Question 1

What are eSIMs and how do they work?

Accepted Answer

Stay connected on your travels with eSIMs on Skratch, offering quick and easy mobile data around the world. Learn more about how they work and the benefits below!

What are eSIMs?

Say goodbye to physical sims or sneaky roaming charges when you travel. A Skratch eSIM is a fully digital and fast way to get local mobile data when you travel.

Think of an eSIM like a virtual SIM card, offering you all the data usually contained on a physical SIM card but loaded onto your device over the air with no manual setup needed. Most iOS and Android devices have an eSIM chip built-in, allowing you to activate an eSIM plan straight away on your device. You can install multiple eSIM plans on your device without touching your main data plan or phone number.

Benefits of Skratch eSIMs

Flexible and Affordable: Choose a plan that suits your data needs and trip duration, including country and regional eSIMs
Best Internet Speeds: Enjoy the fastest 4G/5G internet speeds with connectivity to 400+ networks globally
Quick Setup: Activate data plans in a few seconds and easily switch between networks, no physical setup required
Easy to Track: Monitor your eSIM data usage in Skratch and top up seamlessly
Unmatched Security: Stay secure with end-to-end encryption and 100% data privacy
World Class Support: Browse our extensive l

Question 2

Is my device compatible with an eSIM?

Accepted Answer

Skratch will automatically tell you if your device is compatible or not with an eSIM.

||| Note: Regardless of the phone you have, it must be unlocked from carrier restrictions to use eSIMs. Some phones are tied to a specific mobile operator and can only use data plans from that network.

If you want to double check, here are three simple ways to do so:

1. Check if your device settings include an “Add eSIM” option

Samsung: Open Settings > Connections > SIM card manager > Add eSIM If you see an “Add eSIM” option, your phone supports eSIMs and you’re good to go

iOS: Open Settings > Mobile Service or Cellular > Add eSIM If you see an “Add eSIM” option, your phone supports eSIMs and you’re good to go.

Other major Android manufacturers:

Google Pixel: Open Settings > Networks and Internet > Advanced > Add Operator If you see a QR code scanner, your phone supports eSIMs and you’re good to go.

Huawei: Open Settings > Mobile Networks > SIM Management submenu > Add eSIM If you see an activation code input, your phone supports eSIMs and you’re good to go.

Xiaomi: Open Settings > Network > Add eSIM If you see an “Add eSIM” option, your phone supports eSIMs and you’re good to go.

***Motorola

Question 3

How do I mark places on my map?

Accepted Answer

Skratch lets you mark territories, cities, attractions and regions on your own interactive map to track your travels around the world. Each territory can be given a state - Visited, Want to Visit, or Lived - so you can personalize your map to reflect your journeys.

If you’re wondering how to mark places on your map, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, you’ll find a clear step-by-step process to start marking on your map.

How to mark countries on your Skratch map

Open your map
Tap the country or territory you’d like to mark
Or tap the “+” icon in the bottom-left corner and select “Mark a Location” to manually search for the territory
Tap Visited or Want to Visit
If you tap Visited, tap on the house icon 🏠 to mark it as a place you’ve lived in
Done! Start building your map

| 👉 Pro Tip: Some territories hide special easter eggs that appear when you mark them as visited. We won’t spoil the surprise, but let's just say you’ll want to keep exploring the world to see what pops up!

What else can I mark?

With Skratch you can mark more than just territories - you can also add cities, regions, states and attractions to your map. Check out our Power Ups article here to learn more.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/9/1/c/a/91cac38e26f2f000/skratch-map-how-do-i-mark-plac_1x2m

Question 4

Why am I unable to activate my eSIM?

Accepted Answer

If you’ve successfully installed your eSIM, you should be able to activate your eSIM automatically upon arrival at your destination. If you’re experiencing any activation issues, it’s hopefully something easy to resolve.

Here’s a checklist of potential reasons your eSIM may not be activating:

Arrived at destination? Make sure you are already at your destination and connected to a local network. Your eSIM won’t work in any country outside of the plan coverage
Too many eSIMs? Devices only allow you to have a certain number of active eSIM profiles. Check yours as per our information here
APN settings? Some eSIMs require you to update your APN settings to work properly, consult our support article here
Data roaming enabled? Make sure you’ve enabled data roaming for your eSIM in your device settings. Detailed activation instructions are available here

||| Note that some eSIMs may take up to 2 hours to show as “Active” in the My eSIMs tab on Skratch but should work as expected in the meantime. Known countries where these issues may occur on some devices are Netherlands, Algeria, Belarus, Chile, Colombia, Madagascar, South Africa and Tunisia.

If none of the fixes above are resolv

Question 5

Can I reset my Skratch map?

Accepted Answer

Yes of course, you can easily clear markings from your map if you want to start fresh.

Resetting your map

Open Skratch
Tap on your 'Profile Icon' on the top left corner of the screen
Scroll down and tap ‘Clear Map’
Confirm reset
Map cleared!

| 👉Pro Tip: Make sure you really want to do this. Resetting your map can’t be undone, which means you’ll lose everything you’ve marked, and yes, even your memories.

Question 6

Do I need to remove my physical SIM to use an eSIM?

Accepted Answer

No, you don’t need to remove your physical SIM card to use an eSIM. Most modern smartphones support dual SIM functionality, which means you can use your physical SIM and an eSIM at the same time.

This setup is especially useful for travelers:

Keep your main number active on your physical SIM for calls and texts.
Use your eSIM for data while abroad, often at better local rates.
Easily switch between networks in your phone’s settings.

However, if you’d like to use only your eSIM, you can remove the physical SIM — it’s completely up to you but not recommended for the reasons above.

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