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Lost your phone? How to replace your eSIM or SIM card in Singapore

Updated November 2026 · By the PowerData2Go travel team

Lost a phone with an eSIM? You keep your number. Getting it back takes three steps: suspend your line, prove who you are to your telco, then install a new eSIM on another phone. Most Singtel, StarHub and M1 customers can do this in the telco app. If Singpass was on the lost phone, go to a telco shop with your NRIC, FIN or passport.

This guide covers the steps for each Singapore telco, what to do about Singpass, and what changes when you lose your phone overseas, with a section on Japan.

In this guide

The 3 steps at a glance
Step 1: Suspend your line and lock the phone
Step 2: Get a new eSIM from your telco
If Singpass was on the lost phone
Step 3: Install the new eSIM
Lost your phone while travelling
Lost your phone in Japan
Prepare before you fly
Lost phone and eSIM FAQ

The 3 steps at a glance

Suspend your line now. Call your telco or use its app from another device. This stops anyone else from receiving the one-time passwords (OTPs) sent to your number.
Verify your identity and request a new eSIM. Use your telco’s app with Singpass, or visit a shop with your original NRIC, FIN or passport.
Install the new eSIM on your replacement phone. Scan the QR code from the app or email while on Wi-Fi. The eSIM on the lost phone stops working.

Do step 1 first, even if you hope to find the phone. You can ask your telco to resume the line later.

Step 1: Suspend your line and lock the phone

Your phone number receives OTPs for your bank, Singpass and messaging apps. Suspending the line stops anyone else from receiving them.

Telco	Hotline	Other ways to report a lost SIM
Singtel	1688	My Singtel app or Singtel My Account
StarHub	1633 (+65 6820 1633 from overseas)	StarHub app: More → Report lost SIM
M1	1627	My M1+ app
SIMBA, GOMO, Circles.Life and others	See your provider’s support page	App, website or service centre

Then lock or erase the phone:

iPhone: sign in at icloud.com/find from any browser. Apple lets you use Find Devices without a two-factor code, so it works even if your only iPhone is lost. Turn on Lost Mode, or erase the phone if you will not get it back.
Android: use Google Find Hub at google.com/android/find to locate, lock or erase the phone.
Change key passwords, starting with your main email account, because email can reset your other accounts.
Call your bank if banking apps or payment cards were on the phone.

Step 2: Get a new eSIM from your telco

Your OTPs were going to the lost phone, so your telco checks your identity in another way: Singpass in its app, or your physical ID in a shop.

Option A: In the telco app

On a working phone or computer, open your telco’s app or web portal.
Open the SIM menu and choose replacement for a lost SIM or device.
Verify your identity, usually with Singpass.
Get the new eSIM QR code by email or in the app.

Option B: At a telco shop

Bring your original NRIC, FIN or passport. Staff check your ID, cancel the lost eSIM and give you a new QR code. Use this route if you cannot use Singpass, or if your telco only replaces eSIMs in person.

eSIM replacement by telco

Telco	How to replace	Fee listed by the telco
Singtel	My Singtel app: Me tab → Request new eSIM, then verify with Singpass	S$10.90 (Singtel)
StarHub	StarHub app: More → SIM replacement	Free through digital channels (StarHub)
M1	My M1+ app: More → SIM management → “What if I lost my phone?”	Charges apply on your next bill; M1’s eSIM page lists S$38.15 SIM charges (M1)
SIMBA	Walk in to a SIMBA Service Centre with your original ID	A fee applies; check with SIMBA before you go
GOMO, Circles.Life and other digital telcos	In the provider’s app or website, usually with Singpass	Check the amount in the app

Fees and app menus change. Check the amount in your telco’s app before you confirm. Last checked 2 November 2026.

How long it takes: once your identity is checked, app requests often give you a QR code the same day. After you install it, your phone may need some time to register on the network. Restart the phone if calls or SMS do not work at first.

If Singpass was on the lost phone

This is where many people get stuck. In Singapore, setting up the Singpass app on a new phone uses an SMS OTP sent to your Singapore number. If that number was on the lost phone, get the number back first.

If you are worried about misuse, call the Singpass Helpdesk at +65 6335 3533 and press 9 to suspend your account.
Get your number back at a telco shop with your original NRIC, FIN or passport.
Install the Singpass app on the new phone and finish setup with the SMS OTP.

Once Singpass is active on the new phone, the app on the lost phone is switched off automatically. Source: Singpass lost device guidance.

Step 3: Install the new eSIM

Connect the new phone to Wi-Fi.
iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service (or Cellular) → Add eSIM, then scan the QR code.
Android: Settings → Connections or Network & internet → SIM manager → Add eSIM, then scan the QR code. Menu names differ by brand.
Restart the phone, then test a call and an SMS.

Your number and plan stay the same. The eSIM on the lost phone stops working once the new one is issued.

Lost your phone while travelling

Losing a phone overseas is harder. The usual way to prove who you are, an SMS OTP to your Singapore number, goes to the phone you just lost. Plan for this before you fly.

The first hour

Use another device: a travel partner’s phone, the hotel computer or a laptop.
Lock or erase the phone at icloud.com/find or Google Find Hub.
Suspend your Singapore line. Short codes such as 1688 may not work from abroad, so use the overseas number on your telco’s contact page. StarHub’s is +65 6820 1633.
Call your bank to block cards and banking apps.
Report the loss to the local police and keep the report number. Travel insurers usually ask for it.
Tell your travel eSIM provider. PowerData2Go customers can message us from any phone or email us.

