Quick answer
Yes: you can use a no-ID eSIM on an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR or any later model, if the iPhone is not locked to a carrier. Most iPhones sold in mainland China are the exception. UnlistedSIM, a no-ID eSIM seller paid in crypto, sells data-only eSIMs from $1.09 with no ID and no email: top up from $10, and the QR code appears in your account once the eSIM is ready.
iPhone and a no-ID eSIM: key facts
| Compatible models | iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later; in mainland China only five recent models |
|---|---|
| Install path | Settings > Cellular (Mobile Data in some regions) > Add eSIM > Use QR Code |
| What mobile networks see | The iPhone's IMEI and its approximate location, like on any network; the EID during the eSIM download |
| Phone number | None: UnlistedSIM eSIMs are data only, with no calls and no SMS |
| Hotspot on our plans | Rule per plan not published yet |
| ID / KYC at checkout | None: no ID document, no selfie, no email |
| Payment | Crypto only (BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC), top-up from $10 |
| Plans from | $1.09 |
Which iPhone models support eSIM?
Apple lists the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later models as eSIM-capable (support article 118669, published 17 September 2026). The exceptions depend on where the iPhone was sold:
- Mainland China: only the iPhone 18 Pro (A3715), iPhone 18 Pro Max (A3718), iPhone Duo (A3721), iPhone 17e (A3635) and iPhone Air (A3518) sold there support eSIM, with two eSIMs at most. Other iPhone models sold in mainland China use two nano-SIM trays and have no eSIM (Apple 123879 and 118669).
- Hong Kong and Macao: Apple says certain iPhone models sold there have two nano-SIM slots. Check the model before you buy.
- eSIM-only models: according to press reports (heise, MobileSyrup), the iPhone 17 is eSIM-only in 12 markets, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan and the Gulf states, and the iPhone Air is eSIM-only everywhere. We found no published list for the iPhone 18 series (checked 9 October 2026).
Before you buy, check the exact model and where it was sold. A device that is not on the manufacturer's list cannot install any eSIM, ours included.
How do I install a no-ID eSIM on an iPhone?
Install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi, before you travel. Apple says the iPhone must be connected to a Wi-Fi network or a hotspot during setup; in some countries, eSIM-only models can activate without Wi-Fi (Apple 118227). Open the QR code from your UnlistedSIM account on another screen. On the iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (called Mobile Data in some regions), tap Add eSIM, then Use QR Code. If you cannot scan, choose to enter the details manually and paste the activation code. Menu names can change slightly between iOS versions.
Your UnlistedSIM account shows the QR code and the activation code as soon as the eSIM is ready, after the crypto top-up is credited. You need no email to receive it: none is asked at checkout or needed to log in.
Step by step
Connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi
Apple says an iPhone must be on Wi-Fi or a hotspot to set up an eSIM, except some eSIM-only models in some countries (Apple 118227). Do it at home, before you leave.
Open the QR code on another screen
In your UnlistedSIM account, open My eSIMs: the QR code and the activation code appear there as soon as the eSIM is ready.
Add the eSIM
On the iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Add eSIM > Use QR Code, and scan the code. To type it instead, choose to enter the details manually and paste the activation code.
Name the line and keep your home line
Label the new line, for example Travel. Keep your home line on for calls and SMS codes, and choose the travel eSIM for cellular data.
Turn on data roaming for the travel line when you land
In Settings > Cellular, select the travel line and turn on Data Roaming for it: travel eSIMs usually connect in roaming on the visited network.
How many eSIMs can an iPhone hold?
Apple says an iPhone can store eight or more eSIMs. Two lines can be active at the same time (Dual SIM). On iPhone 13 and later models, those two lines can be two eSIMs, or one nano-SIM and one eSIM (Apple 118669 and 109317). Keep your home line active next to the travel eSIM, so you still receive calls and SMS codes.
A travel eSIM can sit next to your usual line. You keep receiving calls and SMS codes on your home number, while the travel eSIM carries your mobile data.
What does an iPhone reveal to the mobile network?
Like every phone, an iPhone identifies itself to each mobile network it uses with its IMEI, the device identifier. Installing another eSIM does not change the IMEI. The visited network also sees the phone's approximate location through the cells it connects to. The eSIM chip has its own identifier, the EID, which identifies the chip to the server that delivers the eSIM profile. Both numbers are shown in Settings > General > About.
