Apple Cash is part of Apple Pay but it lives in Apple's Messages app, offering a way to send, receive and request money person-to-person.

All the money you receive via Apple Cash is loaded onto a virtual card that exists within Wallet - Apple's app for storing credit cards, debit cards, loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets, and more.

This is everything you need to know about Apple Cash - previously called Apple Pay Cash - including how it works, where it is available and how to set it up.

How does Apple Cash work?

Apple Cash allows you to send, receive and request money in the Messages app. It's also possible to ask Siri to pay someone in your contacts. When you send money, your Apple Cash card will be used by default, but you can change this to use your debit card instead, or a combination of both if the amount is more than the balance on your Apple Cash card. If you send money to someone and they don't accept it, you can cancel the payment.

When you receive money through Apple Cash, it is automatically loaded onto your Apple Cash card in Wallet, which you can then transfer to your bank account, use as any other card when making Apple Pay purchases, or use to pay someone through Apple Cash.

The first time you use Apple Cash, you will have seven days to accept the money you have been sent. Once you have accepted the terms and conditions, payments are automatically accepted - though you can change this to be manual.

Below is a breakdown of how to send money through Apple Cash, request money through Apple Cash, respond to an Apple Cash request and how to cancel an Apple Cash payment. 

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Apple

How to send money through Apple Cash

As mentioned above, when you send money using Apple Cash, the Apple Cash card is used to pay first by default, though you can change this to be your debit card if you wish. If you don't have enough money on your Apple Cash card, one of the debit cards in Wallet will fund the rest of the payment.

To send money through Apple Cash on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps: 

  1. Open the Messages app
  2. Start a new conversation or open an exisitng one with the person you want to send money to
  3. Tap on the Apple Pay logo in the app drawer below the input box - you may need to swipe across
  4. Enter the amount you want to pay
  5. Tap Pay
  6. Tap the send button to review or cancel the payment
  7. Confirm your payment with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode

If you want to use your debit card instead of your Apple Cash card, follow steps 1-6, then tap on the blue arrow next to the payment method. You'll then need to toggle off Apple Cash and choose the debit card you want to use. Tap Back and then complete step 7. You'll need to turn Apple Cash back on if you want to use it as your default payment again.

To send money through Apple Cash on your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Messages app
  2. Tap an existing conversation
  3. Scroll down, then tap the Apple Pay button, which is a dollar sign in a blue circle
  4. Tap the minus sign or the plus sign to change the amount
  5. Tap on the amount in the message, then you can use the Digital Crown to change the amount
  6. Tap Pay, then review or cancel the payment
  7. Double-click the side button

You could also ask Siri. To do this, on your iPhone or Apple Watch, say "Hey Siri," then something like, "Send 25 dollars to Jane for movie tickets." You'll then need to choose Wallet or Apple Pay.

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Apple

How to request money through Apple Cash

You can send a request for money through Apple Cash in the Messages app and the recipient can tap Pay, then change or confirm the amount they want to send.

To request money through Apple Cash on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:

  1. Open a conversation in the Messages app or start a new conversation with the person you want to request money from
  2. Tap the Apple Pay button in the app drawer below the input box
  3. If you don't see the Apple Pay button, tap the App Store button on the left of the input box first
  4. Enter an amount
  5. Tap Request
  6. Send your request

To request money through Apple Cash on your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Messages app and choose a conversation with the person you want to request money from
  2. Tap the Apple Pay button - the blue circle with the dollar sign
  3. Enter an amount
  4. Swipe on the Pay button to show the Request button
  5. Tap Request
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Apple

How to respond to an Apple Cash request

To respond to an Apple Cash request in Messages on your iPhone or iPad, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the request in the Messages app
  2. Tap Pay on the message
  3. Review the amount to send
  4. Tap Pay to continue, or change the amount
  5. Confirm using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode and send your payment

To respond to an Apple Cash request in Messages on your Apple Watch, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the request in the Messages app
  2. Tap Pay on the message
  3. Review the amount to send.
  4. Tap Pay to continue, or use the Digital Crown to change the amount
  5. Double click the side button to confirm and send your payment

To decline a request for money, just ignore the message.

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Apple

How to cancel an Apple Cash payment 

If you want to cancel an Apple Cash payment, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Messages app
  2. Open the conversation with the person you have made the Apple Cash payment too that you want to cancel
  3. Tap on the payment
  4. Your Apple Cash card will open in the Wallet app
  5. Under Latest Transactions, tap the payment, then tap it again
  6. Tap Cancel Payment

If Cancel Payment isn't an option, the person you sent the payment too has already accepted the money.

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Apple

How to automatically or manually accept Apple Cash payments

As we mentioned above, the first time you use Apple Cash, you will have to seven days to accept the money sent to you, after which you accept the terms and conditions and then payments are automcatically accepted by default. It's possible to change this to manual however, which will mean you will see an Accept button on any money you are sent through Apple Cash.

You then have seven days to accept the money. If you want to reject it, open the Wallet app on your iPhone > Tap your Apple Cash card > Find the payment under Latest Transactions > Tap the payment > Tap the payment again > Tap Reject Payment.

