How To Delete Apple Pay: An In-Depth Guide and FAQs

So you‘ve been using Apple Pay and loving the convenience of contactless iPhone payments. But now you want to remove a card, disable a feature like Apple Cash, or delete Apple Pay altogether from your device. Can you fully delete Apple Pay?

The short answer is no—Apple Pay is a service, not an account, so there is no way to completely delete the Apple Pay platform itself from your Apple ecosystem.

However, in this simple, easy-to-follow guide, I‘ll show you the next best thing: how to effectively "turn off" Apple Pay by removing its payment capabilities across your devices.

Whether your goal is to temporarily disable select cards or permanently block Apple Pay functionality altogether, I‘ve got you covered with several methods to fit any need.

Do You Really Need to Delete Apple Pay?

Before jumping straight into the how-to, it’s reasonable to ask: why would I want to delete Apple Pay in the first place?

Here are some of the most common reasons you may want to delete cards, disable features, or remove Apple Pay functionality:

• You lost your iPhone and want to immediately block associated payment cards as a security precaution.
• You want to temporarily disable Apple Cash because you are not using it.
• You switched to an Android phone and can no longer use Apple Pay or Apple Cash.
• You want to completely stop using Apple devices and their ecosystem.

In most cases, completely deleting Apple Pay is not required to meet your goals—disabling specific features and removing cards often does the trick.

But in case you do want to entirely eliminate all Apple Pay‘s capabilities, this guide has got you fully covered. I‘ll walk you through every method to effectively achieve this on your devices.

First, let‘s briefly examine how popular and widely-used Apple Pay really is across their devices.

Apple Pay Usage Statistics

To provide some helpful context around how many people actively use Apple Pay, here are some quick 2021 statistics:

As you can see, Apple Pay is used by nearly all Apple device owners in some capacity. It has also become the most popular contactless payment method in stores, with global usage growing rapidly year after year.

So although deleting Apple Pay entirely may not be common, knowing how to disable parts of it is useful knowledge for most Apple users!

Next, let‘s get right into the step-by-step guides for effectively removing Apple Pay from your devices.

Method #1 – Disable Apple Cash on Your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch

The fastest way to restrict key Apple Pay functionality on any iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch is to turn off the Apple Cash payments service.

What is Apple Cash?

Apple Cash is the virtual debit card stored inside your Apple Wallet app. It allows you to instantly send money to friends, make payments, and transfer funds to/from your bank account using Apple Pay online or in stores.

By disabling Apple Cash, you prevent your device from utilizing these payment features. While this does not delete your Apple Cash balance and account entirely, it‘s an easy way to quickly "turn off" major Apple Pay capabilities accessible through Apple Cash.

Here is how to disable Apple Cash in 4 simple steps:

Step 1: Open Your Wallet Settings

On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app and tap:Wallet & Apple Pay

On your Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to:
My Watch > Wallet & Apple Pay

Tip: You can access these settings on Mac also by going to System Preferences > Wallet & Apple Pay.

Step 2: Locate the Apple Cash Toggle

Scroll down and locate the Apple Cash switch in the Wallet & Apple Pay settings.

Step 3: Disable Apple Cash

Tap the toggle switch to disable Apple Cash on your device. It will turn gray when disabled.

Step 4: Check it Worked!

To confirm Apple Cash is now disabled, try opening your Wallet app. You should no longer see the Apple Cash card.

And that‘s it! With Apple Cash turned off, you‘ll no longer be able to utilize it or related Apple Pay capabilities on that particular device.

Disabling Apple Cash is quick and simple to do on any individual iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch you own.

But what if you want to delete Apple Pay from all linked devices at once? Or even permanently close your Apple Cash account itself?

Let‘s look at two more powerful Apple Pay deletion methods…

Method #2 – Close Your Apple Cash Account via Apple Support

Previously, we went over how to disable Apple Cash on a single device – great for a quick, temporary solution.

However, what if your goal is to permanently close the Apple Cash account itself and revoke all associated Apple Pay capabilities system-wide?

