topic Re: “Unable to activate eSIM” in Get Support

“Unable to activate eSIM”

Clauds2 — Sat, 02 May 2026 11:47:43 GMT

Hello,

I’ve tried to activate my new eSIM a couple of times on my iPhone and I keep getting the same error message when I scan the QR code. I switched over my phone number from a different carrier and that seemed to work.

Thanks!

Re: “Unable to activate eSIM”

TallestMonkey — Sat, 02 May 2026 12:36:07 GMT

One thing to remember is that your phone has to be connected to a wifi network in order to complete the activation process. Unless you still have data from your previous carrier but that case scenario is rarer. Let us know if you are indeed connected to internet.

Re: “Unable to activate eSIM”

Clauds2 — Sat, 02 May 2026 14:07:23 GMT

Will a hotspot work? I was and still am connected to another iPhones hot spot as an internet connection.

Re: “Unable to activate eSIM”

softech — Sat, 02 May 2026 14:13:54 GMT

@Clauds2

Hotspot will work but you don't need it

there is a chance that the error was there because the Public Mobile esim is already installed and just not properly enabled

On iPhone: check Settings > Celluar and see if the eSIM is there. If it is, make sure the PM eSIM is set as Primary on "Cellular Plan Label" and "Turn on This Line" is toggled on

if you don't see the Public Mobile esim there, check the Welcome email, there should be a QR code for the esim for you to scan and install manually. If you cannot find it in Inbox of your email, check also the Spam box.

If the Public Mobile eSIM is there, disable or delete those non PM sim (eSIM/Physical sim).
If the non-PM sim is physical, remove it. If the non-PM sim is an esim, disable using the SIM Manager on the phone (or set as Secondary and turn off "Turn on this line" for this non-PM esim)

Then reboot the phone and click Reset All Networks on your phone and it will work. (Please note that Reset all Networks will also erase your saved Wifi and Bluetooth connections, but you just need to add them back after). Also, it is possible you have to reset it multiple times for it to work.

if it still does not work, open ticket with PM by private message CS Agent using this link:
https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437
**Monitor your Community inbox (envelope icon on the top right) after ticket submitted, CS Agent will reply to you there will reply to you there