To choose between automatic or manual accepting of payments on your iPhone:

  1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone
  2. Tap your Apple Cash card
  3. Tap the three dots
  4. Tap Automatically Accept Payments or Manually Accept Payments

To choose between automatic or manual accepting of payments on your iPad:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad
  2. Scroll down and tap Wallet & Apple Pay
  3. Tap your Apple Cash card
  4. Tap Automatically Accept Payments or Manually Accept Payments

To choose between automatic or manual accepting of payments on your Apple Watch:

  1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone
  2. Scroll down and tap Wallet & Apple Pay
  3. Tap your Apple Cash card.
  4. Tap Automatically Accept Payments or Manually Accept Payments

Where does Apple Cash work?

Apple Cash works wherever Apple Pay is supported, which is anywhere that contactless payment is supported. 

Not only can you use funds in your Apple Cash card to send and receive money via Messages, but you can also use it to make Apple Pay purchases at retail locations, on the web, and in apps.

You can even transfer Apple Cash funds to your own bank account or eligible Visa or Mastercard debit card. You can find out more about how to do that on Apple's Support page.

What do you need for Apple Cash?

To send and recieve money in the Messages app person-to-person using Apple Cash, you'll need to have all of the following:

  • Be at least 18 or over
  • Live in the United States
  • Have a compatible device running iOS 11.2 or later or watchOS 4.2 or later
  • Set up two-factor authentification for your Apple ID
  • Sign into iCloud with your Apple ID on any device that you want to use to send or receive money
  • Add an eligble debit card in the Wallet app so you can send money

Which devices support Apple Cash?

Apple Cash is available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch running iOS 11.2 or later or watchOS 4.2 or later. The following devices are compatible with Apple Cash, but remember, you have to live in the US:

  • iPhone models with Face ID
  • iPhone models with Touch ID (excluding the iPhone 5S)
  • iPad Air, iPad, and iPad mini models with Touch ID or Face ID
  • Apple Watch Series 1 and 2 and later
  • Apple Watch (1st generation)
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Apple

How to set up Apple Cash

To set up person-to-person payments through Messages using Apple Cash, follow the steps below: 

  1. Open the Settings app on your compatible iPhone or iPad
  2. Scroll down and tap on Wallet & Apple Pay
  3. Toggle Apple Cash on
  4. Under Payment Cards, tap on Apple Cash
  5. Tap Continue and follow the instructions on your screen
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Apple

How to set up Apple Cash for a child or teen

It's also possible to set up Apple Cash for a family member that is under 18 and in your Family Sharing group so they too can make purchases, and send and receive money in Messages. You can limit who your child or teen can send money to, get notified when they make transactions, and lock their account.

The family organiser has to set Apple Cash up for the child or teen, and they will need to use the same Apple ID for Apple Cash as they did for setting up Family Sharing.

They will also need to have a compatible iPhone, iPad or Watch running the latest iOS, iPadOS or watchOS software. They will also need to sign in to iCloud on each family member's device using their Apple ID, turn on two-factor authentification for each Apple ID and make sure each device region is set to the US.

If you can tick all those boxes, these are the next steps:

  1. On the family organiser's iPhone, open the Settings app.
  2. Tap [your name], then tap Family Sharing.
  3. Tap Apple Cash, then choose a child or teen.
  4. Choose Set Up Apple Cash.
  5. Follow the instructions on your screen to set up their account. You might need to verify your identity. If you see Pending, make sure your child meets the requirements.

You can read more about how to manage your child's Apple Cash accounts here.

Are there any limits for Apple Cash?

In short, yes. There are limits for not only your Apple Cash card balance, the amount you can send and receive in a Message, as well as how much you can transfer to your bank account.

The maximum Apple Cash balance you're allowed to have after verifying your identity is $20,000. This is reduced to $4000 if you are part of Apple Cash Family.

The minimum amount you can send or receive using Apple Cash is $1. The maximum is $10,000. There's also a $10,000 maximum within a seven-day period. If you are part of Apple Cash Family, the minimum stays the same but the maximum is capped at $2000, as is the seven day maximum.

When adding money to your Apple Cash card, the minimum is $10, the maximum is $10,000 and there's also a maximum of $10,000 within a seven-day period again. For Apple Cash Family users, the minimum remains at $10 but the maximums reduce to $2000.

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Apple

How to add money to Apple Cash

You can add money to your Apple Cash card balance by using a debit card or prepaid card that you have already set up in Apple Pay. If you have an Apple Card - only available in the US too - you get a percentage of each purchase you make using the card that is called Daily Cash. Daily Cash is loaded straight onto your Apple Cash card too. 

To add money to your Apple Cash card using your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Open the Wallet app (iPhone) / Open Settings and tap on Wallet & Apple Pay (iPad)
  2. Tap on your Apple Cash card
  3. Tap the three dots in the circle
  4. Tap Add Money
  5. Enter an amount (minimum is $10)
  6. Tap Add
  7. Confirm the US debit or prepaid card that you want to use to add money
  8. To use a different debit or prepaid card, tap the blue arrow next to your card, then choose a card
  9. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode
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Apple

Are there any fees for Apple Pay Cash?

Sending and receiving money with Apple Pay and the Apple Cash card are services provided by Green Dot Bank. There's no fee to send, receive, or request money using Apple Cash. Setting up Apple Cash also won't affect your credit and it won't be impacted by any credit freezes. 

Where you will pay a fee is if you select Instant Transfer when transferring money to a debit card. A 1.5 per cent fee (with a minimum fee of $0.25 and a maximum fee of $15) is deducted from the amount of each Instant Transfer.

There are no fees for transferring Apple Cash funds to your bank account.

Where is Apple Pay Cash available?

Apple Pay Cash is only available in the US. There's no word yet on UK availability at the moment.