If your eSIM shows full signal bars but no internet, the cause is almost always one of six things: mobile data is routed to the wrong line, Data Roaming is switched off (the single most common cause on travel eSIMs), the APN was changed or never applied, Low Data Mode or Data Saver is throttling background connections, a VPN or private-DNS setting is fighting the local network — or, on a metered plan like Roamzy, your balance has hit $0 and data has simply stopped. Bars only prove your phone is registered to a tower; the data session is a separate step, and any one of these settings can block it.
Why you can have full bars and zero data
Signal bars measure the radio link between your phone and the nearest tower. Getting actual internet requires a second step: the network has to open a data session for your line, using the right APN, with roaming permitted, and with your account in good standing. A travel eSIM registers to local networks as a roaming profile by design — so your phone happily shows LTE or 5G bars while quietly refusing to pass data because one switch is in the wrong position. That is why this problem looks scary but is usually fixed in under five minutes.
If you have no bars at all — "No Service" or "SOS" — that is a different problem with different fixes: see eSIM shows No Service after install instead.
The 7-step fix, in order
Do these in sequence — each step rules out the most likely remaining cause. Full screenshots live in our iPhone guide and Android guide.
1. Check which line is actually providing mobile data
With two SIMs active, phones often keep your home line selected for data — and your home line may have no roaming plan, so nothing loads even though your travel eSIM is installed and working.
- iPhone:
Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data— select your travel eSIM, not your home line. - Android:
Settings > Network & internet > SIMs— set the travel eSIM as the data SIM (exact wording varies by vendor).
2. Turn Data Roaming ON for the travel eSIM
Yes, again — this is the top cause of "connected but no internet," just as it is for most eSIM failures abroad. Travel eSIMs connect to local networks as roaming partners, so roaming must be enabled on the travel eSIM line specifically, even though you are not paying roaming fees.
- iPhone:
Settings > Cellular > [your eSIM] > Data Roaming— ON. - Android:
Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > [your eSIM] > Roaming— ON.
3. Check the APN — and reset it if it was edited
The APN (Access Point Name) tells the network which gateway to open your data session through. If it is missing or wrong, you get the classic symptom: bars, no data. On most modern phones the correct APN is applied automatically when the eSIM profile installs, so you only need to act if it was manually edited or failed to apply.
- iPhone:
Settings > Cellular > [your eSIM] > Cellular Data Network. If values look edited or empty, scroll down and tapReset Settingsto restore the profile's defaults. (Some carrier profiles hide this menu entirely — that means the APN is locked to the correct value and is not your problem.) - Android:
Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > [your eSIM] > Access Point Names, tap the three-dot menu, chooseReset to default, then reboot.
4. Switch off Low Data Mode / Data Saver
These modes block background traffic and can make a fresh eSIM look dead — especially right after install, when the phone needs a little free traffic to finish provisioning.
- iPhone:
Settings > Cellular > [your eSIM] > Data Mode— switch from Low Data Mode to Standard. - Android:
Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver— OFF while testing.
Once everything works, feel free to turn them back on — on a per-MB plan they genuinely save money. See how much data your apps actually use for what to restrict.
5. Disable VPN, Private DNS and iCloud Private Relay
A VPN that worked at home can silently fail on a foreign network, and while it is "connecting" your phone passes no traffic — bars, no data. The same goes for Android's Private DNS pointing at a resolver the local network cannot reach, and occasionally iCloud Private Relay.
- Turn off any VPN app (check
Settings > VPNon iPhone — some apps leave a profile active even when "disconnected"). - Android:
Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS— set to Automatic while testing. - iPhone:
Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay— try OFF, then retest.
If data returns, re-enable them one at a time to find the offender.
6. Check your balance — metered eSIMs stop at exactly $0
Honest answer: if you are on Roamzy, this may not be a bug at all. Roamzy bills per megabyte, and when your balance reaches zero, data stops — that is the whole point of a plan with no surprise charges. The network still shows bars because your eSIM profile is valid; there is just nothing left to spend.
Check your balance on your eSIM page and top up in USDT or USDC — data resumes on the same eSIM, no reinstall needed. Your balance never expires, so unused funds simply wait for the next trip. Current per-MB rates for all 193 countries are on the pricing page.
7. The reset ladder: Airplane Mode, reboot, network reset
- Airplane Mode ON for 20 seconds, then OFF — forces a fresh network registration and a new data session.
- Reboot the phone.
- Last resort — reset network settings: iPhone
Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings; AndroidSettings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth(menu names vary by vendor). This clears saved Wi-Fi passwords but keeps your eSIM profile installed — on Android, just make sure anyErase downloaded SIMscheckbox stays unticked before you confirm.
Slow data vs no data — know which problem you have
Before blaming your settings, make sure you are not just on a congested network. The fixes are completely different.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing loads at all, ever | Config issue (roaming, data line, APN, VPN) or $0 balance | Steps 1-6 above |
| Pages load but crawl, especially evenings or in crowds | Network congestion on the current carrier | Manually select a different local network, or move — no settings are broken |
| Fast in the city, dead in one building | Coverage gap or indoor attenuation | Step outside, or toggle between 5G and LTE |
| Worked for days, then stopped suddenly | On metered plans: balance hit $0; otherwise stale registration | Check balance first, then Airplane Mode toggle |
A quick test: if speed-test apps connect but report low speeds, your configuration is fine — the network is just busy. If they cannot connect at all, it is one of the six causes above. (Keep speed tests short on a per-MB plan; a full test can consume 100+ MB.)
Still stuck?
If all seven steps fail, work through the full eSIM not working abroad troubleshooting guide — it covers installation-level problems this article assumes are already solved, including carrier locks and unsupported devices (verify yours against the eSIM-compatible phone list). Roamzy users can also reach support from the FAQ page; because Roamzy is data-only with a single global profile, there is exactly one eSIM to debug — not a stack of country packages.
FAQ
Why does my eSIM show LTE or 5G but nothing loads?
The bars and network badge only confirm radio registration. Actual data needs an open data session, which fails if Data Roaming is off, the wrong line is selected for mobile data, the APN is wrong, a VPN is blocking traffic, or a metered balance has reached zero. Work through the checklist above in order.
Will turning on Data Roaming cost me extra?
Not on the travel eSIM — roaming is how travel eSIMs are designed to work, and the per-MB price you see on the pricing page is already the roaming price. Charges follow each line separately, so your home SIM is unaffected as long as its own roaming stays off.
Does resetting network settings delete my eSIM?
Normally no. On iPhone, Reset Network Settings clears Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth pairings and APN edits but leaves the eSIM profile installed. On Android the same reset screen may offer an Erase downloaded SIMs option — leave it unticked and your eSIM survives. Deleting an eSIM is a separate, explicit action — never do it as a troubleshooting step unless support tells you to.
My data stopped mid-trip after working fine for days. What happened?
On a metered eSIM the most likely answer is that your balance reached $0 — data stops at zero, with no overage. Check your balance and top up; service resumes on the same eSIM. If your balance is fine, toggle Airplane Mode to force a fresh registration on the local network.
Can I fix "no internet" by reinstalling the eSIM?
Rarely, and it should be your last resort — many providers issue single-use QR codes, so deleting a profile can mean buying a new one. Reinstalling fixes none of the six common causes above, which are all phone settings or balance. Exhaust the checklist and contact support before touching the delete button.