Holafly eSIM not working after you land? Work through this in order

Before anything else: do not delete the eSIM

This is the first thing to say because it is the most common instinct and it can be irreversible.

Holafly’s own troubleshooting pages open with it:

“If the quick fixes didn’t work, don’t delete your eSIM because you may not be able to reinstall it, and follow these steps instead.”

Their setup FAQ is blunter:

“Avoid deleting the eSIM. Once removed, it can’t be reinstalled and usually requires a new eSIM.”

Holafly’s own site contradicts itself on this, and you should know both versions. Their newest and most specific page, updated 15 July 2026, says:

“Holafly data plans are single-use and designed for one specific trip, but you can reinstall your eSIM up to 4 times in total on the exact same phone.”

But their main installation page says “the QR code can only be scanned once” and “Do not remove the eSIM from your device as you will not be able to use it again.” Their Android error page says “most eSIMs can only be installed once.”

So: do not delete it to troubleshoot. If you already have, try the manual activation codes from your email before buying anything, because the reinstall may work. Holafly recommends the manual codes over the QR for reinstalls.

Step 1. Are you actually there yet?

Travel eSIMs activate on arrival, not on purchase. If you installed it at home and it shows no service, that is expected.

Holafly:

“Make sure you’ve already arrived at your destination. Data only works after you activate the eSIM at the destination.”

And give it a minute:

“Why is my eSIM getting no service? … If you’ve just landed, give it a minute to find a local network before trying anything else.”

If it says “activating” for a while, that is not a failure either:

“If your eSIM stays on ‘activating’ for more than 10 minutes, it doesn’t mean the activation failed. Sometimes the device needs a little extra time to complete network registration with the local carrier, especially right after arrival or in areas with a weaker signal.”

Step 2. Turn data roaming on for the Holafly line

This is the single most common cause and it feels wrong, which is why people skip it. You are roaming, so roaming has to be on.

Holafly calls it “the most effective step for travel eSIMs showing SOS or No Service” and elsewhere “the most common reason activation fails.”

iPhone: Settings, then Cellular or Mobile Data, tap the Holafly line, turn Data Roaming on. Android: Settings, then Connections or Network, then SIM manager, select the Holafly eSIM, turn Data Roaming on.

Turn it on for the Holafly line specifically, not your Australian one. We have written this up in more detail in why the data roaming toggle catches people out.

Step 3. Make sure it is your data line

An installed eSIM that is not selected for data does nothing. Holafly lists this as cause number one:

“Incorrect data selection. The travel eSIM is not selected as the primary line for Cellular Data in your settings.”

iPhone: Settings, Cellular, tap the Holafly eSIM, enable “Turn On This Line”. Then go back, tap Cellular Data, and select the Holafly eSIM. Then turn off “Allow Cellular Data Switching”, which otherwise lets the phone quietly fall back to your Australian line.

Android: Settings, Connections, SIM manager, turn the eSIM on, then tap Mobile data and select it.

Step 4. Aeroplane mode for fifteen seconds

Holafly’s own headline fix for Android, and step two on iPhone:

“turn Airplane Mode ON, wait 10 to 15 seconds, and turn it back OFF. This can help refresh your network connection.”

Step 5. Turn your other line off, temporarily

Two active lines can fight over data. Holafly:

“Turn OFF other lines under Settings → Cellular to prevent them from interfering with your data-only eSIM and causing a No Service status.”

“If your physical SIM is active for data, it may interfere with the performance of your Holafly eSIM.”

There is a second reason to do this that Holafly also mentions: “We recommend turning off your primary local SIM to avoid unexpected roaming charges from your home carrier.” If you are on an Australian postpaid plan, background data on that line can trigger a daily roaming charge. Our dual SIM setup guide covers how to keep receiving texts without triggering anything.

Step 6. Restart the phone

Genuinely worth doing before the fiddly steps, and Holafly puts it high in their generic flow.

Step 7. Pick a network manually

If you are still on SOS or No Service, this often does it.

iPhone: Settings, Cellular, tap the Holafly line, Network Selection, turn Automatic off, wait for the list, then try the operators one at a time.

Android: Settings, Connections, Mobile networks, Network operators, turn off “Select automatically”, wait, then try them one at a time.

Holafly’s own instruction, and the timing detail matters:

“Then try one by one all the operators listed (each time you select one, wait 30 seconds while it connects to the network) → Select the operator with the strongest signal”

To know which operator you want, Holafly says:

“go to our website, search for the country you are in, and check the Coverage and Network sections to see all compatible networks for your mobile plan.”

Step 8. Check your APN

Here is a gap worth knowing about. Holafly’s device-specific troubleshooting pages, the iPhone and Android ones updated most recently, do not mention APN at all. Only their generic how-to article does, and that one calls it “usually the first thing to rule out”.

