Apple introduced Apple Pay Cash with iOS 11.2 software update. It is company’s peer-to-peer payment system for sending and receiving cash with Apple Pay using iMessage. When you set up Apple Pay Cash on your iPhone or iPad, it also adds a new Apple Pay Cash card to the Wallet app on your iPhone. You can then use the balance in that virtual card to make payments in physical or online stores. This new card in your wallet acts just like any other debit or credit card but attached to Apple Pay.
On this page, you will find everything you need to know about setting up and using Apple Pay Cash on your iPhone or iPad. Here’s what you’re going to learn on this page about the Apple Pay Cash:
- What is Apple Pay Cash
- Apple Pay Cash requirements
- Apple Pay Cash fee for sending/receiving money
- How to set up Apple Pay Cash
- How to verify your Apple Pay identity
- How to add money to your Apple Pay Cash card
- How to send payments using Apple Pay Cash
- How to request a payment using Apple Pay Cash
- How to Choose whether to automatically accept Apple Pay Cash Payments
- How to send your Apple Pay Cash balance to a bank account
What is Apple Pay Cash
Apple Pay Cash is a person-to-person payment service started by Apple. It is technically a part of Apple Pay – Apple’s mobile payment system, but works inside iMessage app. One can say that it’s an extension of Apple Pay. Any money you receive through person-toperson payment system will live on a virtual card within your Wallet with the name Apple Pay Cash card. In case you’re not familiar, Wallet app is Apple’s another app used to store debit cards, credit cards, tickets, boarding passes, and more. You can use Apple Pay Cash to send/receive payments from within iMessage or spend your money.
This person-to-person service of Apple Pay competes with services such as PayPal, Venmo, and Square Cash.
Apple Pay Cash requirements
If you wanna try Apple’s person-to-person payment system, you must meet the following requirements:
- Apple Pay Cash works on any device running iOS 11.2 or later or an Apple Watch running watchOS 4.3 or later.
- The user must be signed into both iCloud and iMessages using the same Apple ID.
- The Apple ID used for iCloud and iMessage must be using two-factor authentication.
- Must own an eligible debit or credit card and added to the Wallet app on iPhone or iPad for use with Apple Pay.
- The user will need to verify his/her identity to enjoy full functionality.
- Apple Pay Cash is currently available in the US only.
What’s Apple Pay Cash fee for sending/receiving money?
To send money using Apple Pay Cash requires you to add a debit or credit card to Apple’s Wallet app. It is free to send money if you’re using a Debit Card. However, with a credit card, there’s a 3% fee in place (same as competitors). The good thing about this service is that even if you’ve selected a credit card as your primary Apple Pay card, the Apple Pay Cash defaults to a debit card on file to avoid that fee. A direct transfer to a bank account does not involve any service fee, however, the transfer may not be immediate.
How to set up Apple Pay Cash
Before using Apple Pay Cash, you’ll have to set it up first. These are the steps to set up Apple Pay Cash on your iPhone or iPad:
- Open Settings app.
- Tap on Wallet & Apple Pay.
- Tap Apple Pay Cash.
- Tap on big blue Continue button.
- Tap Agree at bottom right corner.
Rest of the Apple Pay Cash setup process is automated. Wait for it to complete. You’ll be asked to link a debit card with Apple Pay Cash. Adding a card is not mandatory, but it is required to add funds to your Apple Pay Cash card. The only other way to get a balance on Apple Pay Cash card is that other Apple Pay Cash users send you some amount.
Once completed, you’ve successfully setup Apple’s peer-to-peer payment system on your iOS device.
How to verify your identity for Apple Pay
To avoid any inconvenience, you would want to verify your identity with Apple Pay Cash first:
- Open Settings
- Go to Wallet & Apple Pay.
- Tap Apple Pay Cash.
- Now, tap on Verify Identity.
- Tap on Continue button.
- Input your First and Last names and tap Next.
- Input your address and tap Next.
- Now input the last 4 digits of your social security number along with your date of birth and tap Next.
Once completed, you will see a verification confirmation message and the “Verify Identity” option will no longer be available in Apple Pay Cash menu.
