How to Fix the Could Not Set Up Apple Pay Error

There are a few potential fixes to explore if you see the “Could Not Set Up Apple Pay” error message when trying to use Apple Pay. Sometimes signing out of and back into your Apple ID can fix it, or you might need to adjust your region. 

This post will take a look at how to fix the issue of the could not set up Apple Pay error message. I’ll walk you through several different fixes to remedy the problem and provide some other important related information. 

Let’s dig in. 

Key Takeaways

  • There are several potential reasons for receiving a “Could Not Set Up Apple Pay” error and several possible fixes. 
  • Restarting your iPhone is a good first step, as this can often solve random glitches and errors. Do this before attempting more complicated fixes. 
  • Changing your region settings can also fix this issue, and you need to be in a region that allows Apple Pay for it to work.

How to Fix Could Not Set Up Apple Pay Error

There are several different reasons why you might encounter an error when trying to set up Apple Pay that says, “Could Not Set Up Apple Pay.” That means there are also several different fixes, which are all outlined here. 

It’s always good to start with the small and easy fixes before you attempt anything drastic. Sometimes this issue is easy to resolve, and sometimes you might be stuck and unable to set up Apple Pay until you get a new card or are in a different region. 

Fix #1 – Restart your iPhone

A good initial step if you encounter this problem is to restart your iPhone. This can often fix random bugs and glitches, such as Apple Pay not being able to be set up. An iPhone can sometimes malfunction, and a reset can potentially get things back to normal. 

All you need to do to restart your iPhone is turn it off and back on. You can also perform a hard reset, which is even better for addressing bugs and glitches. 

Fix #2 – Sign out of and back into Apple ID

Issues with your Apple ID might also be the cause of receiving this error message. And you can easily address this by signing out of and back into your Apple ID. This is like a reset for your Apple ID account and can also fix some errors. 

To sign out of your Apple ID, tap the Settings app on your iPhone. Then tap your name or username at the top of the screen. Scroll down and then tap Sign Out. This will sign your iPhone out of your Apple ID account. 

Close out of the Settings app and then sign back into your account. Attempt to set up Apple Pay again to see if the problem is resolved. 

Fix #3 – Update iOS

If you are running an outdated version of iOS on your iPhone, you can run into a number of issues, such as a Could Not Set Up Apple Pay error. You need to update your phone to try and resolve this issue. 

To update the software on your iPhone, follow these steps: 

  • 1. Tap the Settings app
  • 2. Tap General 
  • 3. Tap Software Update
  • 4. Tap Install Now if there is an update available.

The update might take a while to download and complete. After it is completed, check to see if you can use Apple Pay. 

Fix #4 – Check your Region

For Apple Pay to work, you need to be in a region of the world where the service is accepted. Not every country or region supports Apple Pay, so you might see this error message if you are in one of these locations. 

If you are in a location that does not support Apple Pay, you won’t be able to set it up. You can check the regions that are supported here.   

If you are in a supported region and are still seeing the message, you should check that your iPhone is set up in that region. To do this, follow the steps below:

  • 1. Tap the Settings app on your iPhone
  • 2. Tap General
  • 3. Tap Language & Region
  • 4. Double-check that your region is correct, or select the country you are in again
  • 5. Check Apple Pay to see if the issue is resolved

Fix #5 – Ensure Your Card is Supported

Not all credit or debit cards can work with Apple Pay. If you are trying to set up Apple Pay with a card that isn’t supported, you will see this message. Contact your bank to see if the card you are attempting to use can be used with Apple Pay. 

If the card you have is not supported, you’ll need to get a card that is before you can use Apple Pay. You might need to consider choosing a different bank if you really want to use the service or get a different card from them. 

Apple Pay supports many cards, but not all of them. You might want to consider this before you sign up for a new card if you are an active user of Apple Pay or Apple Cash. 

Fix #6 – Contact Apple Support

If none of the above fixes solve the problem, you should contact Apple Customer Support for more assistance. A support tech will be able to look at your problem and provide an assessment of the situation. 

Apple has excellent customer support, and contacting them directly is always a good option if you encounter a problem. This will likely help you reach a quick solution to the problem or at least direct you to the next steps you might need to take with your bank or card issuer. 

FAQs

Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to fixing the Could Not Set Up Apple Pay error. 

Why is Apple Pay saying could not set up Apple Pay? 

There are multiple reasons why you see a “could not set up Apple Pay” message. It could be because your card does not support Apple Pay or you are in a region that does not allow the service. 

Why do I get an error message when trying to add Apple Pay? 

You might see an error message when you try to add Apple Pay because the card you are trying to add is not supported for the service. You can contact your bank to see if they allow Apple Pay use. You also might need better service. 

How do you set up Apple Pay if it says cannot add card? 

You should contact your bank to see if the card you want to use with Apple Pay actually works for this service. Not all bank cards allow use with Apple Pay, and if you try to use one of these, it can result in this error message. 

Final Thoughts 

Fixing the issue of an error message saying “Could Not Set Up Apple Pay” is generally easy, and all of the fixes in this article should help resolve things. If that doesn’t work, reach out to Apple Customer Support for more assistance. 

Remember that you should always start small when addressing error messages and that restarting your iPhone or updating the software can resolve the problem. If those don’t work, explore the other fixes. 

Have you ever dealt with this error message? How did you fix it? Let me know in the comments below. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *