The growth of Apple Pay is hardly surprising as the combination of convenience and speed becomes more mainstream. How many times have you left your house and gone halfway to your destination before realizing you left your wallet at home? Thanks to the explosive growth of Apple Pay, that continues to be a problem of the past. Still, the real question is not a matter of whether or not you want to use Apple Pay but where? How do you know who accepts this awesome service? Let’s take a look at one of the easiest ways to find out which retailers accept Apple Pay before you ever step foot outside.
Finding Apple Pay Locations on iOS
Assuming you are using iOS 13, all you need to do is open the Maps app on your iOS device. The same process works on both iPhone and iPad, but since you are more likely to pay with the iPhone, focus on that device. The Maps app has gone through several updates over the years and is now a more capable app than before.
Once you open the Maps app, find any retail, restaurant or store you want to enter as your destination.
Next, tap on the location you wish to visit. All you have to do now is swipe up until you see a section labeled “Useful to Know” and see if “Accepts Apple Pay” is checked. When Apple Pay is accepted, you will also see two icons to the right of the “Useful to Know” wording. The first symbol that most commonly looks like the Wi-Fi signal on its side is for NFC devices. If this icon is darkened, you can scan your iPhone to pay. If the Apple Pay logo is darkened, you can pay with the Wallet App and any credit card tied to the app.
Finding Apple Pay Locations in Maps on Mac
Similar to iOS, you can also search and identify locations (business, restaurant, gas station, etc.) that accept Apple Pay on the Maps app right on your Mac. This process works on just about any Mac computer that is running the Maps application.
Open the Maps app and search for the business you want to visit. When you identify the location, a tiny card pops up. Click the information button which looks like a lower case “i” in a circle. If you are already familiar with the iOS steps above, this should look incredibly similar. Just scroll down until you see the same “Useful to Know” section and see if Apple Pay is accepted. You will also see the same NFC/Apple Pay icon set that helps identify if you can swipe your device to pay.
Wait, What about Apple Card?
Apple knows that shoppers are not quite at the point of completely giving up “plastic,” so they found a happy medium. Enter Apple Card. This credit card combines the best of Apple Pay with the best of traditional credit cards. So how does Apple achieve that? Try two percent cash back on all Apple Pay purchases using the Apple Card that is loaded into the Wallet app on your iPhone.
When you want to leave your wallet at home or accidentally forgot to take it with you, your iPhone (with Apple Pay) can be a real lifesaver.
David is a freelance tech writer with over 15 years of experience in the tech industry. He loves all things Nintendo.
Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox
