Apple Wallet Use on Watch: Transit Pass and Smart Lock

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Level 1

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Apple Wallet Use on Watch: Transit Pass and Smart Lock

Hello.

I understand that in order for me to use Apple Wallet on an Apple Watch and have my access cards available to me I must activate Apple Pay. And when I do that, I need to secure my watch with a pin.

Until yesterday I had a transit pass on the iPhone, and I used my phone to electronically purchase a ride every day. Then I bought a lock that can work with apple, and I setup Home with it and I was able to have a Home pass card in the Wallet. After some struggle I was able to also add the pass to my watch. But I had to activate Apple Pay to do that. And now when I want to use my watch with the smart lock or at the train station I have to first enter the passcode.

This defeats the purpose because I wanted to use the watch at the lock so that I would not need to enter a passcode.

So, my question is if apple pay really needs to be activated for a lock access and bus pass to work on my watch without having to enter a passcode on the watch?

Thanks a lot.

Farzad

Apple Watch Series 9, watchOS 11

Posted on Aug 19, 2025 7:13 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Jeff Donald

Level 8

44,658 points

Aug 20, 2025 7:27 AM in response to Farzad_K

No, it does not require activating Apple Pay, if a payment method is selected in the Express Transit section of Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Express Transit. You can read Apple Support instructions using the link below.

Use Express Mode with transit cards, passes, and keys in Apple Wallet - Apple Support

“How to use Express Mode on your iPhone or Apple Watch

Hold the top of your iPhone or the display of your Apple Watch near the contactless reader.
When the transaction is successful, a checkmark and Done appear on your device. If you're riding transit, the terminal gate opens and might beep.

That's it—no need to wake or unlock your device, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode, or open the Wallet app.”

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Answer 2

sberman

Level 10

272,280 points

Aug 19, 2025 3:40 PM in response to Farzad_K

Farzad_K wrote:

So, my question is if apple pay really needs to be activated for a lock access and bus pass to work on my watch without having to enter a passcode on the watch?

Try simply double-clicking the side button.

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Answer 3

Farzad_K Author

Level 1

50 points

Aug 20, 2025 7:04 AM in response to Farzad_K

So, the solution to this issue is that Apple Pay must be activated on the Apple Watch by enabling the passcode for any cards in the Wallet to be useable on the Watch. The passcode only needs to be entered once while the watch is worn, and it will work as long as the watch is worn.

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Answer 4

Jeff Donald

Level 8

44,658 points

Aug 20, 2025 5:08 AM in response to sberman

Express Transit doesn’t even need to be unlocked. Hold the Watch near the terminal. That’s why it’s expressly, no unlocking, no selecting payment method etc.

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Answer 5

Farzad_K Author

Level 1

50 points

Aug 20, 2025 7:02 AM in response to Jeff Donald

In case of my card, it apparently does, and I need to have activated apple pay on the watch, and I will have needed to enter the passcode after wearing the watch for it to work properly.

Thanks.

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Answer 6

Farzad_K Author

Level 1

50 points

Aug 20, 2025 7:01 AM in response to sberman

Thank you for the suggestion. I was trying to use the "hold near device" feature to make it easier. If I need to use another hand to do something else, I can just point my phone and be done.

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