How to use Apple Pay

If you have an iPhone or Apple Watch you can use it to securely pay for goods at contactless terminals in shops around the UK thanks to Apple Pay, Apple's contactless payment system. Apple Pay also makes it possible for you to pay for goods online without entering your card details.

As of May 2017 it has been possible to pay for goods with a value higher than £30 using Apple Pay on your iPhone or Watch. Previously all contactless transactions were limited to £30. This is likely to give users a reason to use Apple Pay rather than their debit or credit card, which will still be limited to £30.

In this article we answer all your questions about using Apple Pay in the UK. For Macworld's verdict on the service, read our Apple Pay review. And for advice on getting the service set up in the first place, see How to set up Apple Pay.

What is Apple Pay?

Apple Pay allows you to pay for things in shops by holding your iPhone or Apple Watch up to the contactless payment terminal. You can also use Apple Pay on some websites and in some iOS apps.

All you need to do is add your credit or debit card payment details to the Wallet app on your device, and the next time you are in a shop all you need to do is hold your iPhone up to the payment terminal with your finger on the Touch ID button of your iPhone in order to keep the transaction secure. If you have an Apple Watch you don't need the extra level of security offered by Touch ID as your Watch is linked to you from the moment you put it on your wrist and link it to your iPhone. Later in this article we will exaplain the security implications of this.

Since May 2016 it has been possible to spend over £30 using Apple Pay on your Apple device, but some stores are still limited to £30. Card transactions are still limited to £30 a time because they are not secured with a PIN or another form of ID.

Apple Pay was first launched in the UK on 14 July 2015. A first tier of UK banks offered Apple Pay support immediately (including NatWest, Santander and Nationwide) with more following later in the year. Now the majority of UK banks offer Apple Pay to their customers.

The UK launch came roughly nine months after the US launch of Apple Pay on 20 October 2014, as part of the iOS 8.1 update. Apple Pay saw 1 million activations in its first three days, according to Apple.

Much like other roll-outs, Apple Pay isn't available in every bank, every shop, or every country, yet. Included in this article are details about which shops and banks do support Apple Pay, and also which countries have already adopted Apple Pay.

Which Apple devices can use Apple Pay?

The Touch ID fingerprint scanner is key to using Apple Pay on an iPhone or iPad, but you will also need a specific NFC antenna that is only built into certain Apple devices.

The service is compatible with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, 7, 7 Plus, iPhone SE, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro. You can also use the Apple Watch to pay for things via Apple Pay.

The iPhone 5S doesn't offer Apple Pay despite having a Touch ID scanner. However, users with iPhone 5, 5C, and 5S, can use the service through an Apple Watch.

Since Sierra was launched at the end of 2016 it has also been possible pay for things online via Apple Pay on your Mac in conjunction with the Touch ID sensor on your Apple iPhone or your Apple Watch. The new MacBook Pro has a Touch Bar which incorporates a Touch ID button so that you can use it to verify Apple Pay transactions. You can't use the MacBook Pro to pay for stuff in store though - but you are unlikely to be carrying your laptop under your arm when you go to Sainsburys so this is unlikely to be an issue.