SM-DP+ Address and Activation Code: Add an eSIM Manually
The SM-DP+ address names the server that holds your eSIM and the activation code identifies your order. Here is what each part means and how to type it in by hand.
Quick answer
An SM-DP+ address is the hostname of the server that stores your eSIM profile and sends it to your phone, and the activation code tells that server which profile is yours. A QR code is simply both values packed into one line of text. To add an eSIM without scanning, type the SM-DP+ address and activation code exactly as your provider sent them: on iPhone tap Enter Details Manually, on a Samsung Galaxy tap Enter activation code, and on a Pixel use the manual option on the scan screen. Stay connected to the internet while it installs.
What an SM-DP+ address is
An SM-DP+ address is the internet hostname of the server your phone downloads its eSIM from. SM-DP+ is short for Subscription Manager Data Preparation+. The name comes from the GSMA, the industry association that publishes the eSIM specifications.
A 2018 GSMA whitepaper on remote SIM provisioning describes the job in plain terms. The SM-DP+ creates, protects and delivers the profile, which is the operator data and credentials that a plastic SIM card would otherwise carry. Your phone has a matching piece of software, the Local Profile Assistant (LPA), which downloads the encrypted profile onto the eSIM chip.
Three facts about the address save confusion later:
- It is a hostname, not a web link. The GSMA's technical specification defines it as the server's fully qualified domain name and uses SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM as its sample.
- It is not personal to you. EE, a UK carrier, gives its business customers one shared address and describes the activation code as the unique part.
- It only says where to ask. The activation code says which order is yours.
When you scan a QR code, the code carries the address for you. Manual entry means typing what the camera would have read.
What the QR code and activation code contain
An eSIM QR code holds one short line of text. Version 3.1 of the GSMA's eSIM technical specification, known as SGP.22 and dated 1 December 2023, calls that line the Activation Code and builds it from fixed parts separated by dollar signs. The GSMA's own sample is 1$SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM$04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815. Inside a QR code the spec requires the prefix LPA: in front of it, which gives:
LPA:1$SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM$04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815
| Part | In the line above | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | LPA: | Added when the line is carried in a QR code |
| Format | 1 | Format number, set to 1 in the spec |
| Separator | $ | Divides the parts |
| SM-DP+ address | SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM | Names the server that holds your profile |
| Activation code | 04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815 | Identifies your order on that server |
Optional parts can follow, each after another dollar sign. They include an ID for the server and a single 1 that tells the phone a confirmation code is required.
The last mandatory part has more than one name. The spec calls it the matching ID or the activation code token, and says it may contain only capital letters, digits and hyphens. That gives one safe check when you type a code by hand: a space does not belong in it. Do not change the case of anything your provider sent, because some providers issue case-sensitive codes and server addresses are often written in lower case.
The naming is where people get stuck. In the spec, Activation Code means the whole line. Phone screens use the same label more loosely:
- On iPhone, EE's business help page names three separate fields: SM-DP+ Address, Activation Code and Confirmation Code. The address and the code go in one field each, without the LPA:1$ prefix or the dollar signs.
- On Samsung and other Android phones, EE's instructions tell you to type everything on one line: LPA:1$, then the address, then $, then the code.
A confirmation code is a different thing. The spec treats it as optional protection chosen by the provider, and says it is given to you separately from the activation code.
Where to find your SM-DP+ address and activation code
Look beside the QR code first. AT&T's eSIM tutorial for the Pixel 10a says the activation code is typically included near the QR code, and EE prints the code for its business customers on the eSIM pack, below the setup instructions. The GSMA whitepaper notes that a provider can hand the code over on paper, by email or on a screen, so where you look depends on how you bought.
Work through these places in order:
- The email or page that shows the QR code. Look for lines labeled SM-DP+ address and activation code, or one long line starting LPA:1$.
- The order or eSIM details screen in the provider's app or your account page, if you bought through one.
- The provider's support team. Apple's guidance for a deleted eSIM is the same: contact the carrier for the eSIM details, then enter them by hand.
What you were given decides what you type:
| What you received | What it is | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| One line starting LPA:1$ | The full activation line | Android: enter it whole. iPhone: the text between the first and second $ goes in SM-DP+ Address, and the text after the second $, up to any further $, goes in Activation Code |
| An address and a separate code | The two main parts | iPhone: one field each. Android: join them as your provider shows |
| An address only | The carrier already has your eSIM order | Follow the provider's steps exactly |
| A second code, sent separately | A confirmation code | Enter it only when the phone asks |
The Android advice in that table follows EE's published steps, so let your own provider's instructions overrule it. The address-only case is real too. Bell's eSIM help page tells its customers to paste only Bell's server address: into the SM-DP+ Address field on iPhone, with the Activation Code field left blank, and as the activation code on Samsung, Motorola and Pixel phones.
