What Is an EID Number and Where Do I Find It on My Phone?

eSIM Guides · · 8 min read · By AirCarta

What Is an EID Number and Where Do I Find It on My Phone? Smartphone displaying eSIM text, held in a person's hands

Photo via Pexels

If you have ever tried to activate an eSIM, a carrier or support agent has probably asked you for your EID. It sounds like jargon, and most people have no idea their phone has one.

Here is the short version: the EID is the serial number of the eSIM chip built into your phone. It is 32 digits long, it never changes, and every eSIM-capable device has exactly one.

It is also the quickest way to answer a much more useful question: does my phone support eSIM at all? If your phone has an EID, it does. If it does not, no travel eSIM will ever work on it, whatever the shop said.

This guide covers what an EID actually is, how it differs from the other numbers your phone carries around, and exactly where to find it on any device.

🔑 What Does EID Stand For?

EID stands for eUICC Identifier. The eUICC part is embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card, which is the technical name for the little reprogrammable chip that replaces a removable SIM.

Breaking that down in plain terms:

  • A traditional SIM card is a chip you slot in and take out.
  • An eSIM is the same idea, except the chip is soldered into the phone at the factory and reprogrammed by software.
  • The EID is that chip's permanent serial number.

    • It is a 32-digit number, always numeric, and it is tied to the hardware. Wiping your phone does not change it. Switching carriers does not change it. Installing a new eSIM profile does not change it.

    🔍 What Is an EID Used For?

    Three practical things, and this is why people keep asking you for it.

    1. Provisioning an eSIM profile. When a carrier issues you an eSIM, it needs to know which chip the profile is being sent to. The EID is that address. Most travel eSIMs, including ours, handle this behind a QR code so you never see it, but carriers doing manual activation will ask.

    2. Proving your phone supports eSIM. This is the everyday use. No EID means no eSIM chip, full stop.

    3. Support and troubleshooting. If an eSIM fails to install, the EID is the first thing a support agent will ask for, because it lets them look up what happened on their side.

    What an EID does not do: it does not identify you, it carries no personal data, and it is not a phone number. It identifies a piece of hardware, nothing more.

    📱 Where to Find Your EID on iPhone

    Two reliable routes.

    Method 1, through Settings:

  • Open Settings
  • Tap General
  • Tap About
  • Scroll down. You will find EID listed alongside IMEI and other identifiers.

    • On some iPhones and iOS versions the EID also appears under Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Service), and on eSIM-only models it is shown when you tap the eSIM line itself. If it is not in one place, check the other.

    Method 2, the dial code:

    Open the Phone app and dial:

    *#06#

    The screen fills with identifiers immediately, with no need to press call. On an eSIM-capable iPhone you will see the EID underneath the IMEI. You can usually long-press to copy it.

    A useful shortcut: every iPhone from the XS, XS Max and XR onwards supports eSIM. If you have one of those or newer, the EID is there. US models of the iPhone 14 and later have no physical SIM tray at all and are eSIM-only.

    SIM card and ejector tool laid flat on a white surface

    Photo via Pexels

    🤖 Where to Find Your EID on Android

    Android is less consistent than iOS, because manufacturers rename menus. The dial code works everywhere, so start there.

    The universal method:

    Open the phone dialler and enter:

    *#06#

    The identifiers appear straight away. Look for EID in the list. If only IMEI and serial number appear, with no EID anywhere, your phone almost certainly has no eSIM chip.

    Samsung Galaxy:

    Settings → About phone → Status information. The EID appears with the IMEI. On some models it also sits under Settings → Connections → SIM manager.

    Google Pixel:

    Settings → About phone, then scroll to find the EID. On some versions it lives under Network & internet → SIMs.

    Other Android phones (Motorola, Xiaomi, Oppo, Honor, Nothing, Sony, Fairphone):

    Settings → About phone or About device, sometimes inside a Status submenu. If the menus defeat you, fall back on *#06#.

    🆚 EID vs IMEI vs ICCID: What Is the Difference?

    These three get confused constantly, including by people who should know better. They identify three different things.

    IdentifierLengthWhat it identifiesDoes it change?
    EID32 digitsThe eSIM chip soldered into the phoneNever
    IMEI15 digitsThe phone itself, as a deviceNever
    ICCID19 to 20 digitsA specific SIM profile or planYes, one per profile

    A way to keep them straight:

  • IMEI is the phone's identity. It is what gets blocklisted if a handset is stolen.
  • EID is the eSIM chip's identity. One per phone, permanent.
  • ICCID is a plan's identity. Install three eSIM profiles and you have three ICCIDs on one EID.

    • Dual-SIM phones can have two IMEIs, one per radio. That is normal and not a fault.

    ❌ I Cannot Find an EID. What Does That Mean?

    Usually one of four things, in order of likelihood.

