Talk to me about Apple Pay

[ssledoux]

I need the basics. I have a card added to Apple Pay, but honestly, I have never had any luck using it on the watch OR phone. Granted there aren’t tons of places around here that actually use Apple Pay, but I’ve tried it at the local Subway a few times and basically I wind up wasting people’s time and feeling like an idiot.

What am I doing wrong here?

Also, can I add more than one card, and is it still gonna be faster to use if I have to get in and pick a card?

I just need the lowdown.

 

[AlliFlowers]

You can add multiple cards. I have two of mine, and one of my husband's. The trick, especially at Subway, is to make sure you have double pressed the side so that your card is showing, and hold it right up to the top of the screen, after the light has come on to accept payment.

 

[tgara]

On the watch, all you do is click the oval side button twice, and Apple Pay appears with the default card you have set. If you have more than one card (e.g., a debit card and a credit card), you can swipe on the watch to choose the card you want. Once you have the card showing, simply move the watch to the terminal, and you will feel a haptic, which means your card was accepted.

In my case, I have my debit card set as the default. When I'm ready to use Apple Pay, I just hit the side button twice, my debit card shows, and I move my watch to the terminal. Haptic feedback on my wrist confirms the transaction. The whole thing from button press to haptic takes 1-2 seconds.

Here's Apples Support Article on how to use Apple Pay.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201239

 

[BlankStar]

I never mention Apple Pay (especially because it's not released here in Belgium) and just say I want to pay contactless. I double tap de lock-button of my iPhone, let the FaceID to it's tricks and hold the phone within 2 inches (3 cm) of the terminal.

Works like a charm.

 

[Ntombi]

Subway is the SLOWEST of everywhere I use Apple Pay, and I use it more than any other payment method.

Here’s what I usually do: double press side button, glance to make sure the card I want is showing (I have five plus the Apple Pay Cash card, oh, and the Walgreens rewards card), hold AW on or near terminal, wait for haptic feedback, which takes maybe a second.

Here’s what I do at Subway: double press side button, glance to make sure the card I want is showing, hold AW on or near terminal, wait for haptic feedback, which takes way too stinking long, long enough that I start wondering if the cashier needs to press something...nope, it’s just the terminal taking a donkey’s age, gah, there it is!

Honestly, Subway is the worst place to use as a template. Even the workers there know it takes a ridiculously Kong time, compared to everywhere else. It’s not their fault, it’s the old-ass terminals they are stuck with. But at least it still accepts contactless payments.

But, like I said, I use Apple Pay all the time, multiple times per day, more than any other payment method combined, probably. It’s super easy, super fast, super convenient.

Make sure you have the card you’re going to use the most as your default, that’ll save a lot of time and faffing about.

 

[zone23]

Just remember a store only needs to support contactless payment not necessarily Apple Pay. Look for the attached symbol.

 

[Ntombi]

I never mention Apple Pay (especially because it's not released here in Belgium) and just say I want to pay contactless. I double tap de lock-button of my iPhone, let the FaceID to it's tricks and hold the phone within 2 inches (3 cm) of the terminal.

Works like a charm.

He’s asking about using it with the Apple Watch, which is even simpler.

And if the terminal is in front of me, I never say anything to the cashier, I just use my watch (or iPhone) to pay. 95% of the time, they don’t have to do anything, so it’s not worth confusing them here in the States with words like contactless or Apple Pay (chances are, half the time they won’t know their terminal accepts it until someone starts using it).

 

[tgara]

But, like I said, I use Apple Pay all the time, multiple times per day, more than any other payment method combined, probably. It’s super easy, super fast, super convenient.

Make sure you have the card you’re going to use the most as your default, that’ll save a lot of time and faffing about.

Have you tried it at an ATM? I have my Debit/ATM card set as my default, and a number of Bank of America branches near me recently upgraded their ATMs to include contactless readers.

All you do is activate Apple Pay on your watch or phone, select your debit/ATM (if not already your default), bring it near the contactless reader, and you're in. Key in your passcode into the ATM and do your transaction. It's great because I don't need to take my ATM card out of my wallet (helpful when going through the drive-up ATM).

 

[ssledoux]

Thanks so much! And wow - I had NO CLUE ATMs would take it, but I need to check my bank out. They are pretty on top of the game, so maybe they are using it.

I’m gonna add a couple more cards so I have more options since I use our debit cards a lot. I didn’t even think of putting them in there!

 

[Ntombi]

Have you tried it at an ATM? I have my Debit/ATM card set as my default, and a number of Bank of America branches near me recently upgraded their ATMs to include contactless readers.

All you do is activate Apple Pay on your watch or phone, select your debit/ATM (if not already your default), bring it near the contactless reader, and you're in. Key in your passcode into the ATM and do your transaction. It's great because I don't need to take my ATM card out of my wallet (helpful when going through the drive-up ATM).

No, I use a credit union, which means it takes a long time for such advances to make their way to us. I can’t wait to try it in 2020!
[doublepost=1539615817][/doublepost]

Thanks so much! And wow - I had NO CLUE ATMs would take it, but I need to check my bank out. They are pretty on top of the game, so maybe they are using it.

I’m gonna add a couple more cards so I have more options since I use our debit cards a lot. I didn’t even think of putting them in there!

Glad we could help!

My debit card is my default card; it’s definitely worth adding!

 

[eclipse01]

I find it to work the best if you face the "face" of the watch towards the terminal.

 

[BlankStar]

He’s asking about using it with the Apple Watch, which is even simpler.

Sorry, got to the topic via the "newest topics" and didn't realise it's in the Apple Watch subforum.

