Short answer: yes most Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G models support eSIM, so you can add a Z Flip 3 eSIM for travel data (or a second number) without ever touching a SIM tray. There’s one catch worth knowing before you buy a plan: US units didn’t ship with eSIM switched on, and carrier-locked phones can behave differently. This guide covers how to confirm your exact phone is ready, how the dual-SIM setup actually works, and how to activate an eSIM in a couple of minutes.
New to eSIMs? Think of one as a SIM built into your phone no chip, no tray, no tiny card to lose. You buy a plan online, scan a QR code, and you’re connected. That’s the whole idea. (For the full primer, see Airhub’s what is an eSIM pillar post.)
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 eSIM compatible?
Yes. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is eSIM compatible it has one physical nano-SIM slot plus a built-in eSIM. But “compatible” depends a little on where your phone came from and whether it’s locked to a carrier:
| Model / region | eSIM support |
| International models (model numbers starting SM-F711, e.g. SM-F711B) | Yes available from launch |
| US models (SM-F711U) | Yes but only after the June 2022 software update (One UI 4.1). eSIM was not enabled at launch. |
| Some Korea/Hong Kong variants | May be limited check with your carrier before buying a plan |
Two things that trip people up:
Carrier-locked phones. If your Z Flip 3 is locked to a network, it may block eSIMs from other providers. To use a third-party travel eSIM, your phone should be carrier-unlocked. When in doubt, ask your carrier to confirm the phone is unlocked.
Software version. Especially on US units, make sure the phone is fully updated (Settings → Software update), or the eSIM option may not appear.
Source note: US eSIM support arrived with the One UI 4.1 update in mid-2022 for unlocked and T-Mobile units, later rolling out to other carriers.
How to check if your Z Flip 3 supports eSIM
Before you buy any plan, take 30 seconds to confirm your specific handset is ready:
Check the model number. Go to Settings → About phone. A number starting with SM-F711 is a Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.
Look for an EID. Dial *#06#. If an EID appears alongside the IMEI, your phone has an active eSIM chip.
Confirm it’s unlocked. A carrier-locked phone may reject outside eSIMs check with your provider if you’re unsure.
Look for the menu. Open Settings → Connections → SIM manager. If you see an Add eSIM option, you’re good to go.
Prefer a one-tap check? Run Airhub’s check if your phone is eSIM compatible tool before you buy.
Is the Samsung Z Flip 3 dual SIM or not?
This is where a lot of the confusion lives, so it’s worth clearing up. It’s dual SIM just not in the old two-cards way. The Z Flip 3 gives you one physical nano-SIM + one eSIM, and both can run at the same time. Samsung calls this Dual SIM, Dual Standby (DSDS): two numbers, two networks, one phone.
A few specifics worth getting right, because even some guides get them wrong:
The Z Flip 3 has a single physical SIM slot not two nano-SIM slots. The “second SIM” is the eSIM.
You can store several eSIM profiles (say, a Europe plan, a USA plan, and a home line), but only one eSIM is active at a time. Switching between them takes a couple of taps.
Typical setup: keep your home number on the physical SIM for calls and texts, and use the eSIM for data when you travel.
This is exactly why the Z Flip 3 is handy for travelers your regular number keeps working while your travel data runs on the eSIM.
How to set up and activate an eSIM on the Z Flip 3
Activating a Z Flip 3 eSIM is quick a few minutes and a single QR code. Here’s the whole flow.
Step 1 Buy your plan. Choose a plan for your destination and you’ll get a QR code (or an activation code) by email. You can browse eSIM data plans and set this up before you leave home.
Step 2 — Open the eSIM menu. Go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM. (On older One UI versions the path is Settings → Connections → SIM card manager → Add mobile plan same thing, different labels.)
Step 3 — Scan the QR code. Tap Scan QR code and point the camera at the code from your email. No code handy? Choose Enter manually and type the activation details.
Step 4 — Add and name the plan. Confirm to add the eSIM, then give it a clear label like “Travel data” so it’s easy to find later.
Step 5 — Assign your lines. Your phone will ask which SIM to use for calls, texts, and mobile data. The traveler’s setup: mobile data → your eSIM, and calls/texts → your physical SIM.
Step 6 — Turn data on. Make sure Mobile data is enabled for the eSIM line. For most travel eSIMs you’ll also switch on Data roaming for that line it’s normal and expected, and it won’t touch your home SIM’s roaming.
That’s it once you land, the eSIM connects automatically. (Step-by-step visuals: how to activate an eSIM.)
Using your Z Flip 3 eSIM for travel
Landing in a new country used to mean hunting for a SIM kiosk, hoping it’s open, and juggling local currency or switching on roaming and dreading the bill. An eSIM skips all of that: buy before you fly, land, and you’re online.
One reassuring detail most guides skip: travel eSIMs are usually data-only. That’s a feature, not a limitation. Your home number stays on your physical SIM, so you still get calls, texts, and bank OTP codes as normal while your data runs on the affordable travel plan. Nothing about your main line changes.
Heading somewhere specific? You can grab a USA eSIM or a regional Europe eSIM and have it ready before departure. Because the Z Flip 3 stores multiple profiles, you can even line up plans for a multi-country trip and switch as you cross borders.
Why Airhub for Samsung Z Flip 3 users
Not every eSIM provider is smooth on Android, and a plan that won’t connect when you land is worse than no plan at all. Airhub is built to avoid exactly that: everything is prepaid, so there are no surprise bills, and activation takes minutes buy, scan, connect. Data plans cover 190+ countries, and you can size the pack to the trip, whether that’s a weekend city break or a month on the road. It works cleanly with Samsung eSIM phones like the Z Flip 3, which is really the whole point.
Ready when you are pick your destination and set up your Samsung eSIM in a few taps.
Troubleshooting: Z Flip 3 eSIM not working
Most issues come down to three things software, roaming, or a locked phone.
- The eSIM won’t add / QR won’t scan. Make sure you’re on Wi-Fi, update the phone (Settings → Software update), and restart. Still stuck? Use Enter manually instead of scanning.
- No data after you land. Check that Mobile data and Data roaming are on for the eSIM line, and that the eSIM is set as your data SIM. If it won’t connect, select the network manually in Settings → Connections → Mobile networks.
- “Add eSIM” is missing, or a second line isn’t recognized. This usually means the phone needs updating (especially older US units), or it’s carrier-locked. Update the software and confirm the phone is unlocked.
- Only one eSIM works at a time. That’s expected the Z Flip 3 keeps one eSIM active. Switch profiles in SIM manager.
Still not connecting? Airhub support can resend your QR code or help you re-install.
FAQs
1. Is the Samsung Z Flip 3 eSIM compatible?
Yes. International Z Flip3 models support eSIM from launch. US models (SM-F711U) got eSIM through the June 2022 One UI 4.1 update, so make sure the phone is fully updated. Carrier-locked units may restrict outside eSIMs.
2. Is the Samsung Z Flip 3 dual SIM or not?
It’s dual SIM via one physical nano-SIM plus one eSIM, running together as Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS). There’s a single physical slot not two so the eSIM is your second line.
3. How do I activate an eSIM on the Z Flip 3?
Buy a plan, then go to Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add eSIM → Scan QR code. Assign your eSIM as the data line, turn on mobile data (and data roaming for that line), and you’re set.
4. Can I use both SIMs at once?
Yes. One physical SIM and one eSIM can be active together. You choose which handles calls, texts, and data in SIM manager most travelers keep calls on the physical SIM and data on the eSIM.
5. Will an eSIM affect WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp stays tied to your registered number, so switching your data source doesn’t change anything messages and calls work as usual.
6. What happens to my eSIM if I factory reset or switch phones?
Unlike a physical card, an eSIM doesn’t pop out and move over. A factory reset or new phone usually means re-installing the profile, so don’t wipe your phone mid-trip.
7. What if I delete my eSIM by mistake?
You’ll need the provider to reissue it.
8. Do I need an unlocked phone?
For a third-party travel eSIM, yes a carrier-locked Z Flip 3 may block outside eSIMs. Ask your carrier to confirm it’s unlocked.
9. Can I use an eSIM even when I’m not traveling?
Absolutely. Plenty of people run a second line for work, keep a separate number for sign-ups, or split personal and business no travel required.
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