How to stop using Apple Pay on your device
You can turn off Apple Pay without deleting your card information, or you can remove it entirely. The fastest way is to disable it in your device settings so payments stop going through, but your card stays saved if you want to turn it back on later. If you want to remove the card completely, you delete it from your Wallet app — the card is gone, but you can add it again anytime.
The steps differ slightly between iPhone and Apple Watch, and the method depends on whether you want to pause Apple Pay temporarily or remove a specific card. Most people who want to "decline" Apple Pay are either stopping a particular payment method or preventing accidental payments, so we'll cover both.
Key Takeaways
- Disabling Apple Pay in Settings stops all contactless payments but keeps your cards saved; removing a card from Wallet deletes it entirely.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay and toggle off "Double-Click Side Button" to prevent accidental payments.
- To remove a single card, open Wallet, tap the card, scroll to the bottom, and select "Remove This Card."
- On Apple Watch, disable Apple Pay in the Watch app on your paired iPhone under Wallet & Apple Pay settings.
- Removing a card from Apple Pay does not cancel the card itself or affect your account with the bank or card issuer.
Disable Apple Pay on iPhone
Open Settings, then tap Wallet & Apple Pay. You'll see a toggle for "Double-Click Side Button" — this is what activates Apple Pay when you double-click the side button on your phone. Turn this toggle off, and your phone will no longer respond to the double-click gesture for payments. Your cards stay in your Wallet, but you cannot make contactless payments until you turn it back on.
If you want to go further and prevent Apple Pay from working even if someone else tries to enable it, you can restrict changes to Wallet settings. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Wallet. Choose "Don't Allow" to lock anyone out of changing Wallet settings without your Screen Time passcode.
Remove a specific card from your Wallet
Open the Wallet app on your iPhone and find the card you want to remove. Tap and hold the card, or tap the three dots in the corner if your version shows them. Scroll to the bottom of the card details and tap "Remove This Card." Confirm the removal when prompted.
The card is now gone from your Wallet and cannot be used for Apple Pay on that device. If you added the same card to an Apple Watch or other device, it remains there — you have to remove it separately from each device. Removing the card from Apple Pay does not close the card, cancel it with your bank, or affect your credit account in any way.
Turn off Apple Pay on Apple Watch
You cannot disable Apple Pay directly on the watch itself. Instead, open the Watch app on your paired iPhone, go to Wallet & Apple Pay, and toggle off "Wrist Detection" or "Require Passcode." Turning off Wrist Detection means the watch will ask for your passcode every time before processing a payment, which effectively stops accidental payments. Turning off the entire Wallet section removes all cards from the watch.
If you want to remove just one card from your watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, find the card, and tap "Remove." The card stays on your iPhone but is no longer available on the watch.
What happens when you remove a card
Removing a card from Apple Pay is not the same as canceling the card. Your bank or card issuer still has the card active, and you can still use it in person, online, or over the phone. Removing it only stops it from working through Apple Pay on that specific device.
If you have pending transactions or subscriptions tied to that card, they will not go through Apple Pay anymore — the payment will fail unless you update the payment method in the app or service. For example, if you have a subscription charged to an Apple Card in Apple Pay, removing the card will cause the next billing date to fail. You would need to add a different card to Apple Pay or update the subscription settings in the app.
Re-add a card after removing it
If you change your mind, you can add the card back to Apple Pay anytime. On iPhone, open Wallet, tap the plus sign, and follow the prompts to add a card. You can either photograph the card or enter the details manually. Your bank may ask you to verify your identity before the card is active again.
The process is the same for adding a card to Apple Watch — use the Watch app on your iPhone to add it, and the watch will sync the card automatically. There is no waiting period or penalty for removing and re-adding a card.
Stop Apple Pay from working on a lost or stolen device
If your iPhone or Apple Watch is lost or stolen, you can disable Apple Pay remotely using Find My iPhone or Find My. Open Find My on another device or go to iCloud.com, select the lost device, and choose "Erase This Device." This removes all data, including your Wallet and cards, from the device.
You can also contact your bank or card issuer directly to report the card as lost or stolen — they can block it immediately, which stops it from working through Apple Pay or anywhere else. This is faster than waiting for the device to be erased and gives you peace of mind that the card cannot be used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a card from Apple Pay close the card or hurt my credit?
No. Removing a card from Apple Pay only stops it from working through that app on that device. Your card remains active with your bank, your credit account is unaffected, and you can still use the card in stores or online. Your credit score is not impacted.
Can I turn off Apple Pay for just one card but keep others active?
Yes. Open Wallet, tap and hold the card you want to disable, tap the three dots, scroll down, and select "Remove This Card." Other cards in your Wallet stay active. You can also set a default card in Wallet settings, so only that card is used for payments unless you manually select a different one.
What if I disable Apple Pay but forget my passcode to turn it back on?
You can reset your device passcode through Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security, or by using your Apple ID. If you are locked out of your Apple ID, you can recover it at iforgot.apple.com. You do not need to contact Apple Support unless you cannot verify your identity.
If I remove Apple Pay from my iPhone, does it also remove it from my Apple Watch?
No. Each device has its own Wallet. Removing Apple Pay or a card from your iPhone does not affect your Apple Watch. You have to remove the card or disable Apple Pay separately on the watch using the Watch app on your iPhone.
Can someone else use Apple Pay on my device if I just disable it but don't remove the cards?
If you only disable the double-click gesture, the cards are still in your Wallet and could potentially be used if someone unlocks your phone. For stronger security, remove the cards entirely or enable Screen Time restrictions on Wallet settings so changes require a passcode.