eSIM Transfer to a New Phone in Romania: 2026 Guide

Technology10 min read

The short answer: in Romania, moving an eSIM to a new phone is not a guaranteed feature simply because both phones support eSIM. For iPhone-to-iPhone transfers, Apple lists Orange and Vodafone Romania for eSIM Quick Transfer, meaning you can move your number without calling the operator if the eligibility requirements are met. For Android-to-Android transfers, the system may show a transfer option, but Google says automatic activation depends on the operator. When moving between iPhone and Android, the safest assumption is that you will need a new profile, usually through a QR code or the operator’s process.

The distinction matters especially if your number receives banking codes, two-factor authentication SMS messages or payment confirmations. Do not delete the eSIM profile from your old phone until the new phone can make a call, send and receive SMS messages, and use mobile data.

eSIM transfer to a new phone: the matrix that avoids confusion

Phone combination	What is confirmed	When the operator becomes involved
iPhone → iPhone	Apple lists Orange and Vodafone Romania for eSIM Quick Transfer. Orange separately publishes the requirements and steps for transferring through iPhone settings.	If the number does not appear as eligible, either phone does not meet the requirements, or the transfer fails.
Android → Android	Android can transfer a physical SIM or eSIM to a new phone’s eSIM during setup or from settings.	Automatic transfer depends on operator support; there is no consistent public confirmation of a direct Android process for all Romanian operators.
iPhone → Android	Data and apps can be moved using the manufacturer’s tools, but these do not guarantee that the mobile profile will be transferred.	In practice, prepare a new QR code or a reissue process provided by the operator.
Android → iPhone	An iPhone can install an eSIM through a QR code, operator activation or the operator’s app.	Do not treat the move as a Quick Transfer: request or generate a new profile if there is no explicit option on screen.

Important: transferring content—photos, contacts, apps or passwords—and transferring an eSIM are separate operations. For example, a setup assistant may copy data from your phone, while activation of the mobile number remains determined by the operating system and the operator.

iPhone to iPhone: the only case with clearly confirmed Quick Transfer

Apple currently lists Orange and Vodafone Romania among operators that support eSIM Quick Transfer on iPhone. The feature lets you move a number from an old iPhone to a new one without contacting the operator, and the old SIM or profile is deactivated after the plan becomes active on the new phone.

Orange publicly details its own process. For eSIM Quick Transfer, the company requires physical access to both devices, active Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, an Apple Account configured on both phones, a passcode, and iOS 18 or later. Orange also says the transfer is available for Orange Postpaid Residential, PrePay and YOXO, with a maximum of three free changes per year for the same number, at least one hour apart.

On the new iPhone, the option may appear during initial setup or later under Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM, then transfer from a nearby iPhone. If the number does not appear, do not force-delete the old eSIM: the absence of the option generally means that the technical or commercial conditions have not been met.

Orange also offers a fallback option: from My Orange, you can request eSIM installation on another device, and the app generates a QR code. For this option, you need Wi-Fi and access to the email address associated with the account; Orange warns that you will temporarily have no signal while the new profile is being installed.

Android to Android: the option exists, but the operator decides whether it completes

Google says a compatible Android phone can transfer a physical SIM or eSIM to the new phone’s eSIM during setup or later from settings. For automatic transfer, both devices must run at least Android 12, have updated Google Play services and use a screen lock. However, Google’s documentation stresses the key condition: the process may differ by operator, and you must contact the operator if the transfer is not detected.

So the “Transfer SIM from another device” message in Android or in a Galaxy menu is a technical possibility, not a promise that your Romanian number will move without a reissue. Check for the option on the new phone before you start, but keep access to your operator account and email as a backup plan.

For DIGI, the published information points towards reissuing the profile: the customer requests activation from their DIGI account, confirms it with a code received by SMS and scans the QR code on the new phone. After activation, the existing card is deactivated. DIGI states a RON 5 fee for replacing one eSIM with another eSIM. This means that if the confirmation SMS still arrives on the old phone, you should not reset it or delete its profile before the entire process is complete.

iPhone and Android: do not confuse data transfer with moving your number

Switching platforms is where most confusion arises. Tools such as Apple Move to iOS or Samsung Smart Switch are useful for files and user data, but they are not in themselves confirmation that a Romanian operator’s eSIM profile can be moved directly between iPhone and Android.

In the documentation reviewed, there is no current public confirmation that an Orange, Vodafone or DIGI customer can rely in every case on direct iPhone-to-Android or Android-to-iPhone migration of a local eSIM. The prudent procedure is to reissue the profile: request a new eSIM in the operator’s app or account, receive or generate the QR code, and install it on the new phone while connected to Wi-Fi.

For more information about Android, you can also read How to make your phone faster: tested tips for Android and iPhone, which offers additional information relevant to this topic.

