An SM-DP+ address is the address of the server that delivers your eSIM profile to your phone. An eSIM QR code contains nothing more than this address joined to an order-specific number called the Matching ID, in a short string of the form "LPA:1$SM-DP+ address$Matching ID". So if the QR code will not scan, you can type the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your provider and install exactly the same eSIM. This guide uses the GSMA technical specification (SGP.22) and the official instructions from Apple, Samsung and Google to explain what the string means, how to add an eSIM manually on iPhone and Android, and how to avoid typing mistakes.
If you still need a travel eSIM, you can choose a plan for your destination from the Coral eSIM plan list.
What is an SM-DP+ address? The address of the eSIM server
SM-DP+ stands for "Subscription Manager Data Preparation+". The GSMA specification defines it as the server that prepares an operator's profiles, protects them with encryption, binds them to a specific device (identified by the EID of its eSIM chip) and securely downloads them to that device. In its deployment guide, Apple calls it "the carrier's eSIM server (known as an SM-DP+ server)".
The SM-DP+ address is that server's domain name. Your phone connects to it, presents the Matching ID and asks for the eSIM tied to that order. The server only processes requests that contain a Matching ID it knows. In other words, the SM-DP+ address is where the eSIM is sent from, and the Matching ID is your claim ticket.
When a carrier assigns an eSIM directly to your phone (what Apple calls "eSIM Carrier Activation"), you never need to enter the address. You mostly see it with travel eSIMs, where the installation details arrive as a QR code or a text string.
How the SM-DP+ address fits into the activation code
The GSMA specification (SGP.22) defines the activation code as the following elements joined with "$".
| Order | Element | Content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Format | "1" (the standard format) |
| 2 | SM-DP+ address | Domain name of the delivery server (mandatory) |
| 3 | Matching ID | Order-specific claim number (mandatory; upper-case letters, digits and hyphens only) |
| 4 onward | Optional fields | Server identifier, a flag showing whether a confirmation code is required, and so on |
The example in the specification is "1$SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM$04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815", and the specification states that the prefix "LPA:" is added only when the code is put into a QR code. A QR code therefore holds a string such as "LPA:1$SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM$04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815", which is the same information you would type by hand. An activation code is normally no longer than 255 characters.
Watch what "activation code" refers to
In the specification, the activation code is the whole string in the table above. Providers and phone screens, however, often use "activation code" to mean only the Matching ID. If the screen has a separate field for the SM-DP+ address, what goes into the code field is the Matching ID after the second "$". Follow the format given in your provider's instructions.
A confirmation code is not the activation code
Some eSIMs ask for a confirmation code before the download. The specification says the confirmation code is given to the user separately from the activation code. Apple's instructions also say that if you are asked for one, you enter the number your carrier provided.
How to enter an SM-DP+ address manually on iPhone
These are the steps Apple Support gives for entering eSIM information manually. Do this while connected to Wi-Fi.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Cellular or Mobile Data
- Tap Add Cellular Plan
- Tap Enter Details Manually at the bottom of the screen
- Enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your provider in the fields shown
- If you are asked for a confirmation code, enter the number you were given
Apple's page does not list the names or order of the fields. Match each value to the field labels on your screen.
If the QR code is on the same iPhone
If you have the confirmation email open on the iPhone you want to set up, Apple says that on iOS 17.4 or later you can tap and hold a QR code shown in the default email app or browser, then tap Add eSIM. If this works, you do not need to type anything.
How to enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code on Android
Samsung Galaxy
Samsung's official support page describes manual entry of an activation code as follows.
- Go to Settings, then Connections, then SIM manager
- Tap Add eSIM
- Tap Scan QR code, then tap Enter activation code on the scanning screen
- Enter the activation code provided by your carrier
Note that the way into manual entry sits inside the QR scanning screen. Menu names can vary with the software version: Samsung UK's guide (updated January 2025) describes tapping Add mobile plan and then Add using activation code.
Google Pixel
Google's help page says to open Settings and tap Network & internet, SIMs, Add SIM and Set up an eSIM, then follow the instructions on screen. Pixel 4 and later support eSIM. We could not confirm the name of the manual entry option from Google's official help. Look on the scanning screen for a way to switch to manual entry, and contact your provider if you cannot find one.
If you cannot find the menu for adding an eSIM at all, check why the eSIM option is missing from Settings first.
Five checks before you enter an SM-DP+ address
Knowing how the specification defines the string helps you catch copying mistakes before you tap Next.
- Did you leave out "LPA:"? "LPA:" only marks a QR code. On a screen with separate fields for the address and code, do not type "LPA:1$".
- Did you split at the right "$"? The SM-DP+ address sits between the first and second "$", and the Matching ID comes after the second "$".
- Is there a lower-case letter in the Matching ID? Under the specification, a Matching ID uses only upper-case letters, digits and hyphens. A letter that looks lower-case suggests a copying mistake. Double-check look-alike characters such as "O" and "0".
- Are there spaces or line breaks? Copying and pasting from an email can add spaces before or after the text.
- Are you online? Your phone uses the details to connect to the SM-DP+ server. Apple's deployment guide asks organisations to make sure the carrier's eSIM server is reachable through firewalls. If it fails on a work or school network, try another connection such as your home Wi-Fi.
If manual entry still cannot add the eSIM
If the details are correct and the eSIM still will not install, see what to do when an eSIM will not activate for troubleshooting by error message.
Keep in mind that an activation code that has already been used to install an eSIM usually cannot be used again. A QR code and the typed string carry the same information, so if you delete an eSIM installed from a QR code, typing the same string in again generally will not restore it. If you lost the code or deleted the eSIM, see what to do if you lose or delete your eSIM QR code.
For the full process, including switching lines after installation, see how to set up a travel eSIM.
SM-DP+ address: frequently asked questions
Where can I find my SM-DP+ address?
It is in the installation details sent by your eSIM provider, such as the confirmation email or your account page. Even if you only have a QR code, its content is the string "LPA:1$SM-DP+ address$Matching ID", so the part before the second "$" is the SM-DP+ address.
Is it a problem if my SM-DP+ address is the same as someone else's?
No. The SM-DP+ address is the server's address, so many users of the same provider may share it. What differs for each user is the Matching ID, and the server only processes requests containing a Matching ID it issued.
What goes in the activation code field?
If the screen has a separate field for the SM-DP+ address, enter the Matching ID that follows the second "$". How the fields are split depends on the device, so follow the format in your provider's instructions.
Is a confirmation code the same as an activation code?
No. The GSMA specification says the confirmation code is given to the user separately from the activation code. Only some eSIMs ask for one.
Can I use manual entry after a QR code attempt failed?
If the QR code simply could not be scanned, you can add the eSIM by typing the same details. But a code that has already completed an installation is usually marked as used, and typing it will not work either. In that case, ask your provider about reissuing the eSIM.
With the SM-DP+ address and Matching ID, you can add an eSIM without a QR code
An eSIM QR code is just the SM-DP+ address and Matching ID joined with "$" and prefixed with "LPA:", turned into an image. Even if the QR code will not scan, entering these two values correctly lets your phone download the same eSIM from the same server. On iPhone the way in is Enter Details Manually; on Galaxy it is Enter activation code on the scanning screen. Leave out "LPA:", split at the "$", and remember that a Matching ID uses only upper-case letters, digits and hyphens: checking these three points prevents most copying mistakes.
You can choose a travel eSIM from the Coral eSIM plan list, and check whether your phone supports eSIM with how to check eSIM compatibility.
