How to switch to a new phone using an eSIM on Vodafone – The 3 Minute process!

With a brand new smartphone being announced next week by Samsung, as well as rumours of a new entry-level iPhone soon after it certainly is the season to be switching phones. But in 2026 there’s less and less appetite for the physical SIM card these days.

Apple has gone eSIM only on the iPhone Air, and in the USA every single new iPhone for the last four years since the iPhone 14 have been eSIM only – so we have to assume the day will be near the day that we are eSIM only in Australia too.

Switching your eSIM from one iPhone to another is ridiculously easy – it’s pretty much done by Apple’s iCloud. But if you’re switching from Android to iPhone, or iPhone to Android the process is different.

To test it out and demonstrate for you, this morning I switched from my eSIM only iPhone Air to the Samsung Galaxy S25.

The process is legitimately simple. And the total time was 3 minutes until I had mobile connection on the new phone.

Login to My Vodafone App

Once you’re logged in, choose your service (likely you only have one in here) then hit that “Hamburger Menu” button top right of screen.

That’s the three lines that expands the full menu out.

Inside that menu, look for “Your Plans” and expand that, then click “Swap my SIM”

This is where the rubber hits the road.

And it really is a “follow the prompts” kinda deal.

Check you are on the right number, and then answer “why” you’re requesting this swap.

The next step is critical, it’s the verification process – sending an SMS code to the “Active” SIM on your number.

This SMS will go to your old phone, and ensures that you are the actual SIM user before that card or virtual SIM is deactivated.

From there, it’s underway. Triple check you’re using the new phone, then your phone will start the process of downloading the “eSIM” from Vodafone.

This adds details to your phone’s memory to enable you to connect to the mobile network without that physical bit of plastic.

And then, you’re underway and just need to wait.

You’ll notice even in the above screenshots the mobile network activated very fast – we were back online in moments.

Next is success, and back at it on your new phone!

Basically, this should be one of the FIRST things you do on your new phone.

1. Power on new phone
2. Connect to WiFi
3. Login to App Store / Google Play
4. Install MyVodafone (or My Optus or Telstra apps, it’s the same process)
5. Begin Sim Swap.

You’ll never need a plastic SIM or those pesky little SIM tray popper tools again.