The short answer
Install your Goodbars eSIM at home before you fly, then activate it the moment you land in Bali by switching on data roaming for that line. The whole thing splits into two moments: the install, which needs Wi-Fi and does not touch your data or your 30-day validity, and the activation, which starts your plan and needs nothing more than turning on a toggle. Do the install a day or two before departure so you are not fumbling with settings at the gate.
Installing on iPhone
On an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked iPhone: open Settings > Cellular (it shows as Mobile Data outside the US), tap Add eSIM, then Use QR Code and scan the code from your Goodbars confirmation email. iOS downloads the profile in under a minute on decent Wi-Fi and sets the APN automatically, so there is nothing to configure by hand. If you do not see an "Add eSIM" option at all, your phone is either carrier-locked or one of the mainland-China iPhone models sold without eSIM hardware: check which phones work before you buy.
Installing on Android
Android's menu names shift by manufacturer, which trips people up more than the iPhone flow does. On a Google Pixel: Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > Add eSIM. On a Samsung Galaxy: Settings > Connections > SIM Manager > Add eSIM. Both scan the same QR code and take two to five minutes, including a short wait while the network registers the new profile. If "Add eSIM" is missing entirely, the phone is usually locked to a home carrier rather than eSIM-incapable: worth a quick check on the compatibility list before you assume the worst.
Land in Bali, then turn it on
Installing is not the same as activating: nothing happens to your data or your 30 days until you switch the line on. After you land at Ngurah Rai, open your cellular settings, turn on data roaming for the Goodbars line, and set it as your active data line rather than your home SIM. It connects to Telkomsel automatically, Indonesia's largest network, so there is no manual network search needed. Your regular SIM stays untouched in the background for calls and texts.
Your first-connection checklist
Give it a minute after landing before you worry. If nothing has happened by the time you are through immigration:
- Toggle airplane mode off and on. This forces the phone to search for a tower again, and fixes most first-connection hiccups.
- Confirm data roaming is on for the Goodbars line specifically, not just enabled somewhere in general.
- Check it is set as your active data line. On dual-SIM phones this can default back to whichever line you had active last.
- Watch for the signal bars once you clear the terminal: some arrivals halls sit in a bit of a dead patch until you step outside.
Still stuck?
Most connection issues clear with the checklist above. If you are still offline after a few minutes outside the terminal, email support@goodbars.co with your order details. If you have not bought yet, check phone compatibility first and see the plans to pick the right data size before you fly.
