Timbo100
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: Can't activate Apple Pay on my Apple Watch

Wonder if anyone else has this problem. I have a very hard time double-pressing the side button on my Apple Watch to access Apple Pay. It worked fine for the first few weeks I had my watch but now I would say 90% or more of the time pressing the side button twice does nothing. I've tried faster and slower double-presses, even switched my wrist settings. Single presses (for contacts) and press/holds (for power settings) both work fine. I've searched the manual and online for an explanation or other people who have had a similar problem but no joy. At this point I have to conclude it's a hardware issue.

Apple Watch

Posted on Aug 17, 2015 7:33 AM

Close
Timbo100

Q: Can't activate Apple Pay on my Apple Watch

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Aug 17, 2015 7:48 AM in response to Timbo100
    Level 8 (39,662 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 17, 2015 7:48 AM in response to Timbo100

    Hi Timbo

     

    For comparison / guidance purposes: in order to activate Apple Pay via the side button on Apple Watch, the double-click needs to be significantly quicker than the slower speeds at which a double-press on the iPhone's Home button will cause display recently used apps to be displayed.

     

    You may find that a restart or force restart helps:

     

    Restart Apple Watch: Press and hold the side button until you see the Power Off slider; Drag the slider to turn off completely; Afterwards, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

     

    Force restart: press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo.

     

    Restart your Apple Watch - Apple Support

  • by Timbo100,

    Timbo100 Timbo100 Aug 17, 2015 8:04 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 17, 2015 8:04 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Jonathan - thanks for the speedy response.

     

    the double-click needs to be significantly quicker than the slower speeds at which a double-press on the iPhone's Home button will cause display recently used apps to be displayed.

     

    That makes sense, but I'm clicking as fast as I can, I would say 0.2-0.25 sec. intervals. Surely that should be fast enough.

     

    You may find that a restart or force restart helps:

     

    Sometimes that helps, but only momentarily, and in any case it's not really an option when I'm standing in line trying to check out.

     

    I've also noticed that when I do succeed in getting Apple Pay to appear, it usually disappears (back to watch face) after 2-3 seconds - too soon for me to pay or select my card.

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Aug 17, 2015 8:09 AM in response to Timbo100
    Level 8 (39,662 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 17, 2015 8:09 AM in response to Timbo100

    You can try an unpair and re-pair, but you will need to add your payment cards back to Apple Pay afterwards:

     

    Unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone - Apple Support

     

    Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

     

    If that doesn't help, you should have the watch checked by Apple.

     

    The other option, in the meantime, is to launch Apple Pay via the Passbook app on the Apple Watch Home screen:

    Open the app > tap on a card.