Apple Pay is a popular contactless payment system with over 500 million users over the globe. The use of contactless payment systems skyrocketed during the ongoing COVID pandemic and Apple Pay has been one of the top brands enjoying a huge user base.
While Apple Pay is mostly flawless, there are times when there is a declined Apple Pay payment. Here are some of the most asked questions regarding declined Apple Pay transactions with detailed solutions.
Possible reasons which could be causing the payment decline
There can be several reasons which could cause your Apple Pay payment to decline. If you are a regular user of Apple Pay as your primary mode of transaction, declined transactions can be a huge issue for you. Here I will try to list and explain all the possible reasons for the payment decline or failure with all the pedantic details.
Your Debit Card might be causing an issue
This is one of the common reasons for the failure of Apple Pay transactions. Your Debit card might be deactivated or frozen and has stopped working. Another reason for your card failure can be its expiration. You can check for the same in your iOS device (iPhone or iPad).
- Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad and tap on your name
- Then go to Payment and Shipping
- You might be asked to enter your Apple ID to access it. Enter the correct credentials and you will get into the payment and shipping section.
- Check whether there is red text below your card or not. If a red text is present, it is an indication that your card is not working and you need to contact your card provider or bank immediately to resolve the issue.
- Once your card company or the bank reactivates your card, you should be able to use Apple Payments again.
Your Funds might be an obstacle
Sometimes we are so busy spending money, we forget to keep a track of it. This happens more often than you can think. Insufficient funds are another common reason for the failure of transactions. So you need to make sure that you have enough money in your account before you pay for something using Apple Pay.
Be aware of your balance limit
When you get authorization to use Apple pay as a method of payment, you also get a limit on how much you can spend with it. There are many levels of limits depending on your credit score and other factors. Once you reach the limit, your further payments will be declined. The company generally allows Apple Pay users to send or receive up to $10000 per transaction or message. The weekly limit is also 10000 USD and once this limit is reached you won’t be able to send or receive more money. In that case, you will have to for the period to pass and your payments will be validated again.
Check your PIN twice before proceeding
The chances of error or mistakes increase when we are in a hurry. This is another common reason for declined Apple Pay transactions. Entering an incorrect pin at a payment terminal will fail payment. So make sure you remember your PIN correctly and enter it correctly at any terminal or retail counter.
Make sure the Terminal or Counter supports Apple Pay
While Apple Pay is one of the most popular cashless and contactless methods for payment, there is still a possibility that a particular online or offline counter or terminal is not authorized to use the Apple Pay payment gateway. You can check for the same by looking for an Apple Pay logo on the physical terminal or the methods of payment in the checkout section of the online store. If it is there, it supports Apple Pay and the issue is on your side. Else, you need not worry and use an alternative payment method.
What does it mean when Apple Pay says “Pending”?
Apple Pay says “Pending” on a particular transaction when you have sent an amount to a person and the recipient has not accepted the payment yet. While this is quite rare as most people set their Apple Pay to accept payments automatically, some users have enabled “Manually accept Payments”. Thus, the person on the receiving end has to approve and accept the transaction to receive the money.
Then only, the pending status on the sender’s Apple Pay will change to payment complete. You can also send a message to the receiver along with the money to accept the payment. When the Pending status is on, you can cancel the transaction and it will no longer be available for the receiver to accept.
Why does my Apple Pay is not working when I have money?
If you have money in your bank account and your Apple Pay transaction is still declined, there could be various unfortunate reasons behind that. Some of the major issues that could arise leading to failure of Apple Pay payment despite having money in account are-
Updates might fix it
Apple products are provided with regular updates which make them seamless and absolutely a delight to use. If there is an update available for the iOS operating system or any other firmware update and you haven’t installed it, it might interfere with Apple Pay payments. So, you need to make sure that your iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch) are fully updated.
Your Apple Device might be outdated
Compatible iPhone models for Apple Pay are –
- All iPhone models with Face ID
- All iPhone models with Touch ID except iPhone 5s
Compatible iPad models for Apple Pay are –
- iPad Pro with Face ID or Touch ID
- iPad Air with Face ID or Touch ID
- iPad Mini with Face ID or Touch ID
- iPad models with Face ID or Touch ID
Compatible Apple Watch series for Apple Pay are-
- Apple Watch Series 1 and above
Compatible Mac models for Apple Pay are –
- Mac models with Touch ID
- Mac models launched in 2012 or later with an Apple Pay enabled iPhone or Apple Watch
- Mac Computers with Apple Silicon that are paired with a Magic Keyboard having Touch ID
If you have an old Apple device that is not included in the list above, then you need to upgrade your device.
Your Internet connection might be shaky
A bad or unstable internet connection is always a devil when it comes to online payment processing. The same goes for Apple Pay payments. If your internet connection is not strong, the payment will get stuck leading to declining in payment. All you need to do is find a good internet zone for the payment to conclude successfully.