To completely delete your Apple Cash account (and therefore fully disable key Apple Pay integrated features everywhere), you will need to:

1. Contact Apple Support
2. Bring your Apple Cash balance to $0
3. Confirm no pending transactions

Then, an Apple Support agent can permanently close your Apple Cash account so it can no longer be used for payments.

Here is more detail on fully deleting your Apple Cash account:

Contact Apple Support

You will need to reach out to Apple Support by phone, chat, Twitter, email (or book a Genius Bar appointment) to request permanent closure of your Apple Cash account.

Some easy ways to contact them:

• Phone: Call 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273)
• Twitter: Tweet @AppleSupport to start a conversation
• Email: Send an email to [email protected] with your request

Note only Apple can fully close an Apple Cash account – you cannot directly delete the account yourself from device settings.

Bring Apple Cash Balance to $0

Before Apple will close your Apple Cash account, you must have a $0 balance. Here are some easy ways to empty your Apple Cash balance:

• Transfer back to your bank using the Apple Cash card in your Wallet app
• Send money to friends via Apple Pay
• Spend the Apple Cash balance using Apple Pay in stores/apps

If you participate in Family Sharing, you can also easily send Apple Cash to family members as desired.

Confirm No Pending Transactions

You must also make sure there are no pending transactions or temporary holds on your Apple Cash card before closure.

You can view pending transactions by going to Wallet app > Your Apple Cash Card > Card Details.

Once your balance and pending activity shows $0, you‘re ready for account closure!

The Closure Process

When you connect with Apple Support, let them know you want to permanently close your Apple Cash account and delete capabilities related to Apple Pay.

Provided your account meets the above criteria, they will be able to fully delete and close your Apple Cash account.

What happens if you‘re the organizer of an Apple Cash Family? Read on for details…

Closing Family Member Accounts

If you‘re the organizer of an Apple Cash Family group, be aware that closing your own Apple Cash account results in all family members‘ accounts being closed too.

All member account balances will be merged and transferred instantly to the organizer‘s account upon closure.

If you‘re a family member and want to close just your account, you will need to ask the organizer to remove you from the family group first. This allows you to maintain ownership of your personal Apple Cash balance prior to requesting account closure from Apple.

In summary: To permanently delete Apple Cash and associated Apple Pay capabilities, contact Apple Support once your balance and pending transactions are cleared at $0. For family members, additional steps may apply.

Method #3 – Remove Apple Pay Cards From Your iPhone or Apple Watch

Another way to delete Apple Pay functionality is by removing specific cards from your Apple Wallet.

When you delete a card from your wallet, it prevents that card from being used for Apple Pay payments or transactions on that one device only.

Let‘s walk through quick 4 step card removal:

Step 1: Launch Your Wallet App

Open the Wallet app on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. For Mac, go to System Preferences > Wallet & Apple Pay.

Step 2: Select the Card

Choose the card you wish to delete and remove from your device‘s Wallet app.

Step 3: Remove Card

Tap Remove Card then confirm deletion.

Step 4: Check it‘s Deleted!

Double check that the card no longer appears in your Apple Wallet app on that device.

And that‘s it – you‘ve deleted the card from your device‘s Wallet!

It will no longer be an available payment method for Apple Pay transactions or services on the iPhone/Watch you removed it from.

Important note: This selectively deletes one card from one device only. The card still remains available for Apple Pay on any other linked devices.

For more control beyond individual cards, let‘s look at one final powerful Apple Pay deletion method…

Method #4 (Advanced) – Remove Apple Pay Payment Methods

The most expansive way to delete Apple Pay functionality is directly removing associated credit, debit or prepaid cards tied to your Apple ID payment methods:

Step 1: Access Your Apple Account Settings

On iPhone: Settings > [Your Name]
On Mac: App Store app > Profile icon
On Windows: iTunes app > Account > View My Account

Tip: Logging into appleid.apple.com also lets you manage payment methods.

Step 2: Navigate to Payment Settings

• On iPhone: Choose Payment & Shipping
• On Mac: Click Manage Payments option
• On Windows: Click Manage Payments

Step 3: Select Card to Remove

Here you can view, edit or delete cards associated with your Apple account across all services and devices.

