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How To Send Money to Anyone Using Apple Pay in 5 Simple Steps

Sending money to friends and family is now as easy as firing off a text message, thanks to Apple Pay. Whether you need to pay your share of dinner or owe your roommate for utilities, Apple‘s contactless payment system lets you securely transfer cash directly to people‘s bank accounts.

In this guide, I‘ll show you step-by-step how to set up and use Apple Pay person-to-person payments right from your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.

We‘ll cover:

  • Brief history of Apple Pay
  • Setting up Apple Cash
  • Sending money via Messages
  • Accepting payment requests
  • Troubleshooting tips

Let‘s get started!

A Quick History of Apple Pay

Apple debuted its mobile wallet and contactless payment system in 2014 with the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch. Initially focused on in-store tap-and-go payments, Apple Pay now makes up 90% of contactless transactions thanks to wide acceptance.

Peer-to-peer money transfers arrived in 2017 via the Apple Cash card stored in your virtual Wallet. Now you can securely send money to family and friends as easily as you would a text.

Overview of Sending Money via Apple Pay

Here‘s a quick rundown of what happens when you Apple Pay someone:

  1. Initiate payment in Messages
  2. Specify amount to send
  3. Authenticate with Face/Touch ID
  4. Money debits from your Apple Cash card
  5. Deposits into recipient‘s available Apple Cash balance
  6. Recipient can transfer balance to bank account

So Apple Pay facilitates direct bank account transfers using iMessage. Read on to get set up!

Step 1: Make Sure Apple Pay is Configured

Before sending or receiving money, you’ll want to check a few things:

  • Compatible, supported device – Must be an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch
  • Valid payment card added – Credit or debit card stored in your Wallet
  • Two-factor authentication enabled – For account security
  • Apple Cash activated – Requests Apple ID password and confirmation

Here‘s where to confirm and set up:

Wallet app > Apple Pay card > Add card if needed  

Wallet Settings > Apple Cash > Follow prompts

Apple ID account > Two-factor authentication

With those prerequisites fulfilled, you‘re ready to send!

Step 2: Open a Message with the Recipient

Launch the Messages app and open a conversation thread with the contact you want to send money to.

If you need to start a new conversation, tap the pencil icon, then type in their name, email address, or phone number.

Make sure the thread shows iMessage in blue, not SMS in green for Apple Pay to work.

Step 3: Tap the Apple Pay Button

In the message window, you’ll see a row of app icons on the left.

  • Tap the App Store icon
  • Then tap the Apple Pay icon (looks like a credit card)

This opens the Apple Pay payment sheet.

Step 4: Enter the Amount to Send

Now specify how much money you want to send:

  • Tap the dollar value area
  • Scroll the picker to choose an amount
  • Or tap the keypad to type a specific dollar amount

You can send anything from $1 to $3,000 this way.

Step 5: Authenticate and Send!

Almost there! The final step:

  • Check the To: line shows the correct recipient
  • Tap Pay
  • Authenticate with Face ID or passcode if prompted

And that‘s it! You‘ll see confirmation the payment was sent successfully. Behind the scenes, money immediately debits from your Apple Cash balance and deposits into your recipient‘s available balance.

You‘ve now mastered peer-to-peer payments via Apple Pay! 🎉

Responding to Payment Requests

The convenience goes both ways. When someone requests money from you through Apple Pay, fulfilling their ask is fast and straightforward.

Instead of Pay, you‘ll see a Request button. Tap to view details, authenticate with Face/Touch ID, then approve, and the money sends. Cool right?

Sending Money via Apple Watch

Thanks to the Apple integration ecosystem, you can also send cash directly from your Apple Watch:

  1. Launch the Messages app
  2. Tap the conversations icon
  3. Choose the recipient
  4. Tap Apple Pay
  5. Specify amount
  6. Tap Pay!

Assuming you have a passcode set up and Apple Pay activated on your paired iPhone, the flow works just like on iPhone.

The Apple Watch key difference is the digital crown and side button replace Face ID.

Troubleshooting: Common Apple Pay Issues

Having trouble sending funds? Try these tips before contacting support:

Can‘t see Apple Pay?

  • Confirm you have an Apple Cash card enabled in the Wallet app
  • Ask the recipient to enable iMessage on their device

Don‘t see Request/Pay button?

  • Make sure Apple Cash is activated with a card added
  • Toggle iMessage off and back on

Payments failing or pending?

  • Have recipient verify Apple Cash account set up
  • Check Internet connection working properly
  • Ensure your bank card validity and available balance

For additional assistance, check Apple‘s support doc for sending and receiving money or contact Apple Support.

Still stuck? Try your card issuer‘s customer service team.

The Easier Way to Pay People Back

As you can see, Apple Pay combined with iMessage makes sending money faster and more convenient than ever. With just a few taps, you can pay people no matter where they are without fees or paper checks getting lost.

So next time you split the lunch bill or want to pay back a friend for concert tickets, don‘t mess around with Venmo or CashApp. Use Apple Pay instead for easy direct bank account transfers!

Have you used Apple Pay to send or receive money yet? I‘d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

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