How to turn off data roaming abroad

If your home SIM connects to mobile data abroad without a pack, the daily charges add up fast. With a travel eSIM, the right setup is: data roaming off on your home SIM, on for the eSIM, and the eSIM set as your data line. Here are the steps for your phone.

iPhone

  1. In Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, choose your eSIM for data.
  2. On the same screen, turn off 'Allow Cellular Data Switching' so your iPhone doesn't switch to your home SIM when the signal is weak.
  3. In Settings > Cellular, tap your home SIM > Cellular Data Options and turn off Data Roaming.
  4. In Settings > Cellular, tap your eSIM > Cellular Data Options and turn on Data Roaming. Travel eSIMs connect abroad as roaming, so this must be on.

Samsung Galaxy

  1. In Settings > Connections > SIM manager, choose your eSIM for Mobile data.
  2. In Settings > Connections > Mobile networks, turn on Data roaming; data goes through the eSIM, so your home SIM doesn't use data. To be safe, keep mobile data off on your home SIM.
  3. On some models roaming is set per SIM; if so, turn it off for your home SIM and on for the eSIM.

Google Pixel

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs.
  2. Select your home SIM: turn off Mobile data and Roaming.
  3. Select your eSIM: turn on Mobile data and Roaming.

Should you keep your home SIM on?

If your home SIM stays on, calls and bank SMS codes keep reaching you, and with data roaming off there's no data charge. Incoming calls and SMS you send abroad may still be charged, so check your operator's roaming rates.

If you want no charges at all, you can switch the home SIM off completely in your phone's settings, but then SMS codes won't arrive either.

Checklist

  • Data line: eSIM.
  • Data roaming on the eSIM: on.
  • Data roaming on your home SIM: off.
  • On iPhone, 'Allow Cellular Data Switching': off.
  • Read the 'welcome abroad' SMS from your operator; it tells you which roaming service is active.