Are you looking to get one of the new iPhone 16 devices? You’ll want to make sure you can connect it to your network, and we know eSIM and dual-SIM support have gotten very confusing in the past few years — especially for Apple users! You may be wondering how the new iPhones handle this whole situation. Does the Apple iPhone 16 have eSIM and dual-SIM capabilities? Let’s tell you all there is to know regarding this topic!
QUICK ANSWER
All versions of the Apple iPhone 16 series support eSIM. They also all support dual-SIM, using two eSIM profiles at a time. There is no support for physical SIM cards in the US.
That said, things are different outside the US. All versions sold outside said American country will have a physical SIM card slot, as well as eSIM.
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Does the iPhone 16 have eSIM?
Yes, all versions of the Apple iPhone 16 series have eSIM support. This includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
What changes between markets is the availability of physical SIM card support. The US versions of all these iPhone 16 models will have no physical SIM card support at all. The SIM card slots are missing, altogether.
There are different versions of the iPhone 16 series, though. The international models will come with a physical SIM card slot and eSIM. The only model that does not support eSIM is the Chinese version, but it will come with two physical SIM card slots, which many of you might prefer.
If you want a more straightforward look at each model and its SIM/eSIM configuration, here’s this chart:
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
US |
iPhone 16
Dual-eSIM |
iPhone 16 Plus
Dual-eSIM |
iPhone 16 Pro
Dual-eSIM |
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Dual-eSIM |
|
China |
iPhone 16
Dual Physical SIM |
iPhone 16 Plus
Dual Physical SIM |
iPhone 16 Pro
Dual Physical SIM |
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Dual Physical SIM |
|
Rest of the world |
iPhone 16
Single Physical SIM |
iPhone 16 Plus
Single Physical SIM |
iPhone 16 Pro
Single Physical SIM |
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Single Physical SIM |
Does the iPhone 16 have dual-SIM support?
Yes, the iPhone 16 series handsets support dual-SIM functionality, regardless of which iteration you get.
The US versions of the iPhone 16 devices can run two eSIM profiles at a time. The international model can run a single physical SIM card, along with an eSIM profile. Alternatively, you can use two eSIM profiles, just like with the US model.
The Chinese versions of the iPhone 16 allow for two physical SIM cards to run simultaneously. No eSIM support here.
What happened to the iPhone 16 physical SIM card slot?
Apple continued this tradition with the iPhone 15 and 16 devices, so there seems to be no turning back, at least here in the US. In the US, all new iPhones lack the physical SIM card support and rely solely on eSIM technology.
Will the lack of a physical SIM affect you?
Luckily for most of you worldwide, only US residents are affected by the whole eSIM-only pandemonium. The rest of you will have physical SIM card slots.
That said, we can also assume many of you have already switched to eSIM. And even if you haven’t, we don’t see most users having issues, save for a possibly wonky activation process. Otherwise, users will enjoy their phones just as they would with an actual SIM card. This is because the majority of users aren’t really swapping phones and replacing SIM cards all the time.
There is one group of people that may suffer, though. Travelers often use SIM cards from other countries to avoid roaming charges or stay connected where they otherwise wouldn’t. And while you may think simply getting an eSIM profile from that country is a solution, many countries still haven’t entirely caught up with eSIM technology.
This leads us to another option: You can import an iPhone 16 from another country. Of course, this may have some warranty implications, but it’s definitely something you can consider.
FAQs
There are multiple ways to activate an eSIM on an iPhone 16. It can be done during the setup process, through the settings, using a QR code, or having the manufacturer push it to your device. You can also transfer eSIMs from other iPhones. Apple has a guide for activating eSIM profiles if you need some help.
You can definitely transfer eSIM profiles between iPhones! Just go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM. You’ll also be prompted to transfer your eSIM during the setup process.
There is still no official way to transfer eSIM profiles between Android and iPhones. Basically, you’ll have to delete the eSIM profile on one device and then add a new eSIM profile to the other one.
Apple mentions your iPhone 16 can store eight or more eSIM profiles. That said, only two can be active at any given point.