When manual entry is the right move
Manual entry is the fallback, not the first choice. Scanning is quicker and cannot introduce a typo, and the normal flow is covered in our guide to installing an eSIM by QR code on iPhone and Android.
Use manual entry in these situations:
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| The QR code is on the phone you are installing on | iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later: tap and hold the code in your default email app or browser. Android: enter the details manually |
| The camera will not read the code | Enter the details manually |
| The provider sent text instead of a QR code | Enter the details manually |
| The provider sent a link | iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later: tap the link |
| The QR code is on paper or another screen | Scan it |
EE and Bell both point customers to manual entry when a scan fails.
How to enter eSIM details manually
Get three things ready before you start.
- An internet connection. Apple tells you to connect the iPhone to a Wi-Fi network or hotspot. Bell says either Wi-Fi or mobile data works for its eSIMs.
- A phone that supports eSIM.
- The details in a form you can copy. Pasting rules out typos.
iPhone
Apple's support guide to managing eSIMs gives these steps:
- Go to Settings > Cellular.
- Tap Add eSIM. The Set Up Cellular screen appears.
- Tap Use QR Code.
- Tap Enter Details Manually. The Enter Activation Code screen appears.
- Enter the details your carrier provided, then tap Next.
- Tap Set Up eSIM.
- When activation completes, tap Done.
- Check that the cell signal icon appears in the status bar. Apple wrote that step for a home carrier line. A travel eSIM installed before your trip may show no signal until you reach a country it covers, so do not delete it for that reason.
The labels are not identical on every iPhone. Apple's Set up eSIM on iPhone article words the path as Settings > Cellular or Mobile Data > Add Cellular Plan > Enter Details Manually, with that last button at the bottom of the screen. EE's business help page mentions Mobile Service and Set up Mobile Service as other labels you may see.
On the entry screen, use EE's eSIM help page for business customers as a model: the SM-DP+ Address field takes only the hostname, and the Activation Code field takes only the code. EE tells its business customers to leave Confirmation Code blank. Fill that field only if your provider sent you a confirmation code.
Samsung Galaxy
Samsung's Galaxy eSIM support page lists three ways to add an eSIM: eSIM Simple Setup, scanning a QR code, or entering the information manually. For manual entry:
- Go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager.
- Tap Add eSIM, then tap Scan QR code.
- Tap Enter activation code.
- Enter the activation code from your provider.
- Wait while the eSIM downloads and activates.
Samsung's page says only to enter the code your carrier provided. EE's business help page is more specific: type the whole line, starting with LPA:1$. EE's Samsung steps also use different menu names, SIM card manager and Add mobile plan, and EE notes that some Samsung phones have slightly different steps.
Google Pixel and other Android phones
Google's Pixel help page on setting up a new eSIM gives the starting point and then tells you to follow the instructions on the screen. Carrier pages fill in the manual part:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM > Set up an eSIM.
- Select your network if the phone asks.
- On the QR scanning screen, open the manual option. AT&T's Pixel tutorial shows it as Try these troubleshooting steps, then Enter activation code. EE's business help page and Bell show it as Need help, then Enter it manually.
- Enter or paste the code your provider gave you. EE's Android steps use the whole line starting LPA:1$.
- Follow the prompts to finish the download.
Google notes that the process can differ slightly by carrier, and the sources above do not agree on the wording. EE and Bell also describe a Download a SIM instead option on the way to the scan screen. If your menus look different, read the scan screen for a help or troubleshooting link.
iPhone shortcuts that skip the typing
If the QR code or a link is already on your iPhone, Apple documents two ways to use it without a second screen. Apple says both need iOS 17.4 or later.
- A QR code in an email or web page: tap and hold the code, then tap Add eSIM. Apple describes this for a code received in a default email app or browser.
- A link from your provider: tap it, tap Allow when the Activate New eSIM notification appears, then tap Continue.
After either one, the install carries on as it would after a scan. If the iPhone asks for a confirmation code, Apple says to enter the number your carrier provided.
Apple's article does not describe other routes, such as a QR code saved in a different app, so do not count on them. The Samsung and Google pages cited above do not describe installing from a saved image either, so plan on manual entry there.
What can go wrong and what it means
The GSMA spec sets out why a server can refuse a download. The wording you see on screen varies by phone.
| What happens | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The phone rejects the code at once | The line is malformed: a missing $, an extra space, a wrong character | Paste it again and compare it character by character |
| The server refuses the code | No open order matches it: a typo, a code already used, or an expired order | Recheck the code, then ask the provider for a new one |
| Nothing downloads | No internet, or a wrong address that sends the request to the wrong place | Connect to Wi-Fi and recheck the address |
| The phone asks for a confirmation code | The provider protected the order with a second code | Look in what the provider gave you separately, ask them if it is missing, and do not guess |
| The provider says the code is fine, but your phone is refused | The order may be tied to a different device | Ask the provider to reissue it for your phone |
| The eSIM installs but has no data | Not a code problem | Use the no-data guide below |
Retrying over and over is a bad idea. Under the spec, the server counts download attempts and wrong confirmation codes, and it ends the order once a limit is passed. You then have to ask the provider for a fresh order.
