To pay someone with Apple Pay, you usually send money using Apple Cash through the Messages app or the Wallet app on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, as long as both you and the other person have Apple Cash set up and are in a supported region.

Quick Scoop

  • You pay people with Apple Pay by sending Apple Cash in Messages or Wallet, not by “tapping” their phone like at a store.
  • Both of you generally need:
    • An iPhone or iPad compatible with Apple Cash.
    • Apple ID signed in, and Apple Cash set up in Wallet.
  • In supported regions, money arrives to their Apple Cash card almost instantly and can be spent with Apple Pay or transferred to a bank.

Before You Start

Make sure these basics are covered:

  • Apple Cash is available in your country or region, and your device meets Apple’s requirements.
  • You have:
    • A supported iPhone or iPad.
    • Two‑factor authentication on your Apple ID.
    • A supported card or bank for adding money to Apple Cash, if needed.

Method 1: Pay Someone in Messages (Most Common)

This is the “classic” way most people mean when they say how to pay someone with Apple Pay.

  1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad.
  1. Start a new conversation or open an existing one with the person you want to pay.
  1. Tap the Apple Cash button in the app bar (if you don’t see it, tap the plus icon first, then choose Apple Cash).
  1. Enter the amount you want to send.
  1. Tap Send , then tap the send icon again to confirm the payment details.
  1. Confirm the payment using Face ID , Touch ID , or your passcode, and double‑click the side button if prompted.

The money is sent to their Apple Cash card, and they’ll see it in their Wallet and Messages thread.

Method 2: Pay from the Wallet App

If you don’t want to go through Messages, you can send directly from your Apple Cash card in Wallet.

  1. Open the Wallet app.
  1. Tap your Apple Cash card.
  1. Tap Send Money.
  1. Choose a contact (phone number or email associated with their Apple ID).
  1. Enter the amount and tap Pay.
  1. Confirm with Face ID/Touch ID/passcode and complete the payment.

This still uses Apple Cash and sends funds to their Apple Cash balance.

Extra: Paying With Apple Pay in Person vs Paying a Person

Sometimes “how to pay someone with Apple Pay” gets mixed up with paying at stores:

  • Paying a person (peer‑to‑peer)
    • Uses Apple Cash in Messages or Wallet as above.
  • Paying a business that takes Apple Pay
    • Hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near their contactless reader and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or side button, just like at any regular store.

Some small businesses accept Apple Pay using an iPhone with tap‑to‑pay and a payment provider (like Square), and you just use Apple Pay at their device like a normal terminal.

Quick Tips & Safety

  • Always double‑check the recipient and the amount before confirming.
  • If a payment fails, check your connection, Apple Cash balance, and any linked cards, and then try again.
  • Apple warns that it will never ask for your PIN or verification codes by phone, email, or text for Apple Pay or Apple Cash.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.