Why your Singapore number is hard to restore abroad

Your telco app may ask for Singpass. If your registered address with ICA is in Singapore, setting up the Singpass app on a new phone uses an SMS OTP to your Singapore number, which is on the lost phone. Singpass lists two options for people overseas: change your registered address with ICA to an overseas address, which can take several days, or contact the Singpass Helpdesk. Many travellers wait until they are back in Singapore and visit a telco shop.

There may be another way. You do not need the Singpass app to log in to Singpass on a web page. Choose Password Login, enter your Singpass ID and password, then use Singpass Face Verification, which scans your face with the camera of a computer or phone. If your telco accepts this login when you request a new eSIM, you may be able to get your Singapore number back while overseas. Telco apps differ, so test this before you travel.

If that does not work, plan to use mobile data from a travel eSIM for the rest of the trip, and apps that do not need an SMS code.

Lost your phone in Japan

Who	Number	When to call
Police (urgent)	110	Theft or emergency
Fire and ambulance	119	Fire, injury or illness
Police Lost & Found	0570-550-142	To ask about a lost phone
Japan Visitor Hotline	050-3816-2787 (+81-50-3816-2787)	24 hours; English, Chinese and Korean

Numbers from the JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline page. Report the loss at the nearest police box (koban) and keep the report number for your insurance claim. Give the police your phone’s IMEI number if you saved it.

Your PowerData2Go eSIM and Japanese number

Travel eSIM: if the phone with your PowerData2Go eSIM is lost, contact us from another phone or by email. We will check what we can reissue for your plan.
Japanese number: call alerts for your Japanese number go by SMS to your registered Singapore line. While that line is lost or suspended, the alerts will not reach you. Tell us, and ask hotels and restaurants to contact you by email for now.

Premium: a backup iPhone delivered to your hotel

Premium members can ask for a backup iPhone delivered to their hotel in Japan if their phone is lost or broken. We confirm that a phone is available and the delivery time before you agree. We aim for same-day delivery where we can reach your hotel.

Fees: USD 60 delivery plus USD 50 per day.
What you get: a working iPhone with mobile data, so you can use maps, translation and email again.
What it cannot do: it cannot receive SMS codes sent to your Singapore number, so it will not restore WhatsApp or banking apps by itself.

Ask about Premium on WhatsApp

Prepare before you fly

Ten minutes before your trip makes a lost phone much easier to handle.

Know your Singpass password. Without the Singpass app, you can still log in on a web page with your password and Face Verification. If you have forgotten it, reset it before you fly.
Add a family member’s number as a second trusted phone number on your Apple account, or as a recovery number on your Google account.
Save backup codes for your main email account somewhere you can reach without your phone.
Write down your telco’s overseas hotline, the Singpass Helpdesk (+65 6335 3533), your hotel address, and our WhatsApp and email.
Find your phone’s IMEI number: dial *#06# and save it. Police use it in reports.
Turn on photo backup.
Keep one bank card apart from your phone and wallet.
Share this page with your travel partner.

Lost phone and eSIM FAQ

What should I do first if I lose a phone with an eSIM?

Suspend your line with your telco, then lock or erase the phone with Apple Find My at icloud.com/find or Google Find Hub. Do this before you ask for a new eSIM.

Can I get a replacement eSIM without going to a shop?

Often, yes. Singtel, StarHub and M1 let you request a new eSIM in their apps. Singtel asks you to verify with Singpass. SIMBA replaces eSIMs at its service centres, and you need your original ID.

How much does eSIM replacement cost in Singapore?

Singtel lists S$10.90. StarHub lists eSIM replacement as free through its digital channels. M1’s eSIM page lists S$38.15 SIM charges for replacement; check the amount in the My M1+ app. SIMBA charges a fee at its service centres. Fees change, so check your telco before you start.

My Singpass app was on the lost phone. What now?

In Singapore, Singpass setup on a new phone uses an SMS OTP to your Singapore number. Get your number back first at a telco shop with your NRIC, FIN or passport, then set up Singpass on the new phone. To suspend your Singpass account, call +65 6335 3533 and press 9.

Can I restore my Singapore number while I am overseas?

Sometimes. Without the Singpass app, you can still log in to Singpass on a web page with your password and Face Verification. If your telco accepts this when you request a new eSIM, you can do it from overseas. Setting up the Singpass app itself needs an SMS OTP to your Singapore number if your registered address is in Singapore. If neither works, contact your telco and the Singpass Helpdesk, or visit a telco shop when you are back in Singapore.

Can I use Find My if my only iPhone is lost?

Yes. Apple lets you sign in at icloud.com/find without a two-factor code, so you can locate, lock or erase a lost device from any browser.

Who do I call if I lose my phone in Japan?

Call 110 for the police in an emergency. For lost items, the Police Lost & Found number is 0570-550-142. The Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, runs 24 hours in English, Chinese and Korean.

Does the backup iPhone restore my WhatsApp?

Not by itself. WhatsApp and most banking apps send codes by SMS to your Singapore number. The backup iPhone gives you mobile data for maps, translation and email. Your accounts come back once your Singapore number is active again.

How much does the backup iPhone cost?

For Premium members in Japan, it costs USD 60 for delivery plus USD 50 per day. We confirm availability and the delivery time before you agree.

Need help on your trip?

PowerData2Go sells travel eSIMs for Japan and Korea, with a local number and a personal extension. If something goes wrong on your trip, message us from any phone: WhatsApp +65 8497 6337 or info@powerdata2go.com.

Japan eSIM · Korea eSIM · eSIM setup help

Sources and editorial note

Prepared by the PowerData2Go travel team. Updated 2 November 2026 using telco, Singpass, Apple and JNTO pages. Fees and app menus change; check with your telco before you act. This guide is general information and does not replace your telco’s instructions.