iPhone X: Using Apple Pay With Face ID

Ahead of the launch of the iPhone X, people wondered how Apple Pay would work without a Touch ID Home button for confirming payments, but as it turns out, the payments service isn't too much different.

We went through the checkout process with Apple Pay to give MacRumors readers who haven't yet had a chance to use the system a look at just how it works.


To use Apple Pay on iPhone X, you will, of course, need to have Apple Pay set up with a credit or a debit card in the Wallet app.

When you're at a store that accepts Apple Pay, the Apple Pay process is more or less the same as it was with Touch ID, but some of the gestures are different.

When you're ready to check out, press the side button on the iPhone X twice to bring up the default Apple Pay card and authenticate with Face ID. Then hold your iPhone X down to the reader to confirm payment. If you don't want to use your default card, make sure to swap it out with a tap before your iPhone is next to the card reader.

The double-click setting that opens up the Wallet app should be enabled by default, but if it's not, you can turn it on by going to Settings > Wallet > Apple Pay > and toggling on the Double-Click option. It's a feature you're going to want to have activated if you use Apple Pay a lot, because it speeds up the checkout process.

Without double-click turned on, you'll need to hold your iPhone by an NFC-equipped reader to bring up the Apple Pay interface before raising it back up to confirm with Face ID, adding another step to the process.

All in all, Apple Pay on iPhone X is essentially as quick and as easy to use Touch ID once you get used to how it works, but it will take a few payments to become accustomed to the new process if you're used to the Home button.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
maxresdefault

These 5 Features Will Make the iPhone 17 the Biggest Update in Years

Monday July 22, 2024 4:02 pm PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 16 models that we're expecting to see in September are going to be quite similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple is making big changes in 2025. We've been hearing hints of an all-new device in the iPhone lineup, and it may be the most expensive iPhone Apple has offered to date. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. New 'Slim'...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 4

Tuesday July 23, 2024 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 18 today, introducing small changes to a number of features throughout the operating system. There are no big additions in this beta, but Apple is continuing to refine existing settings and design choices. Apple plans to continue updating iOS 18 over the next few months, with the update set to be released this fall. We've rounded up all of the changes...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Launch Early Next Year With OLED Display, 48MP Camera, and More

Monday July 22, 2024 7:22 am PDT by
The fourth-generation iPhone SE will offer a series of major upgrades over the current model, the leaker known as "Ice Universe" claims. The information was listed in a post on Weibo, which also detailed the specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup. As previously rumored, the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature Face ID and USB-C, marking a major upgrade from current and previous ...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...

Top Rated Comments

newtestleper Avatar
87 months ago
Super handy that you can "pre-authenticate" before the cashier rings it up on the terminal; makes the process way smoother...
You can do that with touch ID.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jakeowens Avatar
87 months ago
I think the pre-authenticate works well, but in general I find the process a little less smooth. Before, all I had to do was hold my phone my phone to the card reader with my thumb already on touch ID and it was instant. Now I have to double click, then wait for face ID to authenticate (Which is not always instant) and then tap. Just a few more things to do.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BlueCreek Avatar
87 months ago
I don’t find myself using Apple Pay anymore with my iPhone X, it just seems less convenient, also Face ID fails more often than Touch ID.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnediii Avatar
87 months ago
Pulling the phone out of my pocket, double clicking a button, holding it up to my face, then back down to the reader seems a lot more inconvenient that pulling the phone out of my pocket with my thumb already on the Home button for TouchID and moving it straight to the reader. This has worked flawlessly for me since my first TouchID enabled iPhone. I suppose we all have to get used to it after this year, though. Unless of course Apple pays attention and quits with this trying to force us into gimmicky tech that is not as convenient to use. But why should we expect Apple to change now, they've been doing this for decades.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
legacyb4 Avatar
87 months ago
Super handy that you can "pre-authenticate" before the cashier rings it up on the terminal; makes the process way smoother...
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
miniyou64 Avatar
87 months ago
Lets make everything LESS user friendly so we can sell more phones with a gimmick. What has Apple become?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)