Remove the old card, add the new one
To change your bank on Apple Pay, you remove the card linked to your old account and add a card from your new bank. Apple Pay does not transfer a card from one bank to another—you have to delete the old one and set up the new one separately. The process takes about five minutes on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
You can remove a card at any time without affecting your bank account or the money in it. Removing the card from Apple Pay is different from closing the account with your bank. Your bank account stays open and active; you are just disconnecting it from Apple Pay.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Wallet app, tap and hold the card you want to remove, then swipe left and tap Delete to remove it from Apple Pay.
- After deletion, open Wallet again, tap the plus sign, and follow the prompts to add your new bank's debit or credit card.
- Your bank will send you a verification code by text or email; enter it in the Wallet app to confirm the new card.
- If your new bank is not recognized by Apple Pay, you may need to contact the bank to request they enable Apple Pay support for your account.
Steps to remove your current card from Apple Pay
Open the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap and hold the card you want to remove—do not just tap it once. A menu will appear with options including Delete. Swipe left across the card if the menu does not appear, and the Delete button will slide into view. Tap Delete, then confirm by tapping Delete Card again when prompted.
If you are removing a card from Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone instead. Go to Wallet & Apple Pay, tap the card you want to remove, scroll down, and tap Remove. The card will disappear from your watch within a few seconds.
Removing the card does not stop any recurring payments or subscriptions that use that card. If you have set up automatic payments with that card, contact the merchant or service provider to update the payment method before you delete the card, or your payment may fail.
Steps to add your new bank card to Apple Pay
Open Wallet and tap the plus sign in the upper right corner. Select Credit or Debit Card. You can either photograph your new card or enter the details manually. If you photograph it, hold your phone steady over the card and let the camera read the number, expiration date, and CVV. If you enter it manually, type in the 16-digit card number, expiration date, and three-digit security code on the back.
After you enter the card details, Apple Pay will ask you to verify your identity. Your bank will send a code by text message or email. Enter that code in the Wallet app when prompted. Some banks send the code automatically; others ask you to confirm that you are adding the card to Apple Pay before they send it. Wait for the text or email—do not close the Wallet app.
Once you enter the verification code, the card is active in Apple Pay. You can use it immediately for contactless payments in stores, online purchases, and peer-to-peer transfers through apps like Venmo or Cash App.
What to do if your bank is not recognized
Some smaller banks and credit unions do not appear in Apple Pay's list of supported institutions. If you search for your bank and it does not show up, you have two options: contact your bank directly and ask them to enable Apple Pay support, or add the card manually by entering the card number instead of searching for the bank name.
If you add the card manually, the verification process is the same—your bank will send a code, and you enter it in Wallet. The card will work in Apple Pay even if the bank name does not appear in the initial search. Some banks support Apple Pay but have not updated their name in Apple's directory, so a manual entry often works even when a search does not.
Updating Apple Pay on multiple devices
If you use Apple Pay on an iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, you need to add your new card to each device separately. The devices do not sync automatically. Add the card to your iPhone first, then repeat the process on your iPad and watch using the same card number and verification code.
If you have an Apple Watch paired to your iPhone, you can add the card directly to the watch through the Watch app on your iPhone. Go to Wallet & Apple Pay, tap the plus sign, and add the card. This is faster than adding it on the watch itself.
Handling recurring payments and subscriptions
Before you delete your old card, check which subscriptions and recurring payments use it. Go to Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. You will see a list of active subscriptions and which payment method each one uses. If a subscription is set to your old card, tap it and select Edit Payment Method to switch it to your new card.
For one-time recurring payments—like monthly bills paid through a merchant's website—log into each account and update the payment method there. Apple Pay does not automatically update these outside of the Subscriptions section. If you delete the old card before updating these payments, the transaction will fail and you may be charged a late fee.
Troubleshooting if your new card will not add
If Apple Pay rejects your new card, the most common reasons are a typo in the card number, an expired card, or a card that has not been activated by your bank yet. Check that you entered the 16-digit number correctly, the expiration date matches the card, and the CVV is the three-digit code on the back (or four digits if it is an American Express).
If the details are correct and the card is new, wait 24 hours before trying again. New cards sometimes take a day to activate in your bank's system. If you still cannot add it after 24 hours, contact your bank's customer service. They can confirm the card is active and check whether Apple Pay is enabled on your account. Some banks require you to call and authorize Apple Pay before the card will add.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting a card from Apple Pay close my bank account?
No. Deleting a card from Apple Pay only removes it from the app. Your bank account remains open and active. You can still use the card in stores, online, or with your bank's app. Removing it from Apple Pay does not affect your account balance or any money in it.
Can I have multiple cards from the same bank on Apple Pay?
Yes. You can add as many cards as you want, including multiple cards from the same bank. Each card is stored separately in Wallet. You can set a default card for payments, and you can choose a different card each time you pay by tapping it before you complete the transaction.
What happens to my Apple Pay transactions if I change banks?
Past transactions stay in your Apple Pay history and in your old bank's records. They do not disappear or move to your new bank. Your new bank will have its own transaction history starting from the day you add the new card to Apple Pay.
Do I need to tell my bank before I add the card to Apple Pay?
No. You do not need to notify your bank in advance. When you add the card, your bank will send a verification code automatically. If your bank has fraud detection enabled, adding the card to Apple Pay may trigger a security alert, but this is normal and does not block the process.
Can I change my default card for Apple Pay payments?
Yes. Go to Settings, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, then Default Transaction Card. Select which card you want to use by default when you pay with Apple Pay. You can still choose a different card at checkout each time if you want.