du eSIM: Convert, Activate and Transfer (Free in App)

To get a du eSIM, open the du app on the phone you want to use, tap the three dots next to your number, choose Manage SIM, then Convert to eSIM and verify yourself with UAE PASS. The eSIM is ready in minutes and the conversion is free on du’s digital channels; in a du store it costs AED 20 plus VAT. New lines with an eSIM cost AED 55 plus VAT on prepaid and AED 125 plus VAT on postpaid.

Do this next to switch to a du eSIM

• Check your phone supports eSIM on the maker’s website and update its software.
• Install UAE PASS on the same phone and download your Emirates ID into it.
• Connect to stable Wi-Fi and charge the phone above 50%.
• Start the swap from the new phone, not the old one, in the du app.

What is a du eSIM?

An eSIM is a SIM chip built into your phone, tablet or smartwatch. Instead of inserting a plastic card, you download your du mobile profile to the device. du’s eSIM works with prepaid, postpaid, corporate and tourist lines, and all services, including national and international roaming, work the same way as on a physical SIM.

The big advantage is flexibility. Most phones can store between 3 and 10 eSIM profiles, so you can keep a personal and a work number on one handset and switch between them in settings. You also avoid waiting for a SIM delivery or visiting a store, and there is less plastic waste. Some newer phones, such as the iPhone Air, work with eSIM only.

du eSIM charges

These are du’s published eSIM charges. VAT at 5% is added to each:

eSIM service	Charge
New prepaid line with eSIM	AED 55 + 5% VAT per SIM on activation (may vary by plan)
New postpaid line with eSIM	AED 125 + 5% VAT per SIM on activation (may vary by plan)
Corporate plans	AED 55 + 5% VAT per SIM on activation
Physical SIM to eSIM	AED 20 + 5% VAT in store; free on du’s digital channels
Moving an eSIM from phone to phone	AED 20 + 5% VAT in store; free on du’s digital channels
Apple Watch eSIM (Multi-SIM, one number)	AED 25 + 5% VAT a month
Tourist eSIM	Free starter offer with 10GB valid for 24 hours

In short, if you have the du app and UAE PASS, converting or moving your eSIM costs nothing. You only pay the AED 20 fee if you do it at a store.

How to convert your du SIM to eSIM in the du app

This is the free route for consumer mobile numbers. Do it on the phone where you want the eSIM.

1. Download the du app and log in on the new device.
2. Tap the three-dot menu next to the mobile number you want to convert. (In some app versions, go to Get more done, then View more, then Manage your SIM.)
3. Choose Manage SIM, then Convert to eSIM.
4. Log in to UAE PASS, approve the document sharing request and complete the face check with your phone camera.
5. Review the summary and confirm. Keep the du app open and stay on Wi-Fi while the eSIM is prepared.
6. When prompted, tap Add to install the eSIM. Your physical SIM stops working once the eSIM is active.

On an iPhone, make sure Face ID is set up first, because UAE PASS uses it for verification. If you missed the UAE PASS notification, open the UAE PASS app, approve the pending request and return to the du app.

How to move your du eSIM to a new phone

1. Log in to the du app on the new phone.
2. Tap the three dots next to your number and choose Manage SIM.
3. Select Activate eSIM on this device.
4. Verify with UAE PASS and wait for the eSIM to install.

Before you sell or give away the old phone, delete the eSIM profile from it, remove your personal content and reset it to factory settings. On iPhone, Apple’s eSIM transfer under Settings, Cellular (Mobile Data) can also move your line when both phones use the same Apple ID, but the du app route always works.

How to get a new du number with an eSIM

• Online or in store: buy any prepaid or postpaid plan with the eSIM option at shop.du.ae or a du store with valid ID. You receive a QR code.
• Install with the QR code: go to your phone’s settings, tap Add eSIM and scan the code.
• Install with UAE PASS: new customers can download the du app, sign up with the account number from the contract emailed to them, choose email for the OTP, then tap Install eSIM on the app home screen and Add.

Corporate numbers that are not business MPR lines get their QR code from the company’s authorised representative. Numbers ported from Etisalat (e&) can use an eSIM too.

How to install a du eSIM with a QR code

du emails the QR code with the subject “Your du eSIM is ready”. Install it with a stable internet connection, and remember that a du eSIM QR code can only be installed once.

Device	Where to scan the QR code
iPhone (iOS 17.4 and later)	Tap Install now in the email, or long-press the QR code and choose Add eSIM
iPhone (below iOS 17.4)	Settings, Cellular, Add Cellular Plan, Add eSIM
Samsung Galaxy	Settings, Connections, SIM manager, Add eSIM, Scan carrier QR code
Google Pixel	Settings, Network and internet, SIMs, Download a SIM
Other Android phones	Settings, Mobile network, SIM management, scan the QR code

Samsung Galaxy S22 and newer models, Google Pixel phones and iPhones on iOS 17.4 or later can install from a screenshot of the QR code. Do not delete the eSIM afterwards if you want to keep or recharge the number.

du eSIM for Apple Watch

du’s Multi-SIM service lets an Apple Watch share your mobile number, so you can call and use data without your iPhone nearby. It is available on postpaid plans only and costs AED 25 plus VAT a month.

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and start pairing, or open Cellular if the watch is already paired.
2. Choose Cellular Setup and log in with your du app credentials.
3. Accept the terms and tap Subscribe. You receive an SMS when the eSIM is active.

You can also activate it at a du store with valid ID. Note that roaming does not work on the Apple Watch eSIM, and older Multi-SIM subscriptions are not compatible with Apple Watch eSIM activation.

du tourist eSIM

Visitors can buy a du Tourist eSIM online without a store visit: choose a tourist bundle, scan your passport and activate the eSIM instantly. du currently advertises a free starter offer with 10GB of data valid for 24 hours, plus paid tourist bundles. Full details are in our guide on how to activate a du tourist SIM.

du eSIM problems and fixes

Problem	What to do
Wi-Fi dropped during activation	Reconnect to a stable network and start the request again
Phone was reset to factory settings	The eSIM is removed; redownload it in the du app with UAE PASS, or get a new QR code at a du store
Lost the QR code before installing	Get a new one at a du store, and call du to block the SIM if needed, because an unused QR code works like a SIM card
Lost the QR code after installing	No action needed; it cannot be used on another device
No UAE PASS	Visit a du store with valid ID for an eSIM QR code
Want a physical SIM back	Visit a du store with valid ID to convert
Phone does not show Add eSIM	Your handset may not support eSIM; check the maker’s website

After switching, confirm your line works by checking your balance with our du balance check guide and your number with how to check your du number.

du eSIM vs e& and Virgin Mobile eSIM

All three UAE operators support eSIM and use UAE PASS for digital verification. According to UAE press reports, e& charges AED 25 plus VAT to transfer an eSIM between devices, with free in-app activation offered as a limited-time promotion, while Virgin Mobile says there are no extra charges to activate an eSIM. du’s in-app conversion and transfer are free, and the AED 20 fee applies only in store. If you are on e&, see our guide to activating an Etisalat SIM or eSIM, and compare networks in du vs Etisalat.

Official sources: du’s eSIM page and FAQ and eSIM quick installation guide. Looking for data after switching? See the latest du data offers.

This guide is part of our du UAE Guide.