So if you have been following Holafly’s FAQ path, nobody has told you to check this. It is worth checking.

Holafly publishes per-brand APN guides for Huawei, Oppo, Honor, Vivo, Xiaomi, Pixel, Sony, Nokia, Motorola and OnePlus. Find the APN for your destination in your Holafly email or on their site, and set it on the eSIM line only. Our general APN settings guide explains what the field does.

Step 9. Reset network settings

Last resort before contacting support, and it does not delete your eSIM. Holafly is explicit about that, which is reassuring:

“Important: This action won’t delete your eSIM, but it will remove saved Wi-Fi networks and cellular preferences.”

iPhone: Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, Reset Network Settings. Android: Settings, System, Reset options, Reset Wi-Fi, mobile and Bluetooth.

You will need to re-enter wifi passwords afterwards, so do this somewhere you can get back online.

If it never installed in the first place

Different problem, different fixes.

“This code is no longer valid” on iPhone. Holafly says this often means it already installed successfully. Check Settings, General, About, and look for a second ICCID matching the number under the QR code in your email.

“Unsupported eSIM” on iPhone. Usually a carrier lock. Check Settings, General, About, and scroll to Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means you are unlocked.

“Plan already in use” or “Your eSIM isn’t ready yet” on Android. Holafly: the profile is already installed. “Avoid scanning the QR code again if the eSIM profile is already present, as most eSIMs can only be installed once.”

“Add plan to watch” on Android. Holafly: “a clear sign that your Android device doesn’t support eSIM.” Usually appears when you scan from the camera app instead of Settings.

Android carrier lock check: Settings, Connections, Mobile networks, Network operators, turn off Select automatically, wait 30 seconds. “If you see only one carrier, your phone is locked.”

Two of Holafly’s own install rules worth repeating: always install from the Settings menu, not the camera app, and turn off any VPN before installing.

Contacting Holafly, and the catch

Channels are WhatsApp on +1 661 384 8482, email to help@holafly.com, and chat on their site or app.

One thing worth knowing about the hours. Holafly advertises 24/7 support on most of its pages. But their Terms of Use, clause 12.1, is the only place that qualifies it:

“WhatsApp: +1 661 384 8482 (this line is operated 9.00 – 17.00 Central European Time)”

Nine to five Central European Time is roughly 5pm to 1am in eastern Australia. So WhatsApp is effectively unavailable during the Australian working day, even though every other page says 24/7. Chat and email are advertised without that caveat.

The bigger catch: you need wifi. Holafly does not publish any zero-rated support channel, and there is no statement anywhere that support is reachable without a working connection. If your eSIM never connected, you need wifi to ask for help. Find a cafe.

Have these ready, per Holafly’s own list: your activation confirmation email, device model and software version, error messages or screenshots, and the steps you have already tried.

If you want a refund

Report the problem while you are still travelling. Holafly’s refund policy makes this explicit for connection failures:

“We cannot guarantee a refund if you contact us after your trip.”

Their connection-issue route offers a full or partial refund depending on data used, and their catch-all clause adds “an administrative fee of $3.50 USD”. The unactivated routes are more generous, with a six month window.

Separately, and this applies no matter 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 saying Irish law applies. What Australian Consumer Law says about a travel eSIM that doesn’t work covers that properly.

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 Holafly eSIM and reinstall it?

No, not as a troubleshooting step. Holafly’s pages mostly say a deleted eSIM cannot be reinstalled, though one newer page says up to four installs on the same phone. Do not risk it. If you already deleted it, try the manual activation codes from your email.

Why does my Holafly eSIM say SOS or No Service?

Most often data roaming is off for that line, or the eSIM is not selected as your data line, or you have not arrived yet. Work through steps 1 to 3 above first.

Do I need to turn data roaming on?

Yes, on the Holafly line specifically. Holafly calls it the most effective fix for SOS or No Service.

Will resetting network settings delete my eSIM?

No. Holafly states it does not. It does remove saved wifi networks and cellular preferences.

Can I contact Holafly without data?

Not really. Holafly publishes no zero-rated support channel and does not say support is reachable without a connection. You will need wifi.

Is Holafly support really 24/7?

Chat and email are advertised as 24/7. Their Terms of Use state that WhatsApp runs 9am to 5pm Central European Time, which is roughly 5pm to 1am in eastern Australia.

My QR code says it is no longer valid. What now?

Holafly says this often means it already installed. Check for a second ICCID in your phone’s About screen matching the number in your email.

Sources

All Holafly guidance, quotes and policy wording retrieved 17 August 2026 from Holafly’s own site, including their iPhone cellular data troubleshooting, Android data troubleshooting, eSIM not working guide, setup guide, reinstall policy, installation instructions, refund policy and Terms of Use.

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 we print the throttled speed in the plan name so you know what you are buying. Check your phone is compatible first. That is the whole pitch, and the steps above work whether or not you take it.