EID, ICCID and IMEI: what each number is and when you need it
They identify three different things. The IMEI identifies the phone on mobile networks, the EID identifies the eSIM chip inside it, and the ICCID identifies one SIM or eSIM profile, so a phone with two lines has two. All three appear on the About screen of your phone, and each is asked for in a different situation.
Check if your phone has eSIMThree numbers, three different jobs
- IMEI: the phone. The GSMA describes it as a 15-digit number used to identify a device on a mobile network.
- EID: the eSIM chip. The GSMA specification sets it at 32 digits and says it uniquely identifies one eSIM chip and is not related to subscriptions.
- ICCID: the SIM itself, whether a plastic card or an eSIM profile. It is defined in the ITU-T E.118 standard, starts with 89, the code for telecommunications, and ends in a check digit.
The easiest way to keep them apart is to think of a flat. The IMEI is the building, the EID is the letterbox fitted to it, and each ICCID is a letter addressed to that box. Change the plan and you get a new ICCID; the EID and the IMEI stay where they were.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
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How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Where to find them on your phone
On an iPhone, open Settings, General, About. Apple says the serial number is near the top and you may need to scroll down for the EID, IMEI and ICCID. You can touch and hold any of them to copy it, which helps with a 32-digit EID.
On a Google Pixel, Google's help puts the IMEI under Settings, About phone, and the EID under About phone, SIM status. On a Samsung Galaxy, Samsung lists the EID under Settings, About phone, Status, and older models put several of these numbers under Status as well.
There is also a dialler shortcut. Samsung says that dialling *#06# shows the IMEI, but only when your carrier supports it. Without the phone at hand, Apple lists other places for the IMEI, such as the device page of your Apple Account, and on some older iPhones it is printed on the SIM tray.
Why a phone can show two IMEIs and several ICCIDs
Dual SIM phones often have one IMEI per line. Google says a Pixel can have up to two IMEI numbers, one for each SIM type, with the second listed as IMEI (SIM slot 2). If a provider asks for your IMEI and you see two, ask which one they need rather than guessing.
ICCIDs multiply in the same way. Your home SIM has one, and every eSIM profile you install brings its own, so a phone with your usual line and a travel eSIM shows two ICCIDs on the About screen. The EID does not change: it belongs to the chip, and the chip can hold several profiles.
That is also why the EID is the quick test for eSIM support. If there is no EID, there is no eSIM chip to hold a profile, which our guide on checking eSIM support explains step by step.
Which number a provider asks for, and why
The IMEI comes up when the question is about the phone. Operators use it to check whether a device is locked to their network and when blocking a lost or stolen phone, which is one reason to note it before a trip. Our guide on losing a phone abroad shows where it helps.
The EID comes up when a plan is assigned to your phone in advance. Samsung notes that your carrier may ask for it when pre-assigning a plan, and Google says some carriers ask for it during setup. Microsoft says the same for Windows laptops with eSIM.
The ICCID comes up when the question is about one specific line: which profile is installed, which plan a support agent should look at, or which one is not connecting. For a travel eSIM, it is the number that ties the profile on your phone to the plan you bought.
Which ones are safe to share
None of these numbers is a password, and the GSMA is explicit that the EID is not a payment number. Still, Microsoft advises sharing identifiers such as the EID and IMEI only with sites you trust, and that is a sensible rule for all three. Give them to your operator, the phone's maker or the seller of your plan when they ask, not to a form you reached from an unexpected message.
The thing that really must stay private is different: the QR code or activation code of an eSIM you have not installed yet. That code downloads the profile onto whichever phone uses it first. Our guide on keeping the QR code private covers why.
A Snoozim eSIM stays on the phone where it is installed, so the EID is worth checking before you buy rather than after.
Is the EID the same as the IMEI?
No. The IMEI identifies the phone on mobile networks and has 15 digits; the EID identifies the eSIM chip and has 32.
Does a new eSIM change my ICCID?
Each SIM or eSIM profile has its own ICCID, so installing a travel eSIM adds a second one. Your home line keeps its own.
Where do I find the ICCID on iPhone?
In Settings, General, About. Scroll down past the serial number; you can touch and hold the number to copy it.
My phone shows two IMEIs. Which one do I give?
Dual SIM phones often have one per line. Ask whoever requested it which slot they need.
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