Adding Gift Cards to Apple Pay: Which Cards You Can Add and How

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posted on 1 year ago — updated on 1 second ago

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If you've ever gotten a gift card and wondered if you can add it to your Apple Wallet like your credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, boarding passes, and more, you wouldn't be alone. The answer is a little bit tricky, though—only some gift cards can be added to Apple Pay and it's not always clear which ones can or cannot. In this article we'll teach you how to add gift cards to your Apple Wallet in two ways, plus explain how you can tell which retailers allow their gift cards to be usable in Apple Pay.

Things You Should Know

Apple has a list of Wallet-compatible apps, but some retailers that don't have apps on that list still have gift cards compatible with Apple Wallet.
You can try checking your gift card balance online to see if there is a button to add the gift card to your Apple Wallet.
If you download the retailer's app, there may also be a section to add your gift card to Apple Wallet.

Can you add gift cards to Apple Wallet?

You can add some gift cards to Apple Wallet. However, some gift card retailers are not compatible with Apple Wallet, so not every gift card can be added. Apple has a list of Wallet-compatible apps, but some gift cards can be added that aren't on this list as well. Some retailers that allow their gift cards to be added to Apple Wallet include: Target Sephora Ulta Macy's TJ Maxx REI

Gift cards from major credit companies can be added to Apple Wallet. This includes Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover gift cards. You can add physical or egift cards from major credit companies like a debit or credit card. Simply follow the on-screen instructions in Apple Wallet to do so. The gift card balance will not be displayed so you'll have to keep track of how much is left on the card yourself. Vanilla Visa gift cards cannot be added to Apple Wallet, but Visa gift cards can.

Some gift card retailers only allow egift cards to be added to Apple Wallet. For example, you can add Disney egift cards to your Apple Wallet, but physical Disney gift cards cannot be added. Unfortunately there is no definitive list of which retailers allow which type of gift cards to be added to Apple Pay.

Adding Gift Cards via the Retailer's Website

Navigate to the gift card's balance page on your phone. You can usually find the webpage URL to check your gift card's balance on the back of the card.

Input your gift card's number and PIN.

Check for a black Add to Apple Wallet badge. If you are able to add your gift card to your Apple Wallet, this button may show up on the gift card's balance page.

Tap the button to add the gift card to your Apple Wallet. You can now use this gift card like any other card in your wallet.

Adding Gift Cards via the Retailer's App

Open the App Store. Some gift card retailers have apps you can install, and from those apps you can check your gift card balance.

Search for your gift card retailer's app. If your gift card retailer has an app, download and install it.

Open the app. Look for a section to add a gift card. This may be on the front page of the app or you may have to look in the app settings. Each app will be set up a little differently.

Input the gift card's number and PIN when prompted.

Check for a black Add to Apple Wallet badge. If you are able to link your gift card to your Apple Wallet, this button may show up in the app when you add your gift card.