How to Activate Your Airtel & Jio eSIM on iPhones & Android Phones?

Bharti Airtel and Jio are two of the largest and most preferable telecom operators in India. When Reliance launched Jio and endeavoured various competitive prepaid and postpaid plans, Airtel was the only telecom operator who stayed put and fought hard. The two rivals not only offers their users physical SIM cards but also offer eSIM functionality for supported devices. The two telecom stalwarts also grant an option to convert your physical SIM to eSIM for devices that support it.

What is eSIM?

eSIM or embedded Subscriber Identity Module is installed directly into your smartphone or any device and can connect you to any operator offering eSIM services. The eSIM option allows smartphone makers to save space in a device and add more features instead. The Samsung Gear S2 Classic 3G smartwatch was the first device to implement an eSIM. Currently, only Apple, Samsung, Google, and Motorola offer phones that support eSIM functionality in India.

Step-by-step guide for Airtel SIM holders:

Let’s take a look at the step-by-step guide on how to activate your Airtel eSIM, but before you go ahead, make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi throughout the activation process.

1. Send a message – eSIM <space> registered email ID to 121.
2. If your email ID is valid, you will receive an SMS from 121 to confirm the initiation of the process.
3. Reply to this SMS with 1 and confirm the e-SIM request within sixty seconds.
4. If your email ID is invalid, then an Airtel representative will call you to take the final consent to reinitiate the process under the correct email ID and guide you through updating the email.  
5. If the provided email ID is valid, you will receive another SMS from 121 asking you to provide consent over call.
6. Once confirmation is done, you will receive a final SMS from 121 regarding the QR Code, which you will find on your registered email ID.
7. The QR code is unique and applicable for one device and the one-time purpose only.
8. While scanning the QR code, be sure not to select the Delete option for the settings, as this will permanently delete your eSIM profile. 
9. If you don’t receive an email with the QR code within 30 minutes, or the scanning process gets aborted in the middle, you will have to send an SMS NOSIM to 121 to avoid disconnection of the physical Airtel SIM.
10. The process takes 2 hours for eSIM activation; till then, your physical SIM will continue to work.

Further Steps- for iPhone users:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Mobile Data
2. Tap on Add Data Plan
3. Scan the QR code received on your registered email ID to activate the e-SIM and follow the prompts.

Further Steps- for Samsung users:

1. Head to Settings and tap on Connections
2. Tap on SIM Card Manager and select Add Mobile Plan
3. Tap on Add Using QR Code
4. Scan the QR code received on your registered email ID to activate the e-SIM and follow the prompts.

Further Steps- for Google Pixel users:

1. Go to Settings and select Network & Internet
2. Select Mobile Network and tap on Advanced
3. Tap on Carrier and then Add Carrier
4. Scan the QR code received on your registered email ID to activate the e-SIM and follow the prompts.

Further Steps- for Motorola Razr users:

1. Head to Settings and select Network & Internet
2. Select Mobile Network and tap on Carrier, followed by Add Carrier
3. Scan the QR code received on your registered email ID to activate the e-SIM and follow the prompts.

Further Steps- for Motorola Razr 5G users:

1. Go to Settings and select Network & Internet
2. Tap on + sign besides Mobile Network and Hit Next (Download your SIM).
3. Scan the QR code received on your registered email ID to activate the e-SIM and follow the prompts.

Step-by-step guide for Jio SIM holders:

Now, it’s time to take a look at the step-by-step guide on how to activate your Jio eSIM, but before you go ahead, make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi throughout the activation process.

1. Head to Settings and then About phone for EID and IMEI numbers. (Please note down the EID and IMEI numbers to avoid hassle during the process)
2. Send SMS GETESIM <32 Digit EID> <15 Digit IMEI> to 199 and soon you will receive a 19-digit eSIM number and eSIM profile configuration details.
3. Next, send SMS SIMCHG <19 digits eSIM number> to 199
4. You will get an update on eSIM processing in the next two hours.
5. Once you get the message, confirm by sending SMS 1 to 183
6. Then, you will get an automated call that will ask you for the 19-digit eSIM number.
7. After successfully confirming the 19-digit eSIM number, you will receive a confirmation SMS for your new eSIM.
8. If you receive a notification to configure the profile, click on it, select Install data plan, and press continue.

Further Steps- for iPhone users:

1. Head to Mobile Data in Settings
2. Tap on Add Data plan and then tap Enter details manually on the bottom
3. In the SM-DP+address column, enter smdprd.jio.com
4. Enter the activation code you received (Step 2 – eSIM profile configuration details) in the Activation code section
5. Tap on Next and then tap on Add Data plan
6. Choose the Data Plan Labels, press continue, and your Jio eSIM should now be activated.

Further Steps- for Samsung users:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Connections > SIM card manager > Add mobile plan  
2. Select Scan Carrier QR code and Tap on Enter code instead  
3. Enter the Activation Code in this format- LPA:1$smdprd.jio.com$ followed by the 32 digit activation code received via SMS/ email with space and tap on Connect
4. Your Jio eSIM should now be activated.

Further Steps- for Google Pixel users:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Network & Internet 
2. Select Mobile network and tap on Download a SIM instead  
3. Tap Next and enter activation code manually by tapping on Need help?  
4. Enter the Activation Code in this format- LPA:1$smdprd.jio.com$ followed by the 32 digit activation code received via SMS
5. Select Activate, then tap on Done, and your Jio eSIM is now activated and configured.

Further Steps- for Motorola users:

1. Head to Settings and select Network & Internet 
2. Select Mobile network and tap on Next
3. If you have a Motorola Razr Select Mobile network, tap on Advanced > Carrier > Add Carrier > Next
4. Tap Next and enter activation code manually by tapping on Need help?  
5. Enter the Activation Code in this format- LPA:1$smdprd.jio.com$ followed by the 32 digit activation code received via SMS
6. Select Activate, then tap on Done, and your Jio eSIM is now activated and configured.