Apple Pay is not working – what is the reason for the failure?
- You bought a refurbished copy. In 90% of cases, the NFC chip is removed or damaged during recovery.
- Not enough money in the account.
- Credit card PIN has been changed.
- Module or antenna failure.
- iOS or watchOS glitches.
- Problems with the terminal.
- Map added incorrectly.
- Make sure your iPhone is older than model 5. Support for contactless payment began only with model 6.
In order for the official contactless payment service to work correctly and without interruptions, it is necessary that not only the operating system, but also the NFC chip itself function correctly. It is important that the smartphone supports the function of contactless payments, and there are no problems with a bank card.
There are several reasons why you may experience problems connecting Apple Pay. Below we will study the issue and solutions in more detail.
Why doesn’t Apple Pay work? Your phone may not support contactless technology. Not all iPhone models have an NFC chip. For example, in older versions of the smartphone – before the iPhone 5, the presented technology did not exist yet. N FC began to be actively used in further models, starting with the iPhone 6, 6 S, SE.
It is worth noting that the operation of the payment service is slightly different on the iPhone X. To confirm the payment, you need to double-click the button located on the side, look at the front camera, and then bring it to the payment terminal. This procedure is related to the Face ID feature.
If your phone does not support this technology, then it will not be possible to fix it. Additionally, the module will not be embedded. The only solution is to get a phone with NFC.
If the program is compatible with the device, but it periodically freezes, slows down, crashes, then a failure in the system is most likely to blame. Users also note that the phone stops noticing the payment terminal, or loads information for a long time, and as a result rejects the money transaction. It is necessary to check the health of the operating system and the application itself.
Card problems

If Apple Pay suddenly stops working¸ the problem may lie in the bank card. In this case, the device will be detected, the system will not slow down, but the payment process will be refused. Check if there is money on the account, perhaps you have exceeded the daily limit, or the account has been blocked.
For the sake of economy, some people buy phones not in official stores, but from their hands or in various services where they restore broken smartphones. When buying a refurbished device, you run the risk of acquiring not a mobile phone, but a “block of wood”. No one will give guarantees for the correct operation of all systems and components in the phone.
Such gadgets may be missing important parts or have a different operating system installed. For example, today you can order the 10th iPhone, where Android is installed instead of IOS. Therefore, if contactless payment does not work, then the phone probably does not have an NFC chip and other important components for contactless payments.
As many have noted, iOS is far from being as stable and “bug-free” as it used to be. Perhaps the reason for this was the constant addition of new features, perhaps something else … but the fact remains – it used to be better 🙂
So, in order to rule out the fact that Apple Pay malfunctions are caused by operating system failures, we need to do the following:
- Force and hard reboot the device.
- Erase network settings (Settings – General – Reset – Reset network settings).
- In the Wallet app, delete and then relink the card.
- Change the iPhone region (Settings – General – Language and Region) to any other where Apple Pay is supported (for example, to the UK).
- Reinstall firmware via DFU mode. After that, check the operation of contactless payments without restoring the phone from a backup.
As you can see, nothing complicated. The hardest part is constantly running and checking to see if Apple Pay is working? Although you can always use Macdonalds and its self-service terminals…
In addition to software, there are some other factors that can affect the performance of contactless payments using iPhone. These include:
- Case. It is clear that an ordinary plastic or silicone pad is unlikely to interfere with Apple Pay. But if you use some kind of ultra-protected case from an unknown Chinese brand … it’s better to take it off.
- Malfunctions in the operation of the terminal, bank, card. In this case, you need to at least try to pay in another store, and as a maximum, call the bank and find out “are they all right?”.

