Use Apple Pay and Wallet

The first time you use your Apple Watch to pay for something feels almost like science fiction: You activate Apple Pay, move your wrist close to a payment terminal, and then…well, that’s it. You may have to enter your debit card’s PIN, but otherwise you’re done. “Frictionless” is a perfect description. It’s also extremely safe. Instead of handing a credit card number over to be stored in a merchant’s database, Apple Pay sends a token that matches up with the card you set up; even if the data were to be intercepted, it’s useless to an attacker.

The Wallet app, where your credit card data is stored, is also a convenient holding area for items that use barcodes for transactions, such as store loyalty cards and tickets for flights, movies, baseball games, and more.

Set Up Cards for Apple Pay

If you’ve set up Apple Pay on your iPhone, your cards are not automatically added to the watch. You can add up to eight cards to the watch:

1. In the Watch app on the iPhone, tap Wallet & Apple Pay.

   To add a card already on your phone, tap the Add button next to its name, follow the prompts, and skip the remaining steps below.

2. To add a new card, tap Add Card.

3. Follow the instructions provided, which entail scanning your credit or debit card using the iPhone’s camera—which is incredibly slick—or entering the details manually, and accepting terms of service.

   You will also need to complete the verification process, which can be done via email, phone call, or text, depending on the provider.

4. To use your watch to Use Apple Pay on a Mac, turn on Allow Payments on Mac.

When you’re done, the cards appear in the Watch app and on the watch: open the Wallet app to view them (Figure 92).

Figure 92: Apple Pay cards set up in the Watch app on the iPhone (left) appear in the Wallet app on the watch (right).

If you have multiple cards, tap Default Card in the Watch app on your iPhone and pick the one you want to use most.

Note: If you live in an area where mass transit can record fares using the Apple Watch, specify a card to use by tapping Express Transit Card in the Watch app. With that set, all you have to do is make sure the watch is on and hold the face near the contactless reader. Some areas can use the watch as a transit card, but you must authenticate each transaction. See Where you can ride transit with Apple Pay.

Use Apple Pay in Person

When it’s time to pay at a compatible terminal, do the following:

1. Double-press the watch’s side button to activate Apple Pay.

2. If you’ve set up multiple cards, swipe left or right to choose the one you want to use (Figure 93).

   

   Figure 93: You’re only a couple of seconds from being done at this point.

3. Hold the watch screen a few centimeters from the payment reader.

   A haptic pulse and a tone indicate when the transaction occurs.

4. Depending on the reader and the card you used, you may need to enter a PIN or sign your name.

The display reads Done when finished.

Use Apple Pay on a Mac

Before you can complete a purchase from your wrist, your setup must meet these requirements:

• The Mac is new enough to meet the Apple Pay Requirements.

• Bluetooth is enabled.

• The Mac is signed in to the same iCloud account as your iPhone.

• You’ve turned on the Allow Payments on Mac switch on your iPhone in Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay.

• In Safari on the Mac, choose Safari > Preferences > Privacy and confirm that the checkbox “Allow websites to check for Apple Pay and Apple Card” is selected (it is by default).

To check out:

1. Click the  Pay or Buy with Apple Pay button.

2. Confirm your billing, shipping, and contact details and make any necessary changes. If you want to use a card other than the default, click the arrow icon and choose a card from the pop-up menu.

3. Double-press the side button on your watch.

The display reads Done when finished.

Note: Using Apple Pay requires that you set a passcode for the Apple Watch. If you later turn off the passcode, your Apple Pay cards are removed.

Note: If your watch ever is lost or stolen, sign in to iCloud, click Account Settings, click the watch under My Devices, and then click Remove All under Apple Pay.

Apple Pay Requirements

Here’s what works:

• To use Apple Pay on a Mac, you must have a model from 2012 or later, except for the Mac Pro, which must be at least a Late 2013 model.

• To use Apple Pay on an iPhone, you must have an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus, or newer.

• To use Apple Pay on the Apple Watch, you must have a watch paired with an iPhone 5 or later.

Work in Wallet

Wallet items are set up in the Wallet app on the iPhone, either from other apps or from email; for example, the Fandango app includes an Add to Wallet button when you buy tickets.

Those passes transfer automatically to the Apple Watch by default. When it’s time to use one, open the Wallet app on the watch, tap the item you want to use (Figure 94), and then scroll to fill the screen with the barcode.

Figure 94: Scanning a barcode on my watch is much easier than fumbling for cash.

To rearrange the passes, open the Wallet app on the iPhone and drag them into place. The app is also where you can delete used or expired passes.

Using Your Boarding Pass

The Wallet app on your watch can store airline boarding passes, but when you get to the gate, you might find that your wrist doesn’t fit under the agent’s scanner. To make this work, remove your watch when it’s your turn and unlock it. Scroll down so only the boarding pass barcode is visible. Don’t worry: The data remains illuminated even if you turn your watch over. Still, it’s a good idea to have Wallet ready on your iPhone as a backup.