The Openline line shows "Activating" indefinitely after installation. The profile is on the device but the network handshake hasn't completed. Here's how to unstick it, in order of speed.

Fast fixes (try in order)

  1. Wait 3–5 minutes. Some networks take longer. Especially true on hotel/airport Wi-Fi.
  2. Toggle airplane mode on for 30 seconds, then off.
  3. Restart the phone completely.
  4. Move off captive-portal Wi-Fi. Hotel, airport, coffee shop, and corporate Wi-Fi frequently block the SM-DP+ handshake. Switch to home broadband, a personal hotspot from another phone, or mobile data on your primary line.
  5. Turn off any active VPN. VPNs are the #2 cause of stuck activation after captive-portal Wi-Fi.
  6. Turn off Low Data Mode on the Wi-Fi network (iPhone: Settings → Wi-Fi → tap network → Low Data Mode = off).

If it's still stuck

  1. Sign in at openline.com → My Codes → Reinstall on the stuck plan. The reinstall issues a fresh install token from the same underlying purchase code — no extra charge.
  2. On the phone, delete the stuck line first: Settings → Cellular → tap the Openline line → Delete eSIM. Then scan the new QR or tap the one-tap install link.
  3. Try the install on a completely different Wi-Fi network — different building if possible.

If reinstall also stalls

  1. Reset network settings (iPhone: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings). You'll lose saved Wi-Fi passwords but eSIM profiles survive.
  2. Check for a carrier settings update: Settings → General → About. If a prompt appears, install it.

Why it happens

The eSIM install has two phases: (1) profile download from Openline's SM-DP+ server, and (2) network attach with your carrier abroad. "Activating" limbo means phase 1 completed but the phone can't finish phase 2. Almost always it's a network-path issue — the phone is trying to reach an activation endpoint that's blocked by the current Wi-Fi's firewall or a VPN.

Every Openline plan is delivered as a purchase code (format OL-4F7X-9K2Q-A3M8). You can redeem it in three ways: (1) inside the Openline app, (2) signed into your account at openline.com, or (3) anonymously at openline.com/start with just the code — no account needed.

Still stuck?

Reach Openline support 24/7 through any of these channels:

When you write in, include your purchase code (the OL-… code we emailed you) and, if the eSIM is already installed, its ICCID (Settings → Cellular → tap the Openline line). That's enough for us to find your plan and diagnose without back-and-forth.