How to send money to friends in Messages using Apple Pay

Apple Pay Cash is Apple's system for sending and receiving payments with Apple Pay through iMessage. Setting up Apple Pay Cash also adds the new Apple Pay Cash card to the Wallet app on your iPhone, letting you use the balance of that card to make payments in physical stores or online just as you would with any other credit or debit card attached to Apple Pay.

Here's how you go about setting up and using Apple Pay Cash on your iPhone or iPad.

How to set up Apple Pay Cash

First things first, you have to actually set up Apple Pay Cash.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Wallet & Apple Pay.

  3. Tap Apple Pay Cash.

    Open Settings, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, tap Apple Pay Cash

  4. Tap Continue.
  5. Tap Agree.

  6. Wait for the rest of the setup to complete automatically.

    Tap Continue, tap Agree, wait for setup to complete

How to verify your identity for Apple Pay

To make sure the process of using Apple Pay Cash goes smoothly, you'll want to verify your identity.

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap Wallet & Apple Pay.

  3. Tap Apple Pay Cash.

    Open Settings, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, tap Apple Pay Cash

  4. Tap Verify Identity.
  5. Tap Continue.

  6. Enter your First and Last names.

    Tap Verify Identity, tap Continue, enter name

  7. Tap Next.
  8. Enter your address.

  9. Tap Next.

    Tap Next, enter address, tap Next

  10. Enter the last four digits of your social security number and date of birth.

  11. Tap Next.

    Enter SSN and birthdate, tap Next

How to add money to your Apple Pay Cash card

You can send payments through Messages with Apple Pay without a balance on your Apple Pay Cash card, but you might want to add some money all the same.

  1. Open Wallet on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on your Apple Pay Cash card.

  3. Tap the i button in the bottom-right corner.

    Open Wallet, tap Cash card, tap i

  4. Tap Add Money.
  5. Enter the amount of money you want to add to your card using either the pre-defined buttons or by entering a custom amount on the number pad.

  6. Tap Add.

    Tap Add Money, enter amount, tap Add

  7. Authorize the transfer from an Apple Pay-linked debit card. On iPhone 8 and older, you authorize with Touch ID, while on iPhone X, you double-click the side button to activate Face ID for authorization.

  8. Tap Done.

    Authorize transfer, tap Done

How to send your Apple Pay Cash balance to a bank account

Any money you receive on your Apple Pay Cash card can be sent from your card to the bank account of your choice.

  1. Open Wallet on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on your Apple Pay Cash card.

  3. Tap the i button in the bottom-right corner.

    Open Wallet, tap Cash card, tap i

  4. Tap Transfer to Bank.
  5. Tap Add Bank Account.

  6. Enter the Routing and Account numbers for your bank account.

    Tap Transfer to Bank, tap Add Bank Account, enter info

  7. Tap Next.
  8. Enter the Routing and Account numbers again to confirm your bank account.

  9. Tap Next.

    Tap Next, enter info again, tap Next

  10. Enter the amount that you want to transfer to your bank.
  11. Tap Transfer.

  12. Authorize the transfer from an Apple Pay-linked debit card. On iPhone 8 and older, you authorize with Touch ID, while on iPhone X, you double-click the side button to activate Face ID for authorization.

    Enter amount, tap Transfer, authorize transfer

  13. Tap Done.

  14. Tap Done.

    Tap Done, tap Done

How to send payments using Apple Pay Cash

Sending money to your friends and family in Messages is oddly akin to sending a sticker.

  1. Open Messages on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on a conversation with the person you'd like to send money to or start a new iMessage conversation.

  3. Tap the Apple Pay button at the bottom of the screen.

    Open Messages, tap conversation, tap Apple Pay button

  4. Tap the - or + buttons to select an amount.
  5. Tap Show Keypad if you want to enter a specific amount.

  6. Enter your specific amount.

    Tap - or +, tap Show Keypad, enter amount

  7. Tap Pay.
  8. Tap the send button (looks like an arrow in a black circle).

  9. Authorize the payment from an Apple Pay-linked debit card. On iPhone 8 and older, you authorize with Touch ID, while on iPhone X, you double-click the side button to activate Face ID for authorization.

    Tap Pay, tap send, authorize payment

How to request a payment with Apple Pay Cash

Of course, you can also request a payment through Messages.

  1. Open Messages on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on a conversation with the person you'd like to request money from or start a new iMessage conversation.

  3. Tap the Apple Pay button at the bottom of the screen.

    Open Messages, tap conversation, tap Apple Pay button

  4. Tap the - or + buttons to select an amount.
  5. Tap Show Keypad if you want to enter a specific amount.

  6. Enter your specific amount.

    Tap - or +, tap Show Keypad, enter amount

  7. Tap Request.

  8. Tap the send button (looks like an arrow in a black circle).

    Tap Request, tap send

Questions

If you have any more questions about setting up and using Apple Pay Cash, let us know in the comments.

Updated July 2018: Verified steps for iOS 12.

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