I got a Series 4 but never used Apple Pay with it, guess I'm used to paying with the iPhone. I should really try it, if I remember to do so...

 

[Ntombi]

Sorry, got to the topic via the "newest topics" and didn't realise it's in the Apple Watch subforum.

I got a Series 4 but never used Apple Pay with it, guess I'm used to paying with the iPhone. I should really try it, if I remember to do so...

You really should. The S4 is my first Apple Watch, I’ve only had it for a few weeks, and I’m already spoiled. I didn’t think it could be any easier, but it is.

It’s annoying that you have to verify all the cards for the watch all over again, but it’s worth it.

 

[ftaok]

Subway is the SLOWEST of everywhere I use Apple Pay, and I use it more than any other payment method.

Here’s what I usually do: double press side button, glance to make sure the card I want is showing (I have five plus the Apple Pay Cash card, oh, and the Walgreens rewards card), hold AW on or near terminal, wait for haptic feedback, which takes maybe a second.

Here’s what I do at Subway: double press side button, glance to make sure the card I want is showing, hold AW on or near terminal, wait for haptic feedback, which takes way too stinking long, long enough that I start wondering if the cashier needs to press something...nope, it’s just the terminal taking a donkey’s age, gah, there it is!

Honestly, Subway is the worst place to use as a template. Even the workers there know it takes a ridiculously Kong time, compared to everywhere else. It’s not their fault, it’s the old-ass terminals they are stuck with. But at least it still accepts contactless payments.

But, like I said, I use Apple Pay all the time, multiple times per day, more than any other payment method combined, probably. It’s super easy, super fast, super convenient.

Make sure you have the card you’re going to use the most as your default, that’ll save a lot of time and faffing about.

Please don't fix this typo! It's so good this way.

 

[0970373]

Have you tried it at an ATM? I have my Debit/ATM card set as my default, and a number of Bank of America branches near me recently upgraded their ATMs to include contactless readers.

All you do is activate Apple Pay on your watch or phone, select your debit/ATM (if not already your default), bring it near the contactless reader, and you're in. Key in your passcode into the ATM and do your transaction. It's great because I don't need to take my ATM card out of my wallet (helpful when going through the drive-up ATM).

I am very much looking forward to more banks and ATMs rolling this out.

 

[eclipse01]

I love how gas pumps in my area now have NFC.

 

[doasis23]

Most terminals you have to wait till the symbol that looks like WiFi is displayed first.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

I use my phone at Wawa at the pump, so much faster than if I had used the card. I was surprised.

When my new watch arrives today I’m going to set it up. Woohoo!

 

[AllergyDoc]

We set Apple Pay up on my wife’s S4, but when she found out she had to set up a password for the watch that had to be used every time she she wanted to get any info from the watch, she said no. No one in this thread has mentioned a password—how do you get around it?

 

[Julien]

We set Apple Pay up on my wife’s S4, but when she found out she had to set up a password for the watch that had to be used every time she she wanted to get any info from the watch, she said no. No one in this thread has mentioned a password—how do you get around it?

There is no Password on the Apple Watch. You do have to have a passcode. You only need to enter it when you put on the Apple Watch or you even better just have your Watch App set to [Unlock with iPhone] and never need to enter it.

 

[AllergyDoc]

There is no Password on the Apple Watch. You do have to have a passcode. You only need to enter it when you put on the Apple Watch or you even better just have your Watch App set to [Unlock with iPhone] and never need to enter it.

Got it, thanks.

 

[ecschwarz]

You wouldn't happen to be using Discover with Apple Pay at Subway, would you? For some reason, their readers don't like it and won't read, but I've had good luck with Amex and Mastercard. As for other locations, since it's technically just NFC (retailers just have to accept contactless/NFC payments for Apple Pay/Google Pay/etc. to work), I typically just wait for the terminal to prompt and use it rather than making a big deal out of it.

In my experience, the terminals that take it either display the hand holding the card in front of radio waves symbol, an Apple Pay logo, or have the first light in the four light sequence (like what's at most Subways or Starbucks) or first dot (the Verifone mx915s like Aldi has) lit up. On some, like many Subways, you have to tell them you're paying with credit first so they can "arm" the reader to accept swipe/chip/tap payments. If they don't do that, the NFC radios don't kick in.

I'm in the outskirts of a decent-sized city in the Midwest, and have about 3/4 of my in-person transactions with Apple Pay, so it is growing. In-app Apple Pay has also gotten really useful for me, especially with mobile ordering for lunch (McDonald's, Taco Bell) and buying stuff on various web sites/apps.

Oh, and regarding ATMs with NFC - it appears that right now, only customers of that bank can use those features (i.e. Bank of America customers at a Bank of America ATM, Chase customers at a Chase ATM), but otherwise it reads your card right from the Wallet app as you'd expect. I'm guessing card reads for customers at other banks aren't set up to actually connect with their infrastructure, but it's a start and also a great way to not have to carry my debit card and also avoid skimmers.

 

[Shanghaichica]

He’s asking about using it with the Apple Watch, which is even simpler.

And if the terminal is in front of me, I never say anything to the cashier, I just use my watch (or iPhone) to pay. 95% of the time, they don’t have to do anything, so it’s not worth confusing them here in the States with words like contactless or Apple Pay (chances are, half the time they won’t know their terminal accepts it until someone starts using it).

I just tell the cashier Im paying by card or sometimes say contactless and then pay with my watch. I never say Apple pay.

 

[arkitect]

I just tell the cashier Im paying by card or sometimes say contactless and then pay with my watch. I never say Apple pay.

Exactly.
I just stand about with my phone ready. These days most shops in the Uk at least are ready for contactless.
Asking about Apple Pay specifically has always confused people.