email himself.

One line about us

If you end up needing a replacement, we sell travel eSIMs in Australian dollars and print the throttled speed in the plan name. Check your phone is compatible first. The steps above work whether or not you take us up on it.