Make sure your Apple Device is suitable for the kind of payment you are trying
With a compatible iPhone, you can only use Apple Pay for the following kind of transactions –
- In stores at terminals
- Within online shopping apps
- On the Web using Safari Browser
- At transit systems in certain countries and regions
- Between two individuals
- At selected schools using your student ID
- In Business Chat
With compatible iPad, these are possible transactions –
- Within different online shopping apps
- Using Safari Browser
- Person to person
- In Business chat
With compatible Apple Watch, only these modes of transactions are possible with Apple Pay-
- At physical terminals in stores
- Within online shopping apps
- Within transit systems in some regions and countries
- Person to Person
- At selected schools using Student ID
With compatible Mac computers, Apple Pay can be used for the following purposes –
- On Safari
- Business chats
- Within various apps
So, make sure you are using the suitable device for the right purpose, or else you will face a decline in payment.
Why am I getting an “Incorrect Merchant Info” error on Apple Pay?
The reason for the “Incorrect Merchant Info” error on Apple pay is a tricky issue and there is no fixed reason for it. Sometimes the issue is on the side of the merchant or there is an issue with the terminal system which leads to such an error message. Whatever may be the reason, this issue has been seen to be temporary and is resolved automatically in most cases.
However, certain users have tried some hacks and have succeeded. One of the common hacks is to remove the debit card from the Apple Pay app and add it back again. This refreshes the system and the payment was working again.
Apple Pay Declined but charged – Here’s what to do!
Though it is quite an unusual and rare scenario, if you have been charged while the payment fails, you need to contact your bank immediately. Apple Pay doesn’t hold or store money and it only acts as a mediator between your bank account and the retailer or terminal you are paying to.
So, you need to contact your bank or card company and lodge a complaint right away. Almost all the issues like these are resolved and you will get your deducted money back within 10-15 working days. The duration period depends on your bank and the nature of your card. You don’t have to panic at all and wait patiently for the given amount of time.
What to do when Apple Pay is Declined?
So, In summary, if your Apple Pay is declined, you need to do one or more of the following things-
- Make sure you have an active or non-expired debit card
- Make sure your funds are sufficient for that particular transaction
- Make sure you haven’t exceeded the limits of the amount
- Make sure your device is updated, and compatible, and the transaction is supported by Apple Pay
If none of the hacks above work, there might be an issue on the end of your card company. You can contact your bank for technical assistance.
Why is my Bank Declining Apple Pay?
This is another rare problem. Almost all the banks in the USA support Apple Pay. If for some reason, your bank is declining your Apple Pay payment, it may be because –
- Your debit or credit card is expired or frozen for some unknown reason
- You don’t have enough money for the payment
- If the terminal requires you to enter a security PIN, you might have entered a wrong PIN
If everything seems alright on your side, you need to talk to customer care at your bank or card issuer firm to help you with the issue. They will most certainly look into the system and solve your issue.
Why is Apple Pay not working on my Mac?
The kind of transactions you can carry out using Apple Pay on a Mac computer is limited. First, make sure –
- Your Mac computer is updated. When there is an update pending, there is a plausible chance that your Apple Pay will fail
- Your card is not disabled
- Your Internet connection is a good one
- Your mode of transaction is one of the following
- On Safari Browser
- Business chat
- Within Apple Pay-supported online shopping apps
Apple Payment on Mac will not work for –
- In-store terminals
- Person to person
- At schools
- At transit systems
Why is Apple Pay not working with Uber?
Apple Pay is compatible with Uber ( a popular online cab service) and it works pretty smoothly with Uber most of the time. Users can pay their cab fare digitally in a much more secure and fair manner. If your Apple pay is not working with Uber, there might be some issues like-
- Though the integration is flawless between Apple Pay and Uber, there might be occasional server issues on either side of the payment. You can wait for some minutes and it will start working as seen in most cases. Sometimes the issue persists for a longer period and it is a ruse.
- Make sure your card is active and there is sufficient money in it.
Is Apple Pay Safer than Debit Cards?
Absolutely!! Apple Pay is way safer than the debit card method of payment. With Apple Pay it only shares a temporary token with the terminal or the merchant and your debit card information is kept discreet. So, if for some reason someone hacks the terminal, they won’t get your card information and won’t be able to use it against you.
Which Countries and regions have Apple Pay?
Apple Pay is popular in the world with over 500 million users. Here is the list of countries and regions that have Apple Pay –
- AFRICA REGION
- South Africa
- ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
- Australia
- China Mainland
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Macao
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Latin America and the Caribbean Region
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Middle East Region
- Bahrain
- Israel
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- North America
- Canada
- The United States of America
- Europe
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Finland
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Greenland
- Guernsey
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Jersey
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
