Samsung will finally make it easier to port eSIMs from iPhones

Let’s say you’re an Apple iPhone user who is making the switch to a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. While it’s possible to transfer your iPhone’s data to your new Galaxy flagship using the Move to iOS app, transferring your eSIM isn’t possible without contacting your carrier.

Samsung is aiming to address this particular shortcoming in the upcoming One UI 8.5 release, according to a new leak. Digging into a leaked build of One UI 8.5, Android Authority has found a crucial piece of code that confirms the development of a proper iPhone-to-Galaxy eSIM transfer tool.

Google’s Pixel phones already allow iPhone users to transfer their eSIM using the “Transfer a SIM from another phone” tool via Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM.

With this in mind, it’s somewhat surprising that Samsung Galaxy phones, which are among the key rivals to Apple’s iPhones, don’t support a hassle-free eSIM transfer. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait too long to see this new tool in action, as One UI 8.5 is expected to debut with the Galaxy S26 series early next year, with the betas arriving before that.

As Android Authority notes, the revamped eSIM porting tool in One UI 8.5 may be limited to Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, similar to the eSIM transfer tool on Pixel phones.

It took Samsung long enough, but it’s nearly here

One UI 8 vs One UI 8.5 (via Android Authority)

In addition to the aforementioned code, Android Authority has also captured screenshots that illustrate what this updated eSIM transfer tool page will look like.

As you can see above, the existing page (left) has options to “Transfer SIM from another phone” or “Scan QR code,” in addition to “Search for eSIMs.” However, with One UI 8.5 (right), Samsung will let users “Transfer SIM from Galaxy/Android phone” or “Transfer SIM from iPhone.”

The “Scan QR code” option is also available, but “Search for eSIMs” appears to be missing. It’s unclear if this is by design or an accidental omission by Samsung, though we should be able to find out soon enough.

While we don’t have a date to mark on our calendars for the rollout of Samsung’s first One UI 8.5 beta, a recent report indicated that the company may release it to beta testers sometime in late November. In the meantime, we’ve learned quite a bit about the upcoming software’s features courtesy of multiple leaks.