QR code or manual setup: which should I use?
Both methods install the same eSIM. Scan the QR code when you can, and use the manual details when the code is on the same phone.
Every eSIM comes with two ways to install it. Both download exactly the same plan, so use whichever is easier for you.
The QR code
The QR code contains the address of the eSIM server and your personal activation code. Scanning it from the phone's eSIM setup screen fills everything in for you. Show the code on a second screen or print it.
Manual setup
The manual details are the same information as text: an SM-DP+ address and an activation code, sometimes with a confirmation code. Use them when:
the QR code is on the phone you are installing the eSIM on;
the camera cannot read the code;
someone is helping you set up the eSIM over chat.
Keep your codes private
Treat the QR code and the activation code like a ticket: anyone who has them may be able to install your eSIM before you do. Do not post them online or share screenshots of them.
After installing
Whichever method you use, the next steps are the same: choose the eSIM for mobile data and turn on data roaming when you arrive. See the guides for iPhone and Android.