Do not photograph or share the QR code as if it were an ordinary image. It is an activation key for your mobile profile. Likewise, a used or expired QR code should not be assumed to be reusable: if installation fails, ask for reissue instructions before deleting the existing profile.

Digital number porting is not eSIM transfer

eSIM transfer keeps the same operator and moves your number’s profile to another device. Number porting keeps the number but moves the service to another operator. They are different operations, and it is not a good idea to treat them as a single step.

Orange has announced a purchase and porting process directly in the My Orange app, with the option of activating an eSIM. This may reduce the need for a store visit for people who want to become Orange customers, but it does not turn porting into a transfer of the old eSIM profile from the previous operator.

If you are changing both phone and operator, the practical rule is to limit risk: keep the old phone working until the porting and activation of the new profile are confirmed. Do not simultaneously start an eSIM reissue with the operator you are leaving, reset the old phone and submit a porting request. Make only one major administrative change at a time.

Telekom: the important exception after 9 May 2026

Telekom Mobile’s page says that from 9 May 2026, eSIM is no longer available in its commercial offering, either for new contracts or for eSIM replacement. Customers who already had an eSIM on that date can continue using it, but for replacement or maintenance—including accidental deletion of the profile—the operator indicates a free switch to a physical SIM.

Telekom mentioned a temporary exception for phones compatible exclusively with eSIM, until 30 June 2026. At the time of writing, 24 September 2026, that deadline has passed. If you have a phone without a physical SIM slot and an older Telekom eSIM, do not delete the profile before asking the operator in writing for the solution that applies to your account.

LTE smartwatch: the watch’s eSIM is not the phone’s eSIM

An LTE/Cellular watch can have its own eSIM profile, even when it uses the same number as the phone through a service such as Number Share. This does not mean the watch profile moves automatically when you change phones.

At Orange, Number Share can associate up to four secondary devices with one primary number and uses the voice and data resources of the primary subscription. The operator lists compatibility with Apple Watch Cellular models, certain Galaxy Watch 4G/LTE models and some Huawei watches. For a secondary phone associated through this service, Orange states that SMS messages cannot be received on the secondary device as a security measure.

Before resetting the old phone, check in the Watch app, Galaxy Wearable or the operator account whether the watch association remains active after the primary number is migrated. If you use the watch for calls or data without the phone, treat this check as a separate step, not as an automatic consequence of the eSIM transfer.

The safe order of steps before changing phones

Back up your data and recovery methods. Save backup codes for two-factor authentication and check your recovery email address.
Keep both phones charged, unlocked and on Wi-Fi. For iPhone-to-iPhone transfers, also enable Bluetooth.
Do not rely exclusively on SMS. If the operator requires a code by SMS, the old phone must remain active until validation is complete.
First try the direct transfer available on the new phone. This is the appropriate route only when the number appears as eligible.
Use a new QR code if direct transfer is not confirmed. Install the profile only on the new phone, connected to Wi-Fi.
Test before deleting anything. Make a call, send and receive an SMS, check mobile data and, if you have an LTE watch, check its association as well.
Only then reset or sell the old phone.

For iPhone users, it is also worth checking the status of iOS updates in Romania: features available in connectivity settings depend on the installed version as well as the phone model.

When you actually need to contact the operator

The number does not appear in the transfer list on the new phone.
The old phone is lost, faulty, erased or can no longer be unlocked.
You have switched platforms between iPhone and Android and do not have an explicit transfer process.
The QR code has expired, has already been used or cannot be installed.
You have a Telekom profile that needs replacement after the policy change of 9 May 2026.
You have an LTE/Cellular smartwatch with a shared number and the association does not reactivate after changing phones.

The central point is simple: an eSIM is not a file that you can freely copy between devices. It is a network profile issued and authorised by the operator. Your phone may make the move easier, but the operator determines whether that move is automatic, requires a new QR code or must be handled through support.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move an eSIM from iPhone to Android without contacting the operator?

It is not prudent to assume this. When switching between iPhone and Android, use a new profile through a QR code or the operator’s process if the new phone does not explicitly display a compatible transfer option.

Is the eSIM on the old phone deactivated after transfer?

For eSIM Quick Transfer on iPhone, Apple says the previous SIM is deactivated when the plan on the new iPhone becomes active. With QR-based reissue, the operator may deactivate the previous profile during activation; this is why you should not manually delete the old profile before confirmation.

Does number porting also move the existing eSIM?

No. Porting changes the operator, while eSIM transfer moves or reissues the profile for a device. When porting, you will generally receive a profile issued by the new operator rather than moving the old profile.

What should I do if I need banking SMS messages on the day I change phones?

Keep the old phone switched on and its profile active until the new eSIM is confirmed. Save recovery codes for important accounts in advance, and avoid simultaneously starting a reset, a porting process and an eSIM reissue.