Have you ever needed to pay a friend back for coffee but didn‘t have cash? Or wanted to split the cost of a gift with family across the country? Apple Pay makes it quick and easy to send money to anyone with an eligible iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll provide step-by-step instructions to become a pro at using Apple Pay person-to-person payments. You‘ll learn:
- How to set up Apple Pay Cash on iPhone
- Tips for sending money through iMessage conversations
- Steps to enable and use Apple Pay on Apple Watch
- What to do when someone requests money from you
- Troubleshooting for common issues
Follow along for expert advice on everything Apple Pay. Let‘s dive in!
Overview of Apple Pay Money Transfers
Apple Pay has offered peer-to-peer money transfers between iOS devices since 2017. The feature allows you to safely send, receive and request money from contacts. Here‘s a quick overview:
Available on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch – Apple Pay works across all eligible Apple devices signed into the same Apple ID account.
Send via iMessage – You can transfer money directly in an iMessage conversation using Apple Pay. As long as you see blue text bubbles, it will work.
No fees – Apple does not charge any fees for money transfers to/from domestic bank accounts and cards.
Fast transfers – Payments happen instantly and funds are available quickly in recipients‘ Apple Pay Cash virtual card.
Secure payments – Apple Pay uses device biometrics like Face ID and Touch ID to authorize payments, along with dynamic security codes for each transaction.
Now that you know the basics, let‘s get into the nitty gritty! I‘ll provide actionable instructions to master Apple Pay.
Step 1: Set Up Apple Pay Cash on iPhone
Before sending or receiving money with Apple Pay, you need to set up an Apple Pay Cash account. Here are the key steps to get started:
On your iPhone, open Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay.
Next, tap the switch to enable Apple Pay Cash and tap ‘Set Up Apple Pay Cash‘.
You‘ll go through some brief account setup steps verifying your identity. Agree to the Apple Pay Cash terms and conditions.
Finally, add a supported debit card. This links your bank account for money transfers. Follow the prompts from your bank or card issuer to complete setup.
And that‘s it! These steps get Apple Pay Cash ready to use on your iPhone. Pretty straightforward.
Average Apple Pay Cash Setup Time: 2-5 Minutes
Now let‘s get to actually sending someone money…
Step 2: Send Money Via iMessage
Thanks to iMessage integration, you can easily Apple Pay anyone in existing conversations. No need to add contacts.
Let me walk you through how to pay someone back for pizza using iMessage:
First, open the Messages app and select a conversation with the person you want to pay.
In the message field at the bottom, tap the app icon on the left (looks like an A with a square around it).
Next, scroll down and select the ‘Cash’ option near the bottom.
On the keypad that appears, enter the amount you want to pay. Tap the arrows to toggle between dollars and cents.
Finally, review the details and tap ‘Pay’ to send the money instantly!
The recipient will get a message notification of the payment in iMessage. The money also gets deposited into their Apple Pay Cash card for immediate use. Super convenient!
Let me know if you have any other questions on the iMessage process. It‘s pretty straightforward once you try it out.
Average iMessage Apple Pay Transfer: 15-30 seconds
Up next: Sending payments using the Apple Watch.
Step 3: Set Up and Use Apple Pay on Apple Watch
In addition to iPhone and iPad, your Apple Watch is also great for quick, on-the-go Apple Pay money transfers. Just follow these steps to enable it:
If you haven‘t already, add a passcode to lock your Apple Watch. Open the Watch app on iPhone and go to the Passcode section.
Next, scroll down and tap on Wallet & Apple Pay in the Watch app settings. Toggle on Apple Pay.
You‘ll need to sign in with your Apple ID and agree to the terms. Enter your password when prompted.
It‘s now ready to use! Go to the Apple Watch messaging app to send money.
Select a conversation, tap the Apple Pay icon, specify the cash amount, review and approve with side button, then tap Pay.
Easy enough! With Apple Watch set up, you have yet another way to seamlessly send payments on Apple devices.
Step 4: Accept Money Requests
When someone sends you a request for money through Apple Pay, you simply need to approve the request for the transfer to complete.
So if a friend requests $40 for concert tickets:
You‘ll get an iMessage notification from Apple Pay showing the request.
Open the message, then double click the iPhone side button to authenticate with Face ID.
Review the details and tap ‘Pay’.
And done! The cash will be instantly withdrawn from your account and deposited to your friend. No need to send money back and forth.
Super simple and saves a couple taps!
Troubleshooting: Fix Apple Pay Transfer Issues
Hopefully everything goes smoothly when trying to pay someone back via Apple Pay. But sometimes little issues come up.
Here are fixes for three common problems people run into:
Can‘t find Apple Pay option in Messages: Make sure you have Apple Pay Cash set up on your device – go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Enable Apple Pay Cash. Add a supported bank card if you haven‘t already.
Can‘t pay certain iPhone contacts: In order for Apple Pay to work between iPhones, the recipients messages must show up in blue (not green). Green messages indicate they don‘t have iMessage activated. Have them enable iMessage on their device and try again.
Other unknown issues: Check out Apple‘s support page at [link] for help troubleshooting miscellaneous Apple Pay problems. You can also contact @AppleSupport on Twitter or call 1-800-275-2273.
Hopefully these troubleshooting tips help you get payments working properly again! Let me know in the comments if you have any other issues.
Takeaway and Next Steps
And that wraps up this ultimate guide on using peer-to-peer Apple Pay! Here are some key takeaways:
Apple Pay allows fast, free money transfers between Apple devices through iMessage.
Setup only takes a few minutes to start sending or receiving cash.
You can seamlessly pay people back or split costs right in message conversations.
Enabling on Apple Watch takes payments on the go to the next level.
Accepting money requests from others makes getting paid back easier than ever.
Hopefully these step-by-step instructions help you master Apple Pay transfers across your Apple devices. What money transfer features would you like to see Apple add next? Let me know in the comments!
