The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and the iPhone XS Max all have Dual SIM. It depicts of a physical nano SIM card and an eSIM, like when you use cellular on your Apple Watch. But, there’s lots of steps and patience to take for this trick to happen, so let’s learn how to set it up!
You will need the following:
- Your iPhone XS , iPhone XS Max or iPhone XR that’s unlocked
- An app of your favorite carrier or a QR code provided by your carrier
- Good lighting
- A little bit of patience
Let’s make it happen
First of all, your iPhone must be unlocked as other carriers might not work with this feature. You need to have the latest version of iOS installed, and have a carrier app or QR code to scan. Now, open settings and go to the cellular settings. You’ll see a button to add another cellular plan, so tap on it and it’ll prompt you to take a picture of the QR code or enter in a special code that your carrier provides you. If you use an app from your carrier, purchase a plan you want on their app.
More than 1 eSIM can be saved in your iPhone’s system, but only one can be used at a time. That’s why you have labels for every single eSIM, regardless if the number is for work, overseas travel, personal, primary or secondary. Tap on cellular plans on the cellular settings, and tap on the plan you want to use. Tap on the plan’s name to change the label or delete it by going to settings, then cellular, tap a cellular plan, and tap cellular plan label. Choose the preset labels or make your own, and then press done.
After that, you get to choose which line will be primary, secondary, cor secondary cellular data only. Default lines will be used for calls and messages, and the other will be used for cellular data and all iPhone functions. Or, the secondary line can be chosen for cellular data. You can choose between these choices as you want.
Check the status of your cellular plans
Check the status of your cellular plansNext, you will need to know which cellular plan is your main and which one is your secondary one. Swipe down from the upper right corner of your iPhone to open control center. On the upper left corner you’ll see the plans on the opposite of the battery level. The bars represents the cellular strength, and the variables P and S represents primary and secondary cellular plans. There’s also the labels you set for your cellular plans and the carrier names.
Time for the fun part: calling and browsing with your new line!
Finally, you get to choose which line(s) gets to be enabled for iMessage and FaceTime. The line you chosen will be used for these Apple services, meaning that you’ll send and receive iMessages and FaceTime calls with that particular number. Your iPhone memorizes the number you used last time to call the person you called with the same number before. If you haven’t called that person before, your iPhone will use the primary line. If you want to specify a line to call with particular contacts, tap the contact, tap preferred cellular plan, then tap the number you want to call.
Thus far, it’s great to have two lines on your iPhone, because it’s way more flexible to have two phone lines for many reasons. Now calling your friends from overseas is much easier even for travel and work.
