In brief
On a Samsung Galaxy, open Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM; on a Google Pixel, Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs > Add SIM. Scan the QR code from your Mobile Companion account on Wi-Fi before you fly, then choose the eSIM for mobile data when you land in Japan.
Key points
- Install your eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi, before you leave.
- Samsung Galaxy: Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM.
- Google Pixel: Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs > Add SIM.
- Keep your UK SIM for calls and texts, and choose the eSIM for mobile data.
- No data roaming to switch on for the eSIM: in Japan, it connects by itself.
Before you start
Installing your Mobile Companion eSIM takes 1 minute. Menus differ between brands and Android versions, but the idea is always the same: open the SIM settings, add an eSIM, scan the QR code. Before you begin, check three things:
- An eSIM-compatible, unlocked phone. Not every Android phone has eSIM, and some models only have it in certain countries. See our list of Android phones with eSIM. If you bought in the Mobile Companion app, it has already checked for you.
- A Wi-Fi connection. The eSIM downloads over the internet, so the easiest place to install it is at home, before you travel.
- Your eSIM details to hand. Straight after purchase, your QR code is ready in your Mobile Companion account, with the codes for manual installation. Show the QR code on another screen or print it: your phone can’t scan its own screen.
Samsung Galaxy
Add the eSIM
Open SIM manager
Go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager.
Add the eSIM
Tap Add eSIM, then Scan QR code.
Scan the code
Point the camera at your QR code. The eSIM downloads and appears in the list after a few seconds.
No QR code?
On the scan screen, tap Enter activation code and enter the details from your Mobile Companion account.
Name the line
Give the eSIM a clear name, such as “Japan”, so you can spot it easily.
SIM manager settings
Still in SIM manager, set up your lines for the trip:
- Mobile data: the eSIM. Tap Mobile data and choose it on departure day or when you land. Until then, your UK SIM can keep the data if you need it at home.
- Calls and texts: your UK SIM, which keeps your number. The Mobile Companion eSIM is data-only and has no phone number.
- Data roaming: nothing to switch on for the eSIM, it’s a Japanese line. On your UK SIM, turn data roaming off to avoid charges abroad (usually in Settings > Connections > Mobile networks).
Google Pixel
Add the eSIM
Open SIM settings
Go to Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs.
Add the eSIM
Tap Add SIM, then Set up an eSIM, and follow the screens until the camera opens.
Scan the QR code
The phone downloads the eSIM. If the scan doesn’t work, look for the manual entry option on the scan screen and use the codes from your account.
Set your preferences
When your Pixel asks for your SIM preferences, tap Get started, then Next and Done.
Mobile data and roaming
- Mobile data: in Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs, tap Mobile data under your primary SIMs and choose the eSIM, on departure day or when you land. Check that mobile data is switched on.
- Calls and texts: your UK SIM, which keeps your number.
- Roaming: nothing to switch on for the eSIM. On your UK SIM, tap it in SIMs and turn off Roaming to avoid charges abroad.
| Step | Samsung Galaxy | Google Pixel |
|---|---|---|
| The menu | Settings > Connections > SIM manager | Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs |
| Add the eSIM | Add eSIM > Scan QR code | Add SIM > Set up an eSIM |
| Without a QR code | Scan QR code > Enter activation code | Manual entry on the scan screen |
| Mobile data | SIM manager > Mobile data | SIMs > Mobile data |
| In Japan | Aeroplane mode off: the eSIM connects by itself | Aeroplane mode off: the eSIM connects by itself |
Menus checked in October 2026 on Samsung UK’s eSIM help and Google’s Pixel help. Names can vary slightly with your version of Android or One UI.
Other Android phones
On other brands, such as Xiaomi, OPPO or Motorola, the menus have different names but the steps are the same. Search for “SIM” or “eSIM” in Settings, look for an option to add an eSIM or a mobile plan, then scan your QR code.
When you land in Japan
Turn off aeroplane mode as soon as you land: the eSIM finds the NTT docomo network by itself, in 5G where your phone and the network support it. Check that it’s your mobile data SIM, with mobile data on, and you’re online. Your plan starts at this first connection. The arrival steps in detail: switching your eSIM on when you land.
If the eSIM won’t activate
Check that aeroplane mode is off, that the eSIM is switched on (its toggle in SIM manager on Samsung, Use this SIM on Pixel) and chosen for mobile data, then restart your phone. QR code already used? Don’t keep retrying: it generally works only once. Every fix is in our guide to troubleshooting activation, and a real person answers on WhatsApp, 24/7, in English or French.
Back from your trip? Read our guide to deleting the eSIM when you’re home, or simply turn it off. Don’t have yours yet? Get your eSIM for Japan.
Ready to go?
Online as soon as you land
Your eSIM on NTT docomo’s 5G network, installed in 1 minute before you fly. From €1.20.
See the plansFAQ
How do I activate an eSIM on Samsung?
Go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM, tap Scan QR code and scan your QR code. When you land in Japan, choose the eSIM for mobile data.
How do I activate an eSIM on a Google Pixel?
Go to Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs > Add SIM, tap Set up an eSIM and scan your QR code. Then choose the eSIM for mobile data in the same menu.
Can every Android phone use an eSIM?
No. Some models have no eSIM, and some only have it in certain countries. Check your model in our list of compatible phones before you buy, or let the Mobile Companion app check it for you.
Why is there no option to add an eSIM on my Android?
Your phone may not support eSIM, or it may be locked to a network. Check your model in our list of compatible phones, and ask your UK network whether the phone is unlocked.
Do I need to turn on data roaming?
Not for the eSIM: it’s a Japanese line, so it connects by itself in Japan. Turn data roaming off on your UK SIM instead, to avoid charges abroad.