SimVala
Part of the complete guide to eSIMs

How to delete an eSIM, and when not to

On iPhone: Settings, Cellular, Delete eSIM. On Android: Settings, your SIM settings, the eSIM, then Erase or Remove. But a deleted eSIM usually cannot come back, and deleting does not cancel a plan. Often, switching it off is the better move. Check yours:

Updated September 28, 2026 · SimVala editorial

Quick check

Should you delete it, or just switch it off?

Is it your main phone line from your carrier?Is it your main phone line from your carrier?
Does it still have data or days left?Does it still have data or days left?
Are you selling or giving away the phone?Are you selling or giving away the phone?
Are you deleting it because it is not working?Are you deleting it because it is not working?

Safe to delete

The plan is used up or expired, so there is nothing to lose. Deleting it tidies up your SIM settings.

How to delete an eSIM, phone by phone

iPhone

  1. 1. Open Settings, then Cellular.
  2. 2. One line: tap Delete eSIM.
  3. 3. Several lines: tap the plan, then Delete Plan.
  4. 4. Confirm.

Samsung Galaxy

  1. 1. Open Settings, then Connections, then SIM manager.
  2. 2. Tap the eSIM.
  3. 3. Tap Remove, and confirm.

Google Pixel

  1. 1. Open Settings, then Network and internet, then SIMs.
  2. 2. Tap the eSIM.
  3. 3. Tap Erase SIM or Delete, and confirm.

Other Android

  1. 1. Open Settings and find SIMs, SIM manager, or Mobile network.
  2. 2. Tap the eSIM.
  3. 3. Look for Erase, Delete, or Remove, and confirm.

Menu names can shift slightly between software versions and brands.

Switching off vs deleting

Switching an eSIM off is like closing a door. Deleting it is like throwing away the key. A switched-off eSIM uses no data and costs nothing, and you can turn it back on any time before it expires.

Switch it off when

  • You are between trips and might go back soon.
  • The plan still has data or days left.
  • It is not connecting and you are not sure why.

Delete it when

  • The plan is used up or has expired.
  • You are selling, trading in, or giving away the phone.
  • Your carrier tells you to, for a main-line eSIM.

What deleting an eSIM does not do

  • It does not cancel a plan. Apple is clear on this: to cancel a carrier plan, contact the carrier.
  • It does not refund leftover data. At SimVala, an activated eSIM cannot be refunded, so deleting one mid-trip loses what is left on it.
  • It does not fix a connection. Apple advises against erasing an eSIM to troubleshoot. Our guide to an eSIM that is not working covers the real fixes.

Selling or resetting your phone

When you choose Erase All Content and Settings on an iPhone, it asks whether to keep or erase the eSIM. Keep it if you are resetting your own phone; erase it if the phone is leaving your hands.

Sources

Checked on 2026-09-28.

Keep reading

Also useful: Our refund policy

Deleting an eSIM, answered

How do I delete an eSIM on iPhone?+

Open Settings, tap Cellular, then tap Delete eSIM. If you have more than one line, tap the plan you want to remove first, then Delete Plan.

How do I delete an eSIM on Android?+

Open Settings, go to your SIM settings (SIMs, SIM manager, or Mobile network), choose the eSIM, and tap Erase or Remove. On Samsung it is Settings, Connections, SIM manager.

Does deleting an eSIM cancel my plan?+

No. Deleting removes it from the phone, but a carrier plan keeps running. To cancel a carrier plan, contact your carrier.

Can I reinstall a deleted eSIM?+

Usually not. Most eSIM QR codes install once, so a deleted travel eSIM normally cannot be downloaded again.

Should I delete my travel eSIM after my trip?+

Only once it is used up or expired. Until then, switch it off: it uses nothing, and you can switch it back on if you return.

Do I get a refund if I delete an eSIM?+

Not for an eSIM that has been activated. At SimVala, data already used and activated eSIMs cannot be refunded, so deleting one mid-trip throws away the data left on it.

What happens to the eSIM when I factory reset my iPhone?+

When you choose Erase All Content and Settings, your iPhone asks whether to keep or erase the eSIM. Erase it if you are selling or giving away the phone.

Should I delete an eSIM that is not working?+

No. Apple advises against erasing an eSIM as a troubleshooting step. Check the line is on, chosen for data, and has data roaming on first.

Planning the next trip?

Travel data in 200+ countries. Pay in crypto, no card, no email, no ID.

Browse eSIMs