Almost everyone has two email addresses—one for people you know and one you give to everyone else (and maybe even a third one, just in case). You might also have two phone lines too, whether it’s a landline and a mobile line, or a work phone and a personal phone. But did you know you can have two phone numbers on the same wireless phone? It’s called dual SIM and it’s surprisingly simple to set up. This blog will show you how to check if your phone supports this handy feature and how to use dual SIM to really make the most of it. 

What is Dual SIM?

Dual SIM is when two SIMs are working in one phone at the same time. It’s a very convenient feature that allows you to manage a work line and a personal line from the same phone, or keep your home SIM active while using a local SIM when traveling abroad. Depending on the phone, dual SIM can work with two physical SIM cards, two eSIMs or one of each. You can take a much deeper dive into what dual SIM is via our dedicated blog.  

Dual SIM compatible phones

Dual SIM support can vary by carrier and region, but it also requires a dual SIM-capable device. Here’s a list of the most popular phones that support dual SIM:

  • iPhone
    • iPhone XS, XR, 11 and later support dual SIM via a nano SIM card + eSIM
    • iPhone 13 or newer models support dual SIM via a nano SIM card + eSIM or two eSIMs
    • U.S. iPhone 14 and later models are eSIM only, supporting dual SIM via two eSIMs
  • Google Pixel
    • Pixel 3 and newer models support dual SIM via a physical SIM card + eSIM
    • Pixel 7 and newer models support dual SIM via two eSIMs
  • Samsung Galaxy
    • Galaxy S21, S22, S23 series and newer support dual SIM via a nano SIM card + eSIM
    • Some models also support dual physical SIMs, though these are rare and tend to be international/unlocked phones
  • Motorola, OnePlus, and others
    • Many recent Android phones offer dual SIM, but usually between one physical SIM card and one eSIM, with dual eSIM being less common
    • Dual SIM via two nano SIM cards is popular in international models
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“Tip”

If you're unsure, search for your device online with the phrase “dual SIM support” or “eSIM support” to get confirmation.

how to check if your phone supports dual SIM: in the settings menu, in your device specs, via your carrier website

How to check if your phone supports dual SIM

There are a few ways to find out if your device supports dual SIM. We recommend you try the following:

  • In the Settings menu:
    On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular or Settings > Mobile Service. If you see an option to add a second line or “Add eSIM,” your device is dual SIM capable.

On Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIM cards or similar—if there’s a section for two SIMs or an option to add an eSIM, you’re good.

  • In your device specs:
    Look up your phone model on the manufacturer’s website or do an online search for “[your phone model] dual SIM support.” The specs should include whether it supports dual SIM, eSIM or both.
  • Via your carrier website:
    If your phone supports dual SIM, the carrier for each line must support it as well—especially when it comes to eSIM. Make sure the carrier you’re considering offers dual SIM or eSIM support for your phone model before you make any account changes.

Additional steps on how to activate dual sim on your iPhone or Android are also available in our what is a dual sim blog. 

How to use dual SIM

Now that you know what dual SIM is, the most popular dual SIM-compatible phone models, and how to tell if your phone is dual SIM or compatible or not, you’re officially ready to learn how to use it (yay). 

Once you’ve activated both lines on your phone, you can customize how it handles calls, messages and mobile data. This is the main advantage of dual SIM—the ability to choose which number is used for different tasks and switch between lines as needed. 

In the following paragraphs we’ll go over some of the most useful dual SIM functionalities such as: 

  • How to choose which line to use for calls on iPhone and Android
  • How to manage calls and texts from each SIM 
  • How to manage which line uses mobile data
  • And more helpful dual SIM tips
Instructions on how to choose which line to use for calls

How to choose which line to use for calls

iPhone:

  • Go to Settings and select Cellular
  • Tap Default Voice Line
  • Choose between your two active lines (e.g., “Personal” or “Work”)

Other options:

  • You can change the line right from the Phone app before placing a call by tapping “Primary” or “Secondary” 
  • You can also set a preferred line per contact. When calling someone, iOS will remember which SIM you used last time and use it again automatically.

Android:

  • Go to Settings and select Network & Internet
  • Tap SIMs
  • Set Call preference to always ask or choose a default SIM
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“Note”

These steps may vary depending on your Android model.

Other options:

  • Many Android phones also let you toggle SIMs right from the dialer or call screen
how to manage text messages between SIMs

How to manage text messages between SIMs

iPhone:

  • Go to Settings and select Messages
  • iMessage and SMS will use the same line you’ve assigned for calls by default, but you can switch lines manually in the Messages app by following these steps:
    • Create a new message
    • Tap the line label (usually above the keyboard or contact name)
    • Select your other SIM
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“Note”

Only one number can be used with iMessage and FaceTime at a time.

Android:

  • Go to Settings and select Network & Internet
  • Tap SIMs and set your preferred line for messaging
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“Note”

Most messaging apps (like Google Messages or Samsung Messages) show the current SIM label and allow you to switch SIMs before sending a message.

instructions on how to choose which line uses mobile data

How to choose which line uses mobile data

iPhone:

  • Go to Settings and select Cellular
  • Choose Cellular Data and pick which line you want to provide your mobile data
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“Note”

You can also enable Allow Cellular Data Switching if you want your phone to switch data lines automatically based on your coverage. This won’t affect your default phone or messaging line.

Android:

  • Go to Settings and select Network & Internet 
  • Tap SIMs and choose your preferred default SIM for mobile data
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“Note”

You can switch data SIMs at any time, but most Android phones won’t allow both lines to use mobile data at the same time.

Dual SIM is Ultra-convenient… and supported by Ultra Mobile

We wrote this blog to educate you on dual SIM not only because it’s a feature we really like, but it’s a feature we also fully support! Ultra has always embraced the newest wireless technologies and we know how important it is to have a flexible, travel-friendly wireless carrier. Click below to see if your phone supports eSIM and discover why Ultra Mobile is the best fit for your phone line(s). 

Check eSIM Compatibility