Dubai is built for smartphones: you navigate between malls and beaches with maps, book Careem rides to escape the heat, scan mobile tickets at the Burj Khalifa and order dinner on Talabat. A Dubai eSIM gives you mobile data across the UAE from the moment you land — no SIM kiosk, no passport scan and no roaming bill from your home carrier.
What a Dubai eSIM is
An eSIM is a digital SIM profile you install by scanning a QR code. Our Dubai plans are data-only and work in all seven emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Your home SIM stays active for calls and texts. Local UAE SIM cards must be registered with a passport or Emirates ID; a travel eSIM needs no registration.
Check your phone first
Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Most iPhones from the XR and XS onwards, Google Pixel 3 and newer and Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer support eSIM. On an iPhone, look for Add eSIM under Settings › Cellular; on any phone, dialing *#06# shows an EID number if eSIM is supported.
Network and coverage
Dubai eSIM plans connect to du, one of the UAE’s two national networks. Coverage is strong in cities, along the main highways and at desert camps close to the cities, with 5G in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Very remote desert and mountain areas can have weak signal. UAE plans route data through Europe, so websites see a European IP address — the IP location is shown on each plan page.
Calls on internet apps
The UAE restricts many internet calling services, so voice and video calls in apps such as WhatsApp may not work, while messages, photos and maps do. Read our guide to WhatsApp and calls in the UAE before you go.
How much data to buy
For maps, rides, messaging and some social media, about 1 GB per day is enough for most visitors. See our Dubai data guide for plan sizes.
Installing your eSIM
- Install it at home on Wi-Fi — the plan only starts when you first connect in the UAE.
- iPhone: Settings › Cellular › Add eSIM › Use QR Code. Android: Settings › Connections (or Network) › SIM manager › Add eSIM. Scan the QR code from your email.
- Label the line “Dubai”, choose it for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
- Turn on data roaming for the eSIM line; keep data roaming off on your home SIM.
Quick fixes
- No data: check roaming and the mobile-data line, then restart the phone.
- No network: turn off automatic network selection and choose du manually.
- Still stuck: contact us with your order email — we reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Dubai eSIM work in Abu Dhabi and the other emirates?
Yes. The plans work across the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, on the du network.
Do I need to register the eSIM with my passport or Emirates ID?
No. Local SIM cards require registration, but a travel eSIM is installed with a QR code and needs none.
Will WhatsApp work in Dubai?
WhatsApp messages, photos and voice notes work. Voice and video calls in apps such as WhatsApp may not, because the UAE restricts many internet calling services.
Get online in the UAE the moment you land
Dubai eSIM from $0.90 · QR code by email · du