A failed install is not always a used code. The spec lets the server accept a retry after a failed install, but every try is counted and a permanent error ends the order. Fix the connection, try once more, and if that fails, contact the provider instead of trying again.
For the scanning side, see eSIM QR code not working.
Using the same code twice
Do not assume a code works twice. Under the GSMA spec, the server hands over a profile only while it is in a released state, or in a downloaded state when you retry after a failed install. Once your phone confirms the install, the server records the profile as installed. The spec's lifecycle shows making a deleted profile downloadable again as optional, so it does not happen everywhere.
Published policies show both answers:
- EE's help page for business customers says its QR codes can be reused up to three times, on the same phone or a different one, provided the phone is connected to Wi-Fi when you delete the eSIM from it. EE's help page for personal customers says the opposite: a QR code can be used to download an eSIM only once.
- Bell works differently again: its QR code is the same for every customer and carries only the server address, Bell says it will not work once the eSIM has been set up, and a deleted Bell eSIM is restored through the MyBell account instead.
Unless your provider's help page says a code can be reused, treat it as single-use. Do not delete an installed eSIM to refresh it, and before you change phones, ask the provider how to move the plan.
Keep the code private until it is installed
Treat the activation code like a password. The spec defines it as the information a user presents to request the download and installation of a profile, and one of the server's checks is whether the code matches a pending order. A QR code is that same line drawn as a picture. If someone else presents your code first, the profile can end up on their phone instead of yours.
The spec gives providers two optional safeguards. They can link an order to one phone's EID, the identifier of its eSIM chip, and the server then checks that the requesting phone matches. Or they can require a confirmation code that is given to you separately. A provider does not have to use either, so do not rely on them.
Practical rules:
- Do not post the QR code or the LPA line in forums, reviews or social media.
- Do not run the QR code through an online decoder to get the text.
- When you ask for help in public, share the error message, not the code.
- Keep it private after installation too. A reusable code, like the EE Business example, is still live.
FAQ
What is meant by SM-DP+ address?
It is the hostname of the server that holds your eSIM profile and delivers it to your phone. SM-DP+ stands for Subscription Manager Data Preparation+, a term from the GSMA's eSIM specifications. Your provider supplies the address, either inside the QR code or as text. It looks like an ordinary hostname, such as the GSMA's sample SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM.
How do I manually enter eSIM details?
On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Use QR Code > Enter Details Manually. On a Samsung Galaxy, go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM > Scan QR code > Enter activation code. On a Pixel, start at Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM > Set up an eSIM, then pick the manual option on the scan screen.
How do I get my QR code for eSIM?
From the company that sold you the plan. Apple and Samsung both tell you to contact your carrier for the QR code. Depending on the provider it may arrive by email, appear on a screen when you buy, or be printed on paper. If it never arrived, ask support to send it again.
How do I get my eSIM activation code?
It comes with the QR code. AT&T says the activation code is typically included near the QR code. Look for a line labeled activation code, or one long line beginning LPA:1$. If all you have is the QR image, ask the provider's support team for the manual details.
What is the confirmation code on the eSIM screen?
It is an optional second code. Under the GSMA specification a provider can protect an order with a confirmation code and give it to you separately from the activation code. Apple says to enter the number your carrier provided if the iPhone asks for one. If your provider never sent one, leave the field empty.
Can I reuse an activation code after deleting the eSIM?
It depends on the provider, and even on the account type. EE's business help page says its QR codes can be reused up to three times if the phone is on Wi-Fi when you delete the eSIM, while EE's page for personal customers says a QR code can be used only once. The GSMA specification makes releasing a deleted profile again optional, so check your provider's policy before you delete anything.
Do I type LPA:1$ on an iPhone?
Not in the manual fields EE's business help page describes for iPhone. The address goes in SM-DP+ Address and the code goes in Activation Code, with no prefix and no dollar signs. Bell's iPhone steps use the same two fields. The LPA: prefix belongs to the QR code version of the line, although EE's Android instructions do include LPA:1$ at the start.
Next step
Once you can install an eSIM either way, the remaining job is choosing the plan. eSIMAdvice compares travel eSIM plans from 93 providers, with prices re-checked weekly: open the country directory, where each country page lists plans cheapest-first and can be re-sorted by price per GB. Each provider's unconditional coupon is already in the price we show, and you should confirm the final price on the provider's site.