Not so much, right? But you shouldn’t forget about it.
Self-diagnosis
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Is the iPhone definitely older than model 5?
Right! Wrong!
Models up to 5S, do not support contactless payment
If the model is older than 5, click the “Continue diagnosis” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Is there any money in the account?
Right! Wrong!
Check the availability of money in the accounts, in 80% of cases this is the problem.
If it does not help, click the “Continue diagnosis” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Remember, maybe change the PIN code of the card?
Right! Wrong!
If yes, only rebinding the card in the Wallet settings will help.
If it doesn’t help, click the “Continue diagnosis” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Are the time and date on the phone correct?
Right! Wrong!
Set the current time and date.
If everything is set correctly, click the “Continue diagnosis” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Did you check the region in settings?
Right! Wrong!
Sometimes the location region is set incorrectly and problems begin. The setting is in the same place as the time.
If the region is correct, click the “Continue diagnosis” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Have you tried updating iOs?
Right! Wrong!
Sometimes it helps to solve software bugs.
If you have updated, click the “Continue Diagnostics” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Has the phone been dropped or repaired?
Right! Wrong!
If dropped or repaired, the NFC chip or module antenna may be damaged.
If you didn’t fall, press the “Continue diagnosis” button.
We continue the diagnostics {amp}gt;{amp}gt;
Faulty NFC chip
So, in order for the service to start working on the iPhone, you need to launch the “Wallet” application. It is available on any Apple smartphone, but the Apple Pay block appeared on iPhone 6 and newer devices. If you do not find the service, then restart the device.
To add a new card, just click on the appropriate item, enter the necessary data and confirm with a password that the bank will provide in an SMS message. That’s it, Apple Pay is ready to use on iPhone. By the way, “Wallet” allows you to make settings for comfortable use of the payment service. Here you can delete cards, set auto-selection, view details, turn auto-update on or off, and more.
Now let’s talk about how to add Apple Pay to iPad. The process is not much different from what we have on the iPhone.
- First, go to “Settings”, where we find the item “Wallet and Apple Pay”.
- Having selected it, we proceed to adding a card, following the prompts.
- If you want to use a card that has already been added to one of the devices connected to iTunes, just enter the verification code. Adding a new one follows the same scenario as on the iPhone.
- We indicate the card number, the owner’s first and last name on the front side, as well as the security code and expiration date. It remains only to wait for confirmation.
Connecting Apple Pay on Apple Watch is somewhat different. You need an iPhone (even an iPhone 5 will do) paired with a smartwatch. Open the Watch app, where you need to find “Wallet and Apple Pay”. Here you will see a list of cards that are already added to Apple Pay. Click “Add” next to the one you plan to use on your watch. Follow the instructions of the assistant to link the card. A message on the Apple Watch screen will inform you about the successful completion of the process.
In order to add Apple Pay on Mac OS you need:
- Go to “System Settings”, where select “Wallet and Appe Pay”.
- Just like on the iPad, the system will prompt you to enter the code if you are adding a card from iTunes.
- To connect a new one, enter the required information, confirming everything with a password from an SMS message.
One of the common problems is the malfunction of the NFC chip. The only way to fix the damage is to replace the part with a new one. Contact the service center if you are not sure from your own experience. Specialists will check by disassembling the device, and then install a new chip.

