You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Could not add card or "apple pay is temporarily unavailable"

After upgrading my phone and trying to verify my credits cards, one of my cards keeps giving this error when I try to verify the CVV number.


So I deleted the card completely from Apple Wallet and proceeded to add it again. When I clicked on Add Credit or Debit card I noticed that apple wallet pre populated my credit card (the one that I deleted) and apparently it had cached an old/expired expiration date which was causing the trouble. I even tried using the Add a different card option and after entering my card number manually it was still caching my old/expired expiration date and refused to add the card with the error in the subject line.


After talking to Apple support (after a 30 minute wait, even my local utility company now has an automated call back option), they confirmed that Apple's servers cache the old data for upto 24 hours.


The final solution I found was:

  1. Wait for