Technology Quickstart

Apple Wallet and Apple Pay Quickstart

A quick guide to Apple Wallet, Apple Pay, sending and receiving money, and basic payment safety.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Last updated: June 2026

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Apple Wallet stores supported cards, passes, tickets, and other items. Apple Pay lets you pay in stores, apps, and websites without sharing your physical card number with the merchant.

Adding a card

  1. Open the Wallet app.
  2. Activate Add or the plus button.
  3. Choose Debit or Credit Card.
  4. Follow the prompts to scan or enter the card information.
  5. Complete any bank verification steps.

Paying in stores

On iPhone models with Face ID, double-click the side button, authenticate, then hold the top of the phone near the payment reader. On Apple Watch, double-click the side button and hold the watch near the reader.

Paying online

When Apple Pay is available on a website or in an app, choose Apple Pay at checkout, review the payment details, then authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, passcode, or Apple Watch.

Sending and receiving money

If Apple Cash is available and set up, you can send and receive money through Messages. Money you receive may be kept in Apple Cash or transferred to a bank account, depending on your settings and eligibility.

Safety tips

Only send money to people you trust, review the amount and recipient carefully, and be cautious with urgent payment requests. Treat unexpected payment requests like a strange vending machine in a dark hallway: pause before feeding it.