Signal transmission is carried out by a bracket installed in the upper part of the case. If Apple Pay refuses to connect, then the antenna may be damaged. It is necessary to remove dirt from the transmitter and tighten the bolts holding the bracket. If it does not help, then contact a specialized repair.
It is not recommended to start disassembling the smartphone on your own. iPhones have a high-quality assembly, which is why an inexperienced user can cause additional damage and create new damage when trying to disassemble the phone. Remember – if the device is under warranty, then its self-disassembly will automatically void the warranty period.
Having found that apple pay does not work, you should think about the health of the NFC chip. In most cases, the module itself always remains in good condition, which cannot be said about periodic problems with the antenna contact of the smartphone. As a result, we have performance problems when making any purchase.
The bracket itself, which is responsible for signal transmission, is located in the upper corner of the case. Another reason why a weak signal can come from NFC is dust or debris that has got inside the device. To solve this problem, it will be enough to disassemble the phone, remove all unnecessary and tighten the bracket bolts, thereby eliminating the “lack of contact”.
Suppose the chip is working, the garbage is removed, and the gadget continues to show payment completion errors. Then, once again, pay attention to where the nfc module is located in the iphone or Apple Watch, perhaps the cover prevents it from making a payment. After all, it can directly affect the operation of the module. Especially negatively affect the signal conductivity, the so-called “bumpers” and covers made of aluminum.
How to fix
- Reboot the device.
- Force reset the network settings.
- Wrong time or date set.
- Change the region to any other than your country of residence.
- Delete and relink the card.
- Malicious or anti-virus programs are installed in the system.
- Other software failures.
- The NFC chip is out of order or the antenna of the module has fallen off – only repair in the service.
- Reinstall or update iOs.
Masters jokingly answer that it will be enough to replace the iPhone or Apple Watch. Joking aside, but if Apple Pay doesn’t work for you, it’s better to contact a service center. If the NFC antenna is to blame, then you won’t even have time to come to your senses how it will be replaced. But do not worry, due to problems with the module, the repaired chip works at the level of the factory counterpart. Very rarely, the range suffers, dropping to 5-3 cm.
Even if you own an iPhone of any model or a smart watch, it is impossible to insure against unexpected software failure. Well, due to a defect in the software, the main functions of the NSF suffer, which begins to incorrectly transfer information from the device.
How to use Apple Pay
Let’s start with the fact that Apple Pay appeared on the iPhone relatively recently. Therefore, do not be surprised by the owners of smartphones or watches from the “apple” brand, who are just getting acquainted with the new payment technology.
It is supported on all NFC equipped devices such as iPhone 6S or Watch series. But it happens that the payment does not always behave correctly. This can be attributed to problems with the operation of contactless payment due to a cover or a malfunction of the terminal itself.

By the way, compared to credit cards, where you need to enter your PIN to confirm the payment, on the phone this function is carried out using touch id. But the payment will go through only if there are fingerprints entered into the memory of the device.
However, before you go shopping, you should link the card. To do this, use the wallet program. Here, for your convenience, you can confirm a credit card (a code will be sent via SMS), which you have already paid in iTunes.
Another undoubted advantage of the application is convenient management, which allows you to remove all cards from Wallet at any time. Just remember, shopping with your iphone is really cool!
Ways to correct errors
Instructions for fixing the problem depend on the cause of the problem. Let’s learn how to solve errors:
- Reboot phone.
- Reset network settings to default by going to “Settings” – “General” – “Reset”.
- Try deleting the linked card and re-adding it to the app.
- Change the region on your phone.
If the program does not work, then try to rearrange the firmware by activating the DFU mode, which is provided for fixing system problems. Instruction:
- Enter iTunes after connecting your mobile phone to PC.
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Simultaneously hold down the two buttons – Power and Home.
- After 10 seconds, release the Power key, but keep holding the Home key.
- As a result, the gadget will start recovery.
When it loads, check the operation of the application for contactless transactions.
Some users are also wondering if a slow Internet connection can affect the functioning of Apple Pay? No, the program works without online. The signal is transmitted through an identification key stored in your smartphone.
Crashes and problems in iOS

User reviews are heard from everywhere, who assure that iOS has not been as stable as it was before for a long time. And this is true, because an overabundance of additional functions leads to a periodic violation in the software, which could cause the apple pay settings to fail.
So, here are some ways to solve the problem if paypass stopped functioning normally:
- The device needs to be rebooted.
- Force reset network settings (Settings – General – Reset – Reset network settings).
- If you notice a glitch when paying, go to the Wallet app, delete and relink the card.
- When you put the phone to the terminal, but it did not react in any way, you should try to change the region of the smartphone to the one where the contactless payment works. For example, by selecting the country of Great Britain (Settings – General – Language and region).
- As a last resort, if the above methods did not work, reinstall iOs, or at least update the firmware. Then, test contactless payments without resorting to restoring a backup copy of your phone settings.
You can only find out if the Apple Pay function has worked after purchase. In this case, the device writes ready as soon as money is debited from your account.
Conclusion
So, as we found out, if Apple Pay stopped working on your phone or watch, the problems may come from the software or hardware side. In some cases, payment does not always work due to the presence of a tight case on the phone.
Another option why the payment does not go through can be the terminal itself. And also, do not discard the possibility that the Apple Pay settings are to blame, in particular, the credit card was not added correctly or the Pin code was changed.
NFC Expert