To remove a payment card, tap the card then select Remove.

This dissociates that card from your Apple ID so it can no longer be used for any Apple Pay transactions or purchases across all your Apple devices and services.

Effectively, this achieves our goal of deleting and disabling that card from having any Apple Pay functionality tied to our Apple ID.

Limitations & Troubleshooting Tips

A few things to keep in mind when managing Apple ID payment methods:

• You should keep at least 1 payment method on file or it may disrupt services
• You cannot remove all cards if you have Apple subscriptions or unpaid balances
• Family purchase sharing may prevent removing shared payment methods

To troubleshoot, cancel any subscriptions, resolve balances, leave family sharing, or add a new replacement payment method first before attempting delete again.

Contact Apple Support if issues persist.

Recap: How To Effectively Delete Apple Pay Capabilities

In summary, while Apple Pay itself cannot be permanently deleted outright, you have a few great options to disable functionality:

• Disable Apple Cash in Wallet settings to restrict key iPhone & Apple Watch capabilities
• Close your Apple Cash account via Apple Support for full, system-wide deletion
• Remove specific cards from Wallet to block at individual device level
• Delete cards from Apple ID to fully dissociate from all Apple Pay payments & purchases

This allows you to selectively "turn off" Apple Pay capabilities however makes sense for your personal or security needs.

Apple Pay Security If You Lose Your iPhone

Finally, some reassurance if you misplace or lose your iPhone and are worried about someone accessing your Apple Pay cards before you can delete them:

Apple has security features that keep your payments protected if your phone is lost or stolen. These include:

• Requirements to authenticate every transaction via Face ID or passcode
• Automatically disabling Apple Pay when you put your device in lost mode
• Ability to call your bank immediately to deactivate associated payment cards

So you typically do not need to panic if your iPhone goes missing for a short period.

As long as you regain access to your accounts within 50 hours to update passwords, remove devices and delete cards as desired, you remain mostly protected against serious unauthorized access or payment fraud.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here I‘ll answer some additional common questions around properly managing and securing Apple Pay:

Q: Can I fully delete the Apple Pay app itself from my iPhone?
A: No, the Apple Pay platform is deeply integrated into the latest iOS operating system rather than a standalone app, so it cannot be independently deleted. The best options are steps outlined in this guide to disable specific elements of Apple Pay by removing cards, turning off Apple Cash, etc based on your specific needs.

Q: If I delete my cards from Apple Pay, are they still on my iPhone?
A: Yes, removing a debit/credit card from Apple Pay only disconnects it from being used to make Apple Pay transactions. Your actual payment cards still remain safely stored in your iPhone‘s encrypted Secure Element chip. To physically delete cards from storage, you would need to erase your entire phone.

Q: Does deleting an Apple Pay card delete it from my bank account?
A: No. Removing a credit/debit card from Apple Pay has no effect on the card itself or your bank account. It simply dissociates that card from being used as an Apple Pay funding source. The card remains fully active and usable through normal credit/debit card transactions.

Q: What if I want to temporarily disable a card in Apple Pay without deleting?
A: You can temporarily freeze an individual card within Apple Pay anytime without needing to fully delete and re-add it. Simply tap the card in Apple Wallet and toggle the switch to freeze. This prevents Apple Pay transactions but keeps it stored so you can easily unfreeze by tapping again later!

Q: How many cards can I store in Apple Pay?
A: You can store up to 12 credit/debit cards in Apple Pay on an iPhone/Apple Watch at once. Certain card issuers may have additional limits on how many mobile wallets you can add a card to, but Apple Pay supports up to 12.

I hope this FAQ helps provide more insight and confidence around properly managing cards in Apple Pay as needed!

Final Thoughts

And there you have it – a comprehensive, in-depth guide to deleting Apple Pay functionality through various methods depending on your specific goals.

While Apple Pay itself remains part of Apple‘s convenience services ecosystem, you can easily take back control over cards and payments as shown here.

Hopefully these steps provide a helpful, user-friendly tutorial for any iPhone owner on selectively disabling Apple Pay capabilities across their devices. Don‘t hesitate to contact Apple Support if you have any other questions!