Use your phone’s dual-SIM settings to label each line, set the travel eSIM as the data line, and turn off data switching if you want the phone to stay on the travel plan during the trip. On iPhone and Pixel, the exact menu paths differ; Samsung uses its own SIM manager screens, and carrier policy can still affect whether an eSIM is usable on a locked device.
Start with line labels
On iPhone, open Settings > Cellular, then tap each line and rename it so the home SIM and travel eSIM are easy to tell apart; Apple's Dual SIM guidance also says you can turn a line on from the same screen and choose the line used for cellular data there. On Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, where you can manage the SIMs that appear under your primary SIMs. Apple’s Dual SIM guidance and Google's Pixel eSIM guidance both document the line-management screens, but they use different menu names and paths.
Choose the travel eSIM for mobile data
For iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and tap the line you want for data. Apple says only one line can be the cellular data line at a time, and you can switch between the lines from that screen. For Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, then under Your primary SIMs tap Mobile data and select the line you want; Google says only one SIM can be the default for data.
Samsung’s carrier and device documentation commonly places these controls in Settings > Connections > SIM manager, where the mobile-data SIM is selected separately from calls and messages. The exact labels can vary by model and software version, so use the phone’s SIM manager screen rather than assuming the iPhone or Pixel path applies.
Manage data switching during the trip
On iPhone, Apple says to turn on Allow Cellular Data Switching if you want either line to be used depending on coverage and availability. If you do not want the phone to move data back to the home line, leave Allow Cellular Data Switching off and keep the travel eSIM selected under Cellular Data.
On Pixel, Google’s Pixel eSIM guidance documents the single default-data setting under SIMs and does not document an iPhone-style automatic data-switching toggle on the page used here. That means the documented control is the Mobile data selection itself. For Samsung, the available switch may be shown in SIM manager or a related preferred-SIM screen, but the wording can differ by carrier and device build.
Keep the home SIM active without using its data
If the goal is to keep receiving home-number calls and texts while using the travel eSIM for internet, leave the home line on but make sure it is not the selected data line. Apple’s Dual SIM guidance explicitly supports one line for cellular data and another line for calls and texts, and Google’s Pixel eSIM guidance likewise separates data from the other primary-SIM choices. On Samsung, this separation is handled in SIM manager, where data can be assigned independently from the other line settings.
- iPhone: keep both lines on in Settings > Cellular, then set Cellular Data to the travel eSIM.
- Pixel: keep both SIMs enabled in Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, then set Mobile data to the travel eSIM.
- Samsung: use Settings > Connections > SIM manager and assign mobile data to the travel eSIM.
Turn the travel line off after the trip
When the trip ends, turn the travel eSIM off from the same place you used to manage it. On iPhone, open Settings > Cellular, tap the travel line, and use Turn On This Line to switch it off. On Pixel, return to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs and turn off the travel SIM there if you no longer want it active. Samsung documentation places the off control in SIM manager or the individual SIM’s settings page, depending on the device.
If you plan to reuse the travel eSIM later, keep its profile installed unless the carrier’s own instructions say to delete it. The pages used here document turning the line off, not deleting the profile, so deletion should not be assumed.
Carrier locks and device differences
Whether a travel eSIM can be added or used depends on the device and carrier. Apple’s page states that Dual SIM works on supported iPhone models and the line controls are in Settings > Cellular; Google’s page documents the Pixel SIM controls under Settings > Network & internet > SIMs. Samsung’s behavior depends on the model and software version, so the exact labels shown in SIM manager should be followed on the handset itself. If the phone is carrier-locked, carrier rules can still limit whether the travel eSIM is accepted.
For a straightforward dual-SIM switching guide, the practical rule is the same across the three platforms: label the lines, set the travel eSIM as the data line, and switch the travel line off when you get home. The menus are different, but the objective is the same.
More eSIM resources: Browse our eSIM guides and troubleshooting resources for compatibility, setup, travel-data and account-safety advice.
Related reading: Complete eSIM Guide: Compatibility, Setup, Travel and Troubleshooting, Travel eSIM vs International Roaming: Which Costs Less?, and How to Install a Travel eSIM on iPhone and Android Before You Fly.
