How to change your card in Apple Pay
You can change which card Apple Pay uses for payments in two ways: remove the old card and add a new one, or edit the card details if the number or expiration date changed. On iPhone, open the Wallet app, tap the card you want to change, then tap the three dots (or the info icon) in the top right corner. From there you can delete the card or edit its details. On Mac, go to System Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay, select the card, and choose Edit or Remove.
If you want to set a different card as your default for contactless payments, open Wallet, press and hold the card you prefer, then tap "Set as Default." Apple Pay will use that card unless you explicitly choose another one at checkout. This is useful if you carry multiple cards but want one to be your go-to payment method.
The process takes less than a minute. You do not need to contact your bank or Apple support unless the card will not add or remove, which is rare.
Key Takeaways
- Open Wallet on iPhone or go to System Settings on Mac to access your stored cards.
- Tap the three dots or info icon next to the card you want to change, then select Edit or Remove.
- You can update card details like expiration date or cardholder name without deleting and re-adding the card.
- Set a different card as your default payment method by pressing and holding it in Wallet and selecting "Set as Default."
- Changes take effect when ready and explore across all devices where you use the same Apple ID.
Editing card details versus removing and re-adding
If your card number stays the same but the expiration date or name changed, use the Edit option. Tap the card, select the info icon or three dots, then tap Edit. You can update the expiration date, cardholder name, or billing address without losing your card history or any saved preferences.
If you are switching to a completely different card, remove the old one and add the new one. Removing a card does not affect your purchase history or rewards tracking — your bank still has that record. When you add the new card, Apple Pay will ask you to verify it with your bank, usually through a text message or app notification.
Editing is faster if you only need to update one or two fields. Removing and re-adding is necessary if the card number itself changed, such as after fraud or a card replacement from your bank.
Setting a default card for payments
Apple Pay uses your default card automatically when you hold your phone or watch to a contactless reader. If you have multiple cards stored, the default is the one you set most recently, unless you changed it manually.
To change your default, open Wallet, press and hold the card you want to use most often, then tap "Set as Default." On Mac, open System Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay, select the card, and check the box next to "Default Card." Your default card will be the first one shown in Wallet and the one Apple Pay reaches for at checkout.
You can still choose a different card at the moment of payment by tapping the card icon on the reader or selecting a different card from the list that appears on your screen.
What happens when you remove a card
Removing a card from Apple Pay does not close the card itself or affect your account with the bank. The card remains active and you can still use it in person, online, or by phone. You are only removing it from the Wallet app on that specific device.
If you use the same Apple ID on multiple devices — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — removing a card from one device removes it from all of them. Your purchase history with that card stays in your bank's records and in your Apple ID transaction history, but the card will no longer appear in Wallet.
You can add the card back at any time by opening Wallet, tapping the plus icon, and entering the card details again. Your bank will verify it the same way as the first time.
Adding a new card after removal
After you remove an old card, open Wallet and tap the plus icon in the top right corner. Select "Credit or Debit Card" and either scan the card with your camera or enter the details manually. You will need the card number, expiration date, and CVV (the three-digit security code on the back).
Apple Pay will then send a verification code to your phone or email, or ask you to confirm through your bank's app. This step confirms that you own the card and have permission to add it to Apple Pay. Verification usually takes a few seconds to a few minutes.
Once verified, the card appears in Wallet and is ready to use. You can set it as your default when ready or leave your current default in place.
Syncing changes across your devices
Any change you make to your cards in Apple Pay syncs automatically to all devices signed in with the same Apple ID. If you remove a card on your iPhone, it disappears from your iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch within a few minutes. If you add a new card on your Mac, it shows up on your iPhone and watch without any extra steps.
This sync happens over iCloud, so make sure you are signed in with the same Apple ID on each device and that iCloud is turned on. If a change does not appear on another device after 10 minutes, sign out of iCloud on that device and sign back in.
Your default card preference also syncs. If you set a card as default on your iPhone, it becomes the default on your watch and Mac as well.
Troubleshooting cards that will not change or remove
If you cannot remove a card, check whether it is set as your default. Some older iOS versions require you to set a different card as default before you can delete the current one. Press and hold another card, tap "Set as Default," then try removing the original card again.
If the card still will not remove, restart your device. Hold down the power button, slide to power off, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on. Open Wallet and try again. If you cannot edit a card's details, the same restart step often works.
If neither step works, the issue may be with your bank's connection to Apple Pay. Contact your bank's customer service and mention that the card will not update or remove from Apple Pay. They can check whether there is a block on their end or suggest next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my card in Apple Pay affect my credit score?
No. Adding, removing, or editing a card in Apple Pay is a change to your payment method, not a change to your credit account. Your bank and credit bureaus do not see this activity. Your credit score is based on your payment history, credit utilization, and other account factors — not on which payment methods you store on your phone.
Can I have more than one default card?
No, Apple Pay allows only one default card at a time. However, you can change your default card as often as you want. If you use one card most of the time and another for specific purchases, you can set the first as default and manually select the second when needed.
What if I change my card but forget to update Apple Pay?
If your bank issued you a new card number (for example, after fraud), the old card number will eventually stop working. Your bank will tell you when the old card expires. Update Apple Pay before that date so you do not have a payment method fail at checkout. If you forget, straightforward remove the old card and add the new one when you notice.
Does Apple Pay store my full card number?
No. Apple Pay stores a tokenized version of your card — a unique code that represents your card without exposing the full number. When you make a payment, Apple Pay sends the token, not your actual card details. Your bank and the merchant never see your full card number through Apple Pay, which is one reason it is considered more find than swiping or inserting a physical card.