How to add money to your Apple Pay Cash card
While you can make payments using iMessages with Apple Pay without adding any balance to your Apple Pay Cash card, however here are the steps in case you want to add some money to it. Just make sure you’ve set up Apple Pay Cash (discussed above) and have a debit or prepaid card linked to your Apple Pay in the Wallet.
- Open your card info:
iPhone: Open Wallet app, tap on Apple Pay Cash card, and tap “i” circular button.
iPad: Go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Apple Pay Cash card. - Under Info tab, tap on Add Money.
- Input the amount of cash you want to add to your Apple Pay Cash card. You can do that either using predefined buttons or by entering a custom amount using the numeric pad. $10 in the minimum limit.
- Tap on Add, and select the debit or prepaid card you want to use to add money.
- You need to authorize the money transfer from an Apple Pay-linked debit card.
On iPhone 8 or older models: Use Touch ID to authorize
On iPhone X: double press the side button. - Tap Done.
That’s it! if everything as mentioned, you’ll have your entered amount on your Apple Pay Cash card. You can see the updated balance at the top-right corner. Make sure you’re connected to a wifi or cellular network to see the updated balance.
How to send money using Apple Pay Cash
With Apple Pay Cash, you can send money to your friends and family through Messages app just like you send them a sticker right from your iPhone or iPad. These are the step to make payment using Apple Pay Cash:
- Open Messages app on your iOS device.
- Open the conversation with the person you’d like to transfer money to or Start a new conversation with him/her.
- Tap on the App Store icon and then Apple Pay button at the bottom of the screen.
- Use the + or – buttons to enter your desired amount. You can tap on Show Keypad if you want to enter a specific amount.
- Tap the Pay button
- Tap the send button that is a black circle with an arrow.
- You need to authorize the money transfer from an Apple Pay-linked debit card.
On iPhone 8 or older models: Use Touch ID to authorize.
On iPhone X: double press the Side button.
How to request a payment using Apple Pay Cash
Apple also allows you to request an Apple Pay Cash payment from your friend or family. To request a payment:
- Open Messages app on your iPhone or iPad device.
- Open the conversation with the person you’d like to transfer money to or Start a new conversation with him/her.
- Tap on the App Store icon and then Apple Pay button at the bottom of the screen.
- Use the + or – buttons to enter your desired amount. You can tap on Show Keypad if you want to enter a specific amount.
- Tap the Request button
- Tap the send button that is a black circle with an arrow.
How to Choose whether to automatically accept Apple Pay Cash Payments
By default, any payment that you receive through Apple Pay Cash is accepted automatically. If you want to change that and accept payments manually, here is how to:
- Open your card info:
iPhone: Open Wallet app, tap on Apple Pay Cash card, and tap “i” circular button.
iPad: Go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Apple Pay Cash card. - Go to Info tab.
- Select (check mark) Manually Accept Payments.
After making the above change, whenever you receive a payment through Apple Pay Cash you will see Accept option in the message. You’ll have seven days to accept the money. To accept the received money, you’ll have to tap on Accept. Alternatively, you can go to your card info > Transaction tab > find the payment > tap Payment and tap Accept.
You can reject a payment by going to card info > Transaction tab > find the payment > tap Payment and tap Reject.
How to send your Apple Pay Cash balance to a bank account
If you have some money on your Apple Pay Cash card and you want to transfer it to a bank account of your choice, follow these steps:
- Open your card info:
iPhone: Open Wallet app, tap on Apple Pay Cash card, and tap “i” circular button.
iPad: Go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Apple Pay Cash card. - Under Info tab, tap on Transfer to Bank.
- Tap on Add Back Account.
- Enter the required information related to that bank account i.e. Routing and Account numbers and tap Next.
- Once again input Routing and Account numbers to confirm and tap Next.
- Input the amount you want to transfer to the bank account and tap Transfer.
- You need to authorize the money transfer from an Apple Pay-linked debit card.
On iPhone 8 or older models: Use Touch ID to authorize.
On iPhone X: double press the Side button. - Tap on Done and once again on Done.
Questions
If we missed something or you wanna know anything about setting up or using Apple Pay Cash, please ask away in the comments below.