Airalo Activation Code Error — Manual SM-DP+ Install Fix
You're trying manual install for the Airalo eSIM because the QR won't scan. In Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Enter Details Manually you see two fields: SM-DP+ Address and Activation Code. You paste from the Airalo app — and get "Could not add eSIM" or "Invalid activation code." Most of the time it's not you: it's the copy-paste — extra spaces, wrong field order, or a stray character.
Why this error happens
- Typo in Activation Code. A long alphanumeric string where it's easy to read
0asOor skip a dash. - Leading or trailing spaces. Copy through a messenger adds a space — iPhone and Android treat that as part of the code.
- Fields swapped. The SM-DP+ address (like
consumer.rsp.airalo.com) ends up in the Activation Code field and vice versa. - Copied with the
LPA:1$prefix. The full eSIM string looks likeLPA:1$consumer.rsp.airalo.com$ABC123XYZ. iPhone accepts it whole in the first field, but when splitting manually you must strip the prefix.
How to fix it
- Open the Airalo app on the same device. App → My eSIMs → select package → Install eSIM → Install Manually. Two Copy buttons appear next to each field.
- iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Use QR Code → Enter Details Manually. Copy the SM-DP+ Address from the Airalo app first, paste into the first field. Then the Activation Code into the second. Leave Confirmation Code blank.
- Android: Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs → Add eSIM → Need help? → Enter manually. Same fields in the same order.
- Strip spaces manually. After pasting, tap at the end of the field and press Backspace if there's an invisible trailing space. Check there's nothing extra at the start.
- Do not paste the LPA:1$ prefix. If Airalo gives one combined string, either use it as a full QR-replacement in one field or split by
$: text afterLPA:1$goes into SM-DP+, text after the next$into Activation Code. - Type the code manually. If copy-paste fails, switch to English keyboard and enter the code character by character. All letters are uppercase.
- Restart the process. Cancel → wait 30 seconds → start again. iPhone sometimes caches a previous failed attempt.
What goes where
| Field on iPhone/Android | What to paste | Example format |
|---|---|---|
| SM-DP+ Address | eSIM server address | consumer.rsp.airalo.com |
| Activation Code | Unique package code | ABC1-23DE-FGH4-5JKL-6MN7 |
| Confirmation Code | Not used by Airalo | Leave blank |
Safer way to get a working eSIM
With Marix you buy an Airalo eSIM and pay in your local currency, and the email lists three things on separate lines — the QR image, the SM-DP+ address, and the Activation Code in clean text with no prefix — so you can copy each value into the right field with no confusion. That removes most manual install mistakes: each value on its own line, no stray characters. If anything goes wrong, Marix support answers in your language and walks you through the install.