Setting Up Airalo eSIM on iOS 18 — What's New and Full Walkthrough
iOS 18 did not break Airalo compatibility, but Apple slightly redrew the Cellular menu and expanded eSIM Quick Transfer: profiles now move between iPhones over Bluetooth without needing internet on the receiving device. The basic QR install flow has not changed.
What you need
- iPhone XS or newer running iOS 18 or 18.x
- Wi-Fi
- Airalo QR code (in your email or the Airalo app on another device)
- Optional — an older iPhone with Airalo already installed if you want to transfer the profile
Step-by-step QR install
- Open the QR on a second device.
- On the iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM.
- The Add eSIM screen in iOS 18 now shows three options: Transfer From Nearby iPhone, Use QR Code, Enter Details Manually. Pick Use QR Code.
- Aim the camera at the QR. The iPhone detects the Airalo plan.
- Continue → Add eSIM. Install takes 30-90 seconds.
- Label the line — Airalo or Travel.
- Line assignments: Default Line — home SIM, iMessage/FaceTime — home SIM, Cellular Data — Airalo.
What's new in iOS 18
- eSIM Quick Transfer without internet. If you had Airalo on a previous iPhone and now you have a new one, during iPhone 16 setup (or later via Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Transfer From Nearby iPhone) the two devices pair over Bluetooth and migrate the profile. Works without Wi-Fi.
- Unified Cellular Data Switching. Apple moved line switching to a single screen — Cellular → Cellular Data → Cellular Data Switching.
- Refreshed Network Selection. In iOS 18 the carrier list in Network Selection loads faster and refreshes when you change country.
- More than 8 eSIM profiles on iPhone 15 Pro / 16 — Apple now officially confirms storage of up to 16 profiles with 2 active at once.
After installation
- Data Roaming — Settings → Cellular → Airalo → Data Roaming → ON. Without this, Airalo will not connect even after landing.
- Network quality. In iOS 18 the Airalo settings include Voice & Data → 5G / 4G / 3G. Most Airalo plans run on 4G — leave it on automatic.
- Wi-Fi calling. Enable FaceTime/iMessage → Calls on Other Devices if you plan to take calls from your home number over Wi-Fi.
Common iOS 18 gotchas
- eSIM will not activate — after upgrading to iOS 18, reboot the iPhone and try again. A known minor Apple server issue, fixed by a restart.
- "iPhone cannot transfer eSIM" — the old iPhone must be on iOS 16+ and have Bluetooth on. If transfer fails — use Reinstall in the Airalo app.
- eSIM disappeared after an update — extremely rare but possible. Open Airalo → your plan → Reinstall and reapply.
Where to buy a reliable eSIM
Marix sells Airalo with instant QR delivery. Russian card and SBP payments, Russian-language instructions and chat support — installing the eSIM on an iOS 18 iPhone takes about five minutes.