My Apple Pay says it’s “unavailable” (2024)

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I’ve come to the the issue where I tried to add my debit card to Apple Pay and it continuously says that the card is unavailable. How do I fix it?

iPhone 11 Pro Max

Posted on Jan 24, 2021 3:19 PM

Question marked as Best reply

User profile for user: askbarnabas

askbarnabas

User level: Level10

103,499 points

Posted on Jan 25, 2021 8:16 AM

Issues with Wallet/If you have trouble adding a card to wallet

  1. Sometimes if you sign out of your Apple ID and back in it resolves the problem.
  2. Make sure you are using the latest iOS/macOS update.
  3. Check your Apple ID region to make sure it is correct. If it is correct, you may need to select the same region again. (Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support)
  4. Check the region on your device to ensure it is correct (Settings>general>language & region - set to your region)
  5. A passcode is required to use the Wallet app.
  6. You need to be in a region that supports Apple Pay - Countries and regions that support Apple Pay - Apple Support
  7. Your bank needs to support Apple Pay - Apple Pay participating banks - Apple Support
  8. If none of these suggestions are able to resolve your issue you can go here for further assistance - If you can't add cards to Wallet for Apple Pay - Apple Support
  9. Apple Pay support can be reached here - Apple Pay Customers
  • If you need to change your default payment in Wallet or have other issues such as the inability to add passes you can go to these links which covers managing Wallet and wallet use.
  • Add and manage passes in Wallet on iPhone - Apple Support, please note that passes cannot be directly added within wallet, except for QR code enabled passes. For everything else, its done either through the associated app, an email, airdrop or a link in a website.
  • If you get an error that you already have the maximum amount of cards in wallet with less than 22 cards signing out of your Apple ID and back in usually resolves this issue.
  • If you are getting a message to contact the card issuer, call the bank or credit card company who issued you the card to make sure there are no restrictions on the card.
  • If you are getting a message that Apple Pay services are unavailable at this time, sign out of your Apple ID and back in.
  • How to use Wallet on your iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support,
  • Manage the cards that you use with Apple Pay - Apple Support

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Question marked as Best reply

User profile for user: askbarnabas

askbarnabas

User level: Level10

103,499 points

Jan 25, 2021 8:16 AM in response to Miyahpapaya

Issues with Wallet/If you have trouble adding a card to wallet

  1. Sometimes if you sign out of your Apple ID and back in it resolves the problem.
  2. Make sure you are using the latest iOS/macOS update.
  3. Check your Apple ID region to make sure it is correct. If it is correct, you may need to select the same region again. (Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support)
  4. Check the region on your device to ensure it is correct (Settings>general>language & region - set to your region)
  5. A passcode is required to use the Wallet app.
  6. You need to be in a region that supports Apple Pay - Countries and regions that support Apple Pay - Apple Support
  7. Your bank needs to support Apple Pay - Apple Pay participating banks - Apple Support
  8. If none of these suggestions are able to resolve your issue you can go here for further assistance - If you can't add cards to Wallet for Apple Pay - Apple Support
  9. Apple Pay support can be reached here - Apple Pay Customers
  • If you need to change your default payment in Wallet or have other issues such as the inability to add passes you can go to these links which covers managing Wallet and wallet use.
  • Add and manage passes in Wallet on iPhone - Apple Support, please note that passes cannot be directly added within wallet, except for QR code enabled passes. For everything else, its done either through the associated app, an email, airdrop or a link in a website.
  • If you get an error that you already have the maximum amount of cards in wallet with less than 22 cards signing out of your Apple ID and back in usually resolves this issue.
  • If you are getting a message to contact the card issuer, call the bank or credit card company who issued you the card to make sure there are no restrictions on the card.
  • If you are getting a message that Apple Pay services are unavailable at this time, sign out of your Apple ID and back in.
  • How to use Wallet on your iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support,
  • Manage the cards that you use with Apple Pay - Apple Support

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My Apple Pay says it’s “unavailable”

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My Apple Pay says it’s “unavailable” (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Apple Pay unavailable? ›

Contact your card issuer to see if they support Apple Pay. Update to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS, watchOS, or macOS. Make sure that you are in a supported country or region. Check that your device is compatible with Apple Pay.

Is there a problem with Apple Pay today? ›

User reports indicate no current problems at Apple Pay

Apple Pay is a mobile payment service by Apple Inc.

Why has my Apple Pay not gone through? ›

One common issue is that the billing information held by Apple Pay doesn't match that held by your bank. To check your card information, go to Settings and tap your name, then Payment & Shipping. Tap the payment method you're trying to use to check and update your information if needed².

Why has Apple Pay been deactivated? ›

If you reported your device as lost or stolen, or if your bank suspects unauthorized access to your Apple Pay, they may deactivate it.

How do I get my Apple Pay to work? ›

Apple Pay is built into iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad. Start by adding your credit or debit card to the Wallet app on your iPhone, and you'll have the option to add it to your other devices in one easy step. When you want to pay, just double-click, tap, and you're set.

Why is Apple Pay blocked? ›

Your account may be restricted if your identity verification fails multiple times, if there are multiple accounts tied to the same social security number, or if there's suspected fraud on the account.

Is there a problem with Apple Pay at the moment? ›

User reports indicate no current problems at Apple Pay.

What's wrong with my Apple Pay? ›

The Causes of Apple Pay Not Working Properly

There could be issues with the Apple Pay servers, a faulty digital payment terminal, or problems with a particular debit or credit card.

Why would Apple Pay be declining? ›

There are a number of reasons the charge or verification might be declined: Apple is not allowed to accept credit or debit cards in your country. The card is not recognized in your country. Insufficient balance or account in arrears.

Why wont my Apple Pay work all of a sudden? ›

Contact Apple customer support

It's possible that you have a hardware problem — for example, the NFC chip used to communicate with the point of sale terminal might not be working. This isn't something you can easily test or troubleshoot on your own, so enlist the help of Apple.

Is Apple down today? ›

All services are operating normally.

Why has my Apple Pay been removed? ›

It may have been closed or blocked and Apple Pay was notified. Apple Pay may have some issue completely keeping the card information so you'll just have to re-add it. Your card may have expired. You may have reported it lost or stolen.

Why is Apple Pay unavailable to set up? ›

Check that you're able to use Apple Pay: Contact your card issuer to see if they support Apple Pay. Update to the latest version of iOS, watchOS, macOS, or visionOS. Confirm that you have Face ID, Touch ID, Optic ID, or a passcode set on your device.

How do you check if your Apple Pay has been suspended? ›

The text is a scam. Apple phone users can check the status of their Apple Pay by looking on their device's Apple Pay settings. Any issues will show up there.

Can Apple Pay not work? ›

If you see the message "This card cannot be used", check whether your bank or card issuer currently supports Apple Pay: Apple Pay-participating banks in Canada, Latin America and the United States. Apple Payparticipating banks in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Why Apple Pay is declined? ›

Your card or the transaction account has insufficient funds or limit for the transaction. An incorrect card PIN has been entered at the terminal. The terminal does not support contactless payments.

How to activate Apple Pay? ›

How to add a debit or credit card on your iPhone
  1. In the Wallet app, tap the Add button . ...
  2. Tap Continue.
  3. Follow the steps on the screen to add a new card.
  4. Verify your information with your bank or card issuer. ...
  5. If you have a paired Apple Watch, you have the option to also add the card to your watch.
Feb 2, 2024

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