    1. Your phone has no eSIM chip. This is the most common answer. Older and budget models often skip it. No EID means no eSIM support, and nothing can add it later.

    2. You are looking in the wrong menu. Manufacturers move these settings between OS versions. Try *#06# before concluding anything, since it bypasses the menus entirely.

    3. Your software is out of date. Rare, but a very old OS version on an eSIM-capable phone can hide the field. Update and check again.

    4. Regional model differences. The same phone name can ship with different hardware in different markets. Chinese-market models in particular often omit eSIM support entirely, even where the international version has it.

    Worth knowing: an EID confirms the chip exists, but a carrier-locked phone will still refuse a foreign eSIM profile. Having an EID is necessary, not sufficient. If your phone came subsidised from a carrier, check it is unlocked before buying a travel plan.

    👉 Search your exact model on our compatibility list →

    🔒 Is It Safe to Share Your EID?

    Mostly yes, with a sensible caveat.

    An EID identifies hardware. It contains no personal information, no phone number, no billing details, and it cannot be used on its own to make calls, send messages or access your accounts.

    Sharing it with a carrier or an eSIM provider during activation is normal and expected. That is what it is for.

    That said, treat it like a serial number rather than a public fact:

  • Do give it to your carrier or eSIM provider when asked during activation or support.
  • Do not post it in public forums, social media or product reviews alongside other identifiers.
  • Be wary of anyone contacting you out of the blue asking for it. Legitimate providers ask for the EID when you have initiated an activation, not the other way round.

    • The realistic risk is low, but combining identifiers is how social engineering works, so there is no reason to publish it.

    🌍 Do You Even Need Your EID to Use a Travel eSIM?

    Usually not, and this surprises people.

    Modern travel eSIMs are delivered by QR code. You scan it, and the code carries everything the phone needs, including the activation address and the profile details. You never type an EID.

    Where you might still need it:

  • Manual activation, when a QR code cannot be scanned and you enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code by hand.
  • Carrier eSIM transfers, moving your main line from a physical SIM to an eSIM, where operators often ask for the EID to verify the target device.
  • Support tickets, when an installation fails and someone needs to trace it.

    • For an AirCarta plan, the practical answer is that you check for an EID to confirm your phone supports eSIM, then never think about it again. Buy the plan, scan the QR code, done. If you use our app, you tap Install eSIM and skip the QR code as well.

    👉 Full step-by-step installation guide →

    ❓ Frequently Asked Questions

    What is an EID number on a phone? It is the 32-digit serial number of the eSIM chip built into your device. Every eSIM-capable phone has exactly one, and it never changes.

    Where is the EID on my iPhone? Settings → General → About, then scroll to EID. Alternatively dial *#06# and it appears under the IMEI.

    Where is the EID on Android? Dial *#06#, which works on every Android phone. Through the menus it is usually Settings → About phone, and on Samsung specifically under Status information.

    My phone does not show an EID. Why? Almost always because it has no eSIM chip. Check with *#06# first to rule out a menu problem, but if nothing appears there, the hardware does not support eSIM.

    Is EID the same as IMEI? No. The IMEI is 15 digits and identifies the phone as a device. The EID is 32 digits and identifies the eSIM chip inside it. A phone has both.

    Is EID the same as ICCID? No. The ICCID identifies a specific SIM profile or plan and changes with each one. The EID identifies the chip those profiles are installed onto and never changes.

    Does the EID change if I factory reset my phone? No. It is tied to the hardware and survives resets, software updates and carrier changes.

    Can I change or transfer my EID to a new phone? No. It belongs to that specific chip. Moving to a new phone means installing new eSIM profiles onto that phone's own EID.

    Is it safe to give my EID to an eSIM provider? Yes, when you have initiated the activation. It carries no personal data. Just avoid posting it publicly alongside other identifiers.

    Do I need the EID to install an AirCarta eSIM? No. Our plans install by QR code, or in one tap from the app. The EID is mainly useful as a quick way to confirm your phone supports eSIM at all.

    Does having an EID guarantee an eSIM will work? Not quite. It confirms the chip exists, but a carrier-locked phone will still reject foreign profiles. Check your phone is unlocked too.

    🏁 The Short Version

  • The EID is the 32-digit serial number of your phone's built-in eSIM chip.
  • Find it in Settings → General → About on iPhone, Settings → About phone on Android, or by dialling *#06# on anything.
  • No EID means no eSIM support, and it cannot be added later.
  • It is different from the IMEI (the phone) and the ICCID (a plan).
  • You rarely need it in practice, because QR codes handle activation for you.

    • If you found an EID, your phone is ready for a travel eSIM. If you did not, it is worth confirming against a device list before buying anything.

    👉 Check whether your exact phone supports eSIM →

    Related reading: Full eSIM installation guide · How eSIM works · Browse eSIM plans for 190+ countries

    Browse eSIM plans for 190+ countries