It can always happen to you: your iPhone, Apple Watch or MacBook has been lost or stolen. What about Apple Pay then? In this tip, we explain how to block the payment service in such a case.
Block Apple Pay if your iPhone is stolen
Now that you can also pay with your iPhone or other Apple device thanks to Apple Pay, there is also more to it if you are unlucky that one of your devices has been lost or stolen. Of course you do not want someone to be able to pay with your iPhone just like that.
Fortunately, it is possible to block Apple Pay remotely, so that your digital debit card can never be misused by others. There are three different ways to block your debit card in Apple Pay. You arrange this as follows.
1. Other trusted device
If you have another trusted device, such as a MacBook next to your iPhone, this is the easiest way to block your pass. For this it is important that you are logged in with the same Apple ID on both devices. On an iPhone or iPad, follow these steps: ‘Settings> Apple ID> Tap the lost device> Remove card’.
If you want to do it on a Mac, go to ‘System Preferences’ and follow the same steps. Your cards have now been removed from the device, making it impossible for someone to simply pay via Apple Pay. Pay will also no longer be set on the device you use to block the card.
2. Find my iPhone or iCloud website
If you enabled Find My iPhone on your lost device, you can also block Apple Pay this way. Use the app on another Apple device or go to the iCloud website and log in with your Apple ID. Then tap your lost Apple device and press ‘Lost’.
This will block Apple Pay, but not remove your cards. If you find your device, you can therefore simply switch on and use Apple Pay again.
Call the bank
If you don’t have the opportunity to use Find My iPhone or the iCloud website, there is one last solution. It is always possible to call the bank. They can then block your credit or debit card in Apple Pay.
If you have your iPhone or MacBook back, you can simply add your cards back to your Wallet in the regular way. So you don’t have to unblock anything in advance. When your pass is back in the Wallet app and ready for Apple Pay, you can pay.
More about Apple Pay
Do you want to know exactly about the security of Apple Pay itself? Then check our FAQ about the safety of Apple Pay. We also explain in detail how to set up and use Apple Pay with all your devices.