This is why we describe our service as private checkout; networks still see device identifiers and location. Buying without an ID keeps your name out of our records, but the visited network still sees the device and its approximate location. An eSIM is not a VPN: use HTTPS and, if needed, a trusted VPN for traffic confidentiality. The full list of who sees what is on who sees what.
What can stop an eSIM from working on an iPhone?
Carrier lock. An eSIM from another provider needs an unlocked iPhone. Go to Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock: "No SIM restrictions" means the iPhone is unlocked. Only the carrier can unlock it; Apple cannot (Apple 109316). Apple also says that to use plans from two carriers, your carrier must unlock your iPhone, or both plans must come from the same carrier (Apple 109317).
China. Apple says eSIMs from carriers outside mainland China cannot be installed while you are in mainland China (Apple 123879). Install the eSIM before you go.
What does an UnlistedSIM eSIM not do on an iPhone?
UnlistedSIM eSIMs are data only: no phone number, no calls, no SMS. iMessage, FaceTime and SMS codes stay on your home line. Whether our plans allow Personal Hotspot is not published yet, and we make no 5G claim for our plans.
If the eSIM cannot be installed or delivered, it is credited back to your balance; an installed eSIM is not refunded. The refunds page explains the rule, and the pricing page lists every plan.
iPhone and no-ID eSIMs: FAQ
Do I need an ID to use an eSIM on an iPhone?
Not to buy it. UnlistedSIM asks for no ID document, no selfie and no email: you top up in crypto from $10, and the QR code and activation code appear in your account. Some countries have their own rules for SIM cards; the Travel eSIM ID Registry lists them with sources and check dates.
Does the eSIM give an iPhone a phone number?
No. UnlistedSIM eSIMs are data only: no phone number, no calls, no SMS. Keep your home SIM active for calls and for the SMS codes your bank sends. Messaging and calling apps that run over mobile data keep working, subject to local rules in some countries.
When should I install the eSIM on an iPhone?
Before you leave, at home, on Wi-Fi. Install the profile in advance and switch mobile data to it when you arrive. In mainland China, Apple says eSIMs from foreign carriers cannot be installed on the spot, and some eSIM sellers' sites are blocked in Turkey, so installing in advance avoids both problems.
Can I move the eSIM from an iPhone to another device later?
Plan on one device. An eSIM profile is installed on one device, and most profiles can be downloaded only once. We have not published a transfer or re-issue rule yet, so install the eSIM on the device you will travel with, and turn the line off rather than deleting it.
What happens if the eSIM cannot be installed on an iPhone?
An eSIM that was never installed, or could not be delivered, is credited back to your UnlistedSIM balance. An installed eSIM is not refunded. Unused balance stays on your account and never expires, and it pays for new eSIMs and top-ups, but it is not refundable. Check the compatible models and the carrier lock before you buy, and write to support if the install fails.
Which cryptocurrencies can I pay with for an eSIM on an iPhone?
You can pay with Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC). We don't accept Monero (XMR). You top up a prepaid balance from $10, then buy the eSIM from it; unused balance never expires but is not refundable. UnlistedSIM asks for no ID and no email at checkout. The pay privately guide explains what each coin reveals.
Other devices
Each guide covers one device family: models, install path, identifiers and limits. Privacy-focused Pixel users can also read the GrapheneOS guide, and laptop users the travel router guide.
Sources (8)
- About eSIM on iPhone (support article 118669) — Apple (2026-09-17)
- Using Dual SIM with an eSIM (support article 109317) — Apple (2026-09-17)
- Activate eSIM on iPhone: what you need (support article 118227) — Apple (2026-09-17)
- How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier (support article 109316) — Apple (checked 2026-10-09)
- Using eSIM on iPhone models purchased in mainland China (support article 123879) — Apple (2026-09-09)
- iPhone 17: eSIM-only markets (press report, search snippet) — heise online (checked 2026-10-09)
- Canadian iPhone 17 models will only have eSIM (press report, search snippet) — MobileSyrup (2025-09-09)
- eSIM Management (most eSIM profiles can only be downloaded and installed once) — GL.iNet Router Docs (2026-09-10)
Pick a destination, then install the eSIM
Data-only eSIMs with no ID and no email, paid in crypto with a top-up from $10.