My eSIM QR code won’t scan: what now?
If the QR code won’t scan, you have three ways in, and all install the same eSIM. First, tap the one-tap installation link in the same email: it skips scanning entirely. Second, display the QR on a different screen (a laptop or second phone) and scan that, since a phone cannot scan a code shown on its own display. Third, use manual entry: your phone’s eSIM setup screen lets you type the details from the email instead of scanning.
Skip scanning: use the one-tap link
Every Drift order email includes a one-tap installation link alongside the QR code. Opening that email on the phone that will hold the eSIM and tapping the link opens the eSIM setup screen directly: no camera, no scan. On iPhone and most recent Android phones this is the fastest fix when a QR misbehaves.
Show the QR on a second screen
A phone cannot scan a QR code displayed on its own screen. If the email is on the same phone you are setting up, open it on a laptop or a second phone and scan that. Turn up the screen brightness and hold the camera steady: a dim or angled screen is the most common reason a valid code refuses to read.
Enter the details manually
If nothing scans, every eSIM-capable phone lets you install by hand. On the add-eSIM screen choose “enter details manually” and copy the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your email. It is the same profile, installed the same way. For the exact screens on your device, open your country’s setup guide (for example /thailand-esim-setup-guide.html).
If manual entry is rejected, the code may already be installed on another device. Check your other phones before requesting help: many eSIMs allow only one installation.
FAQ
Why won’t my eSIM QR code scan?
The most common reason is trying to scan a code shown on the same phone: that cannot work. Display it on a second screen, or skip scanning and tap the one-tap link in the email instead.
Is there a way to install without scanning at all?
Yes. Tap the one-tap installation link in your order email, or use manual entry on the eSIM setup screen with the SM-DP+ address and activation code from the email.
The manual code is rejected: what does that mean?
Often it means the eSIM is already installed on another device. Many eSIMs allow only one install, so check your other phones before asking support to re-issue it.
Browse every setup and troubleshooting topic in the Drift Asia Help Center.