How Many eSIMs Can iPhone 17 Have?

Handy Guide

As Apple continues moving away from physical SIM cards, many users are asking a simple question: how many eSIMs can iPhone 17 have?

With international travel, work lines, and data plans all moving to digital SIMs, understanding how many eSIM profiles your phone can store — and how many you can use at once — matters more than ever.

This guide explains what the iPhone 17 supports, how eSIM storage works, and what it means for travelers and business users.

What Is an eSIM on iPhone?

An eSIM is a digital SIM built directly into your iPhone. Instead of inserting a physical card, you download a mobile plan and activate it through your phone’s settings.

If you want a deeper breakdown of how the technology works, this guide to data roaming and staying connected abroad explains how eSIMs connect to networks differently from roaming.

How Many eSIMs Can iPhone 17 Have?

The iPhone 17 can store multiple eSIM profiles at once, allowing users to switch between them without removing or replacing anything physically.

While Apple does not publish an exact maximum number, current iPhone models support:

8 or more stored eSIM profiles
2 active eSIMs at the same time

That means you can:

Keep a personal line
Keep a work line
Store multiple travel eSIMs
Switch between them instantly

So when asking how many eSIMs can iPhone 17 have, the practical answer is:
You can store many, but only use two at once.

How Active eSIMs Work on iPhone 17

You can only have two eSIMs active simultaneously. One may be used for:

Calls and SMS
Mobile data

Or you can set one for calls and one for data, depending on your needs.

This makes it easy to:

Keep your main number active
Use a travel eSIM for data
Avoid turning roaming back on

Many travelers choose this setup to avoid roaming overcharges while abroad.

Why Having Multiple eSIMs Is Useful

Being able to store several eSIM profiles is especially helpful for:

Frequent travelers
Business users
Digital nomads
People with multiple phone numbers

Instead of buying and removing SIM cards, users can:

Install new eSIMs digitally
Deactivate old ones
Switch between countries in seconds

You can compare regional, global, and local eSIM options based on how often you travel.

How Travelers Use Multiple eSIMs on iPhone 17

Many travelers keep:

A home carrier eSIM for calls and texts
A destination eSIM for mobile data

This allows them to stay reachable while still using local networks abroad.

For long trips or multi-country itineraries, many choose unlimited data plans for travelers in 198+ destinations so they don’t need to install a new plan for each country.

What Happens When You Run Out of eSIM Storage?

If your iPhone reaches its stored eSIM limit:

You can delete old profiles
Install new ones
Re-download plans later if needed

You should always check if your phone is eSIM-compatible before purchasing a plan, especially if switching devices.

Does iPhone 17 Support Physical SIM Cards?

In many regions, Apple now sells iPhones that support eSIM only, without a SIM tray. This makes knowing how many eSIMs can iPhone 17 have even more important for planning connectivity.

If you rely on mobile data abroad, you should also understand how data roaming works abroad so you don’t accidentally fall back on expensive carrier roaming.

Managing Data Across Multiple eSIMs

If you use more than one eSIM:

Make sure the correct SIM is selected for data
Turn off roaming on your home SIM
Monitor usage regularly

iPhone users can follow this step-by-step guide to checking data usage on your iPhone to stay in control.

Final Thoughts

So, how many eSIMs can iPhone 17 have?
You can store multiple profiles and use two at the same time, giving you flexibility for work, travel, and personal use without ever swapping a physical card.

For modern travel and multi-line use, eSIM storage has become one of the iPhone’s most useful features.