Is iPhone 16 eSIM Only? How to Transfer eSIM to New iPhone

Is the iPhone 16 Going to Be eSIM Only?

eSIM, Embedded SIM, is a digital SIM technology that allows users to activate a cellular plan without a physical SIM card. Since Apple decided to remove the SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models in 2022, American consumers have gradually become accustomed to using only eSIM technology.

However, in other parts of the world, the change is less common. iPhones purchased outside the US still use the traditional SIM tray to accommodate regional preferences and different levels of infrastructure readiness.

As eSIM technology becomes more popular, its benefits will become more widely recognized. Apple is preparing to launch eSIM-only products outside the United States, and the upcoming iPhone 16 models will reportedly be exclusively available with eSIM in a growing number of countries and regions, including the UK, Europe, and much of Asia.

How to Transfer eSIM to New iPhone 16 - 3 Ways

Whether the iPhone 16 use eSIM only or will continue to provide SIM service in some areas, you can be prepared. Next, we provide 3 methods to transfer eSIM to new a iPhone.

Way 1. Transfer eSIM to new iPhone 16 via eSIM Quick Transfer (During Setup)

Some carriers allow users to transfer eSIM directly to a new iPhone. During the process of setting up a new iPhone, you may receive a message asking you to transfer your cellular service plan. In this case, you can follow the on-screen prompts to easily transfer the eSIM from the old iPhone to the new iPhone.

Step 1. Place your old iPhone and new iPhone near each other.

Step 2. Set up new iPhone to the screen of Set Up eSIM > Click Transfer from another iPhone > Select the line you want to transfer to iPhone 16. This operation only allows you to transfer a single line during the initial setup.

Step 3. When the message prompted on current iPhone, tap Transfer SIM. It will show you a six-digit verification code, then enter that code on the current iPhone.

Step 4. Confirm the transfer and wait for the activation > When it is finished, click Continue on the new iPhone.

Way 2. Move eSIM from Old iPhone to New iPhone by Setting App (After Setup)

In addition, if you have already completed the setup, you have another way to transfer the eSIM. That is, use the Settings app to transfer the eSIM from the old iPhone to the new iPhone.

You can refer to the detailed steps below.

Step 1. On the new iPhone, open Settings > Tap Cellular > Choose Add Cellular Plan. Or you can go to Settings > Choose Mobile Data > Tap Add eSIM.

Step 2. Then you can see your eSIM plan, tap Add Cellular Plan at the bottom of the page.

Step 3. A message will appear on your current iPhone, check and click Transfer to confirm.

Way 3. Send eSIM to new iPhone via Bluetooth (iOS 17 or later)

With the update of iOS, Apple began to allow you to transfer eSIM from an old iPhone to a new iPhone via Bluetooth when setting up cellular service. This method is suitable for iOS 17 or later. Note that not all carriers support this feature.

Step 1. Go to Settings on your old iPhone > Locate Cellular and tap Set Up Cellular.

Step 2. When a windowprompted, click Transfer from Another iPhone. Or you can choose to Use QR Code to finish the transfer eSIM to new iPhone without old phone.

Step 3. After that, you can see a message tells you what you need to do to transfer your phone number from another iPhone. Make sure the other iPhone is running iOS 17 or later, is nearby, unlocked, and has Bluetooth turned on.

Step 4. After that, follow the on-screen instructions to send eSIM to new iPhone.

How to Transfer Data from Old iPhone to New iPhone

To transfer data to new iPhone 16, you have move choices! FoneTool is a professional iOS data transfer tool. It allows you to transfer data from iPhone to PC, PC to iPhone, or iPhone to iPhone. You can selectively transfer contacts, messages, photos, videos to new iPhone, or transfer all data from old iPhone to new iPhone with one click.

★ Highlights:

1-Click transfer all data from one iPhone to another.

Selectively transfer contacts, messages, photos, videos, WhatsApp, etc. between devices.

Fast transfer speed and easy to use.

100% safe and reliable iPhone transfer solution without any network.

Support the latest iPhone and all iOS versions.

Part 1. Selectively Transfer Data to New iPhone

If you want to preview and transfer only specific data to your new phone, you can refer to the following process. Now, free download and run the FoneTool on the computer. We take transfer contacts to new iPhone without iCloud as an example.

Step 1. Connect the old iPhone to the computer with the USB cable > Tap Phone Transfer > Move to iPhone to PC > Click Start Transfer.

Step 2. Click the add icon> Check Contacts > Preview and select the contacts you wish to transfer > Tap OK.

Step 3. Then click Start Transfer > Set a destination to save your contacts on the computer > Tap Transfer.

Step 4. Unplug the old iPhone and connect the new iPhone > Go to Phone Transfer > Select the PC to iPhone option.

Step 5. Tap Contacts and select the contacts exported before > Then tap Start Transfer.

Part 2. 1-Click Transfer Everything from iPhone to iPhone

If you need to transfer all the data on your old phone in one click, including photos, videos, WhatsApp data, music, text messages, Apps, settings, documents, and so on, you can use FoneTool to finish it with 3 easy steps.

Step 1. Downlaod and open FoneTool > Connect two iPhones to computer with USB cables.

Step 2. Choose Phone Transfer > Select iPhone to iPhone > Tap Start Transfer.

Step 3. Confirm the source iPhone and the target iPhone > Enable backup encryption if needed > Click Start Transfer to finish the transfer quickly!

Conclusion

This article answers this question of “is iPhone 16 eSIM only” and provides 3 ways to help you transfer eSIM to a new phone. You can choose to transfer in settings, after settings, or using Bluetooth. In addition, FoneTool, a powerful iPhone data transfer tool, supports you to move your iPhone data in multiple ways. You can transfer selectively or transfer all data in one click.