Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority
Before you buy a Google Pixel 9a, you might want to know a bit about its connectivity options. Does the Pixel 9a come with eSIM? Does it have a physical SIM card slot? How about dual-SIM support? Things have gotten a bit confusing in the past few years. Some phones have both, and others only support one SIM type. Newer iPhones even got rid of the physical SIM card slot altogether in the US. Let’s clear things out for you and see what your options are.
QUICK ANSWER
The Google Pixel 9a comes with one physical nano-SIM card slot and eSIM support. It also supports dual-SIM capabilities. You can opt between two configurations: one eSIM and one physical SIM, or two eSIM profiles.
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Google Pixel 9a
Built-in Gemini • Incredible camera • All-day battery
All the Pixel essentials for less.
The Google Pixel 9a brings built-in Gemini, an incredible camera, all-day battery, and seven years of updates for under $500.
Does the Google Pixel 9a have eSIM support?
Yes, the Google Pixel 9a does have eSIM support, as any modern smartphone should. This means you can take advantage of all the benefits that come with this newer SIM technology. It allows you to switch carriers easily, without having to wait around for SIM cards to ship, or going to the store to get them. It also makes it easy to test networks without much hassle, and you can easily add eSIM profiles for travel usage.
That said, if you prefer physical SIM cards, the device also comes with a nano-SIM card slot. It’s on the bottom edge of the device, and you can access it using the included SIM ejector tool. If you’re not sure which is better, we have a full comparison between physical SIMs and eSIM technology.
Does the Google Pixel 9a have dual-SIM?
Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority
Additionally, the Google Pixel 9a also comes with dual-SIM capabilities. This means you can have two active lines at the same time, as long as the involved carriers support this. Google makes sure to mention this feature is dependant on the carrier and country.
If you can use dual-SIM, you’ll get two options. You can either use one physical SIM card and one eSIM profile, or opt for two eSIM profiles and skip the physical SIM card slot.
This is definitely one of the benefits of eSIM. This technology has made dual-SIM functionality very common. Before, one needed dual-SIM card slots to do this. These specialized hardware configurations were pretty rare. Thanks to eSIM, dual-SIM phones are super common now, and you can see that in our list of the best dual-SIM phones. It’s full of excellent options.
How to activate eSIM on the Google Pixel 9a
Are you ready to get your Pixel 9a up and running? It’s time to connect it to your network. Luckily, the process is pretty simple, but how you approach it may change depending on your carrier or how you purchased the phone.
If you got the Google Pixel 9a straight from your carrier, chances are the representative or customer support will set it all up for you. If it was shipped from them, chances are your IMEI and eSIM are already linked, too. You will automatically get a notification to connect to your network during the initial setup.
Those who bought the handset unlocked might have to do a bit more work, though. Get in touch with your carrier. One of two things will happen, depending on the carrier. Either the customer service representative will ask for the IMEI and other details and walk you through the process, or you will be provided with a QR code. If the latter applies to you, you can do the rest from the settings. Let’s show you how.
How to activate an eSIM on the Pixel 9a:
- Make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
- Launch the Settings app.
- Go into Network & internet.
- Tap on SIMs.
- Select Set up an eSIM.
- Select your carrier, or Use a different network.
- Scan the QR code provided by your carrier.
- Follow on-screen instructions to finish the process.
If you’re migrating your number from your older phone to the Pixel 9a, remember to turn it off before you do so. It may seem like an unimportant step, but it can cause activation issues and many forget to do it.
FAQs
No. The Google Pixel 9a only has one physical SIM card slot, regardless of which version you get. If you want to use two SIMs at once, one of them will have to be an eSIM profile.
Yes, you can store many eSIM profiles on a Google Pixel 9a. That said, only two of them can be active at any given point.
Sadly, there is no way to transfer eSIM before Android and iOS devices. You will have to set up the eSIM all over again, whether you use a QR code or call your carrier’s customer service.
If you want to delete an eSIM on a Pixel 9a, go to Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, pick the SIM, then select Erase SIM.
