Remove the account in Settings on your iPhone
Open Settings on your iPhone, then tap Wallet & Apple Pay. Find the card or bank account you want to remove, tap it, then scroll to the bottom and tap Remove Card. Confirm by tapping Remove again. The account is gone from Apple Pay immediately, but the account itself stays open at your bank.
If you have multiple cards linked, you can remove any of them without affecting the others. Removing an account from Apple Pay does not cancel the account, close it, or change anything at your bank—it only stops Apple Pay from being able to access it for payments.
Key Takeaways
- Removing a bank account from Apple Pay takes two taps in Settings and happens instantly, but does not close the account at your bank.
- You can remove a debit card, credit card, or prepaid card from Apple Pay without affecting the actual account or any automatic payments tied to it.
- If you remove your default payment method, Apple Pay will automatically use your next card for future transactions.
- Removing an account from Apple Pay does not stop recurring charges or subscriptions that use that card outside of Apple Pay.
What happens to recurring charges and subscriptions
Removing a card from Apple Pay stops Apple Pay from using it for new transactions, but it does not stop charges that are already set up to run on that card. If you have a subscription, gym membership, or automatic bill payment tied to that card outside of Apple Pay, those charges will keep going through.
To stop those charges, you need to cancel them directly with the company or merchant—not through Apple Pay. Log into your account with Netflix, your insurance company, your utility, or whoever is charging you, and update or remove the payment method there. Removing the card from Apple Pay alone will not stop them.
If you removed your default payment method by mistake
If you removed the card you use most often and want to add it back, open Settings, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, then tap the plus sign to add a card again. You can use the camera to scan it or enter the details by hand. Once it is added back, you can set it as your default by tapping it and toggling on "Default Card."
If you do not remember which card was your default, any card you add will work for Apple Pay transactions—you just choose which one to use at the moment of payment, or let Apple Pay use whichever one you set as default.
Removing a card that is linked to multiple devices
If you use the same Apple ID on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, removing a card from one device does not remove it from the others. You have to remove it from each device separately. Open Settings on each device, go to Wallet & Apple Pay, find the card, and remove it.
This matters most for Apple Watch, because if you remove a card from your iPhone but not from your watch, you can still pay with that card on the watch. If you want the card gone from all your devices, remove it from each one.
Removing a card that failed or was declined
If your bank deactivated a card because it was lost, stolen, or fraudulent, Apple Pay may show a message saying the card is invalid or expired. You can still remove it from Apple Pay by going to Settings, Wallet & Apple Pay, tapping the card, and selecting Remove Card. You do not need to wait for the bank to send you a replacement.
Once you have a new card from your bank, add it to Apple Pay the same way you added the first one. The old card will stay removed unless you add it back manually.
Removing a card before you close the bank account
If you are closing a bank account, remove the card from Apple Pay first, then close the account. Removing it from Apple Pay does not close the account, but closing the account will make the card stop working everywhere—including Apple Pay—so you might as well clean up Apple Pay beforehand.
After you close the account, the card will show as invalid in Apple Pay, but you can still remove it from the app if it is still listed. If you forget to remove it and the account closes, Apple Pay will eventually stop showing the card, but it is cleaner to remove it yourself.
Removing a card you no longer want to use
You do not have to remove a card from Apple Pay just because you stopped using it. You can leave it there and simply choose a different card when you pay. Removing it is useful if you want to keep your Apple Pay wallet clean, or if you are worried about accidentally using an old card.
If the card is still active at your bank, you can add it back to Apple Pay anytime by scanning it or entering the details again. There is no limit to how many times you can add and remove the same card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a card from Apple Pay close the bank account?
No. Removing a card from Apple Pay only stops Apple Pay from using it. The account stays open at your bank, and you can still use the card in stores, online, or anywhere else. To close the account, you have to contact your bank directly.
Will removing a card stop my subscriptions?
No. Subscriptions and automatic payments that are set up with that card will keep charging it. You have to cancel or update the payment method with each company separately. Removing the card from Apple Pay does not affect charges outside of Apple Pay.
Can I remove a card from Apple Pay on my iPhone if I also use it on my Apple Watch?
Removing it from your iPhone does not remove it from your watch. You have to remove it from each device separately. Open Settings on your watch, go to Wallet & Apple Pay, tap the card, and remove it there too.
What if I remove my only payment method from Apple Pay?
Apple Pay will stop working until you add another card. You can add it back anytime by scanning a card or entering the details in Settings. There is no penalty for removing your last card or adding a new one.
Can I remove a card that is already expired?
Yes. Even if the card is expired or invalid, you can still remove it from Apple Pay by tapping it in Settings and selecting Remove Card. You do not have to wait for anything or contact your bank first.