Android 12 adds eSIM support to the Galaxy S21 in the USA

Android 12 and One UI 4.0 for the Galaxy S21 series may be light on big new features, but it's packed with more than 60 not-so-big ones that make the user experience a great deal better than it was on Android 11 and One UI 3.0.

And, for US customers, the first One UI 4.0 beta that Samsung released this week brings a feature that has been available to Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra users in other markets since launch: eSIM support.

The Galaxy S21 lineup (and other Samsung flagships) comes with a dual SIM tray in most markets and also allows the use of an eSIM, effectively making them triple-SIM phones (though only the second physical SIM or the eSIM can be active at any given moment). But eSIM support doesn't come enabled in some countries, and the USA was one of those until the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 beta came along.

Samsung also enabled eSIM support on the T-Mobile variant of the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra earlier this year with a random security update. Naturally, since One UI 4.0 is in the beta phase at the moment, most Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra owners will have to wait until later this year to receive eSIM functionality when the stable Android 12 and One UI 4.0 update is rolled out publicly.

Or, if you don't feel like waiting, you can join the One UI 4.0 beta program if you have a T-Mobile, Sprint, or unlocked Galaxy S21 model. The signup process is easy, but be warned that the beta might not be stable enough for day-to-day use yet and it would be a good idea to backup all your important data beforehand.

SamsungGalaxy S21

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