Fix: Apple Pay services are currently unavailable

by
Apple Pay

Digital payment technologies are getting- integrated into our day-to-day activities faster than most people anticipated. Apple Pay is leading the digital payment revolution, especially after integrating its technology into Apple Watches and iOS devices.

You may have encountered an error: Apple Pay services are currently unavailable. Try again later. What does this mean, and how do you get Apple Pay to function as it should?

One of the most common causes of this error is when your internet is not working properly, especially due to a low battery. It could also be due to an issue with Apple Pay servers.

We’ll cover all the possible causes and explain how you can fix each of them.

Why Apple account services are unavailable

From user complaints, we found out that these are the most common reasons why Apple account services are unavailable:

  • Low battery on your iOS device
  • A problem with Apple Pay servers
  • A faulty digital payment terminal
  • Apple Pay is not configured for digital payment
  • Internet connection issues

How to fix the ‘Apple Pay services are currently unavailable’ issue

If you experience an error setting up Apple cash, below are alternate solutions you can try to fix it:

1. Restart your iOS device

Restarting your iOS device solves most issues, including Apple Pay-related issues. This is simply because your iPhone may be experiencing system glitches and bugs hence displaying the error message.

Follow these steps to restart iOS:

  • Press the Volume Up and the Side button until a slider appears on the screen.
  • Slide it to the right to restart the device.

Try using Apple Pay once again. If it doesn’t work, proceed to the next step.

Read: Fix “This Apple ID has not yet been used with the App Store.”

2. Refresh Apple Pay services

Refreshing Apple Pay services also clears up the error in some cases. Try it out through these steps:

  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Tap on Wallet and then select Apple Pay.
  • Tap on Payment Mode.
  • Tap on Remove.
  • Enter the Passcode and confirm the process.

Apple Pay Wallet

Having done the above steps, you can read your Apple Pay Card using the following steps:

  • Tap on the Wallet App.
  • Tap on the + icon.
  • Add your Apple Pay card and fill in the details.

3. Uninstall and reinstall the Apple Wallet app

Your Apple Wallet app may be outdated. This means that you need to update to the latest version.

Visit the App Store to update the application on your device. Then, try logging in to the application and confirm whether it can make payments as usual.

4. Check your network settings

Another reason why account services are unavailable on Apple is because of network-related issues.

First, ensure your device is connected to a stable cellular network or Wi-Fi. You should, then, check whether the app is running smoothly or not.

Read: How to forget a Wi-Fi network on Mac

5. Change your region

Apple Pay does not operate in some regions. Unfortunately, there is no way you can use it in such areas.

However, if you are getting the message when in a supported country, you should change your region.

Below are steps on how to change the country region on your iOS device:

  • Tap on the Settings app.
  • Tap on Languages and Regions.
  • Tap on Region.
  • Select the region where Apple Pay is available, like US or UK, then tap Done.

Once you’ve completed the above, you can restart your device and confirm whether the Apple Pay wallet is working.

6. Enable cellular data for Apple Wallet

Apple Wallet requires a cellular data connection to work properly, which can also affect Apple Pay. Here’s how you can fix this:

  • Tap on the iPhone settings app and then tap on Cellular.
  • Scroll down to Apple Wallet and enable the cellular slider.
  • Relaunch the Apple Pay app and check whether it is running smoothly.

7. Disable VPN

VPN connections interrupt Apple Pay because of the service’s geo-restrictions. You can disable your VPN to see if it gets Apple Pay working.

Follow these steps:

  • Tap on the iPhone settings and then tap on General
  • Scroll down the menu and tap on VPN
  • Disable the Status slider

8. Register with a new email address

Use your current or new email address to solve the error message using the following steps:

  • Launch the Settings app
  • Tap on Options
  • Tap Email at the bottom of the screen
  • Tap on the Email address. If you want to add a new email address, select Enter new email address. Otherwise, tap on Add from an existing contact, then tap Done.

You should now be able to use Apple Pay on your iPhone.