This article explains what to do when Apple Pay is not working.
Apple Payis becoming very popular around the world. The number of outlets that currently allows you to use the NFC technology in your iPhone to pay for goods is growing, and it’s arguably the fastest and most secure way to make your transactions (alongside wireless chip cards). But Apple Pay isn’t perfect, and sometimes it can stop working.
Are you having issues with Apple Pay? Is Apple Pay set up not working? Has Apple Pay stopped working? For instance, some of our readers reported issues related to Apple Pay failed payment. Or Is it not working as expected at all? There are many potential reasons for why this happens, and in this troubleshooting guide we’ll walk you through some of the most common (and less common) fixes for Apple pay not working issue.
Note: the troubleshooting tips given in this article applies to the iPhone 11 series, X series, 8, 7, and 6 series iPhones.
How to Fix Apple Pay Not Working
If Apple Pay is not working, the following troubleshooting steps can help you fix the issue. Most of these are quick and easy solutions to fix the problem and get Apple Pay working again.
- Check the Apple Pay servers:
You may not have an Apple Pay problem. The Apple Pay servers might be down due to technical issues, which has nothing to do with your iPhone. If that is the case, simply wait for Apple to resolve the issue. To check if Apple Pay is experiencing any downtime, head over to the Apple System Status website and check if there is a green dot next to Apple Pay. If you see a green dot, Apple Pay Servers are up and running. You can check the next solutions. - Make sure the business accepts Apple Pay:
If it does, it may be that a particular terminal isn’t working when you use Apple Pay. When you experience this problem, ask if there is another terminal you can use. Once you know which terminal accepts Apple Pay, keep it in mind for future transactions. - Manually select a credit or debit card:
Even if you’re at a working terminal, you may experience issues with the device detecting Apple Pay on your iPhone. If you hold up the iPhone and Apple Pay isn’t working, select a credit card manually in the Wallet app to make a payment. - Make sure your iPhone is charged:
When the iPhone battery is low—typically at 10% of charge or lower—it may go into Low Power Mode, and many features on the iPhone cease to work to save battery. Make sure your iPhone is sufficiently charged before you go shopping. - Remove and re-add the credit or debit card:
There may be a credit or debit card that gives you repeated issues when you use it on Apple Pay. This can happen when you get a new credit card from your provider, and the changed information is not immediately updated on Apple Pay. If this is the case, remove the card information and re-add it to fix the issue. - Close and reopen the Apple Wallet app:
Apps can freeze or lock up. Closing and reopening the Apple Wallet app may resolve issues related to Apple Pay. - iPhone X or newer, iPad running iOS 12 or higher: Go to your Home screen and swipe up, this will reveal the app switcher. Swipe left or right until you find the wallet. Swipe up on the app’s preview to close it. Then reopen the Wallet.
- Other iPad or iPhone models: Double press the home button and swipe up on the Wallet preview to close it. Then reopen the Wallet.
- Restart your iPhone.
Restarting your iPhone can fix whole lots of problems. - iPhone X, 11 or later and iPad with Face ID models: Press and hold the power (side or top) and the volume up (or down) buttons together until the power off slider appears. Then drag the slider. Wait until your device completely shuts off. Then press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo.
- Other iPhone and iPad models: Press and hold the on/off (sleep/wake) button until the slider appears. Then drag the slider. Wait 1 minute then, to turn your device on, press and hold the on/off button until the Apple logo appears.
- Update the iOS software:
Ensure that your iPhone or iPad is running the latest version of the iOS or iPadOS software. Simply head over to Settings > General > Software Update. This will check for updates. If there is an update available, follow the onscreen instructions to install the update on your device. - Restore the iPhone to factory settings.
If the above tips did not fix the Apple Pay problem, restore the iPhone to its factory settings. This is a last-step option that can’t be done while you are standing in line, waiting to pay. Please note: Restoring your iPhone to its factory settings will erase your personal data and files from the iPhone, so make sure you have a recent backup before restoring your device.
If Apple Pay doesn’t work after trying the above steps, you may need to contact Apple for help. Otherwise, take the iPhone to an Apple Store or an authorized Apple service provider. Before you take your iPhone to Apple Store, it’s good to make an Apple Genius Bar appointment so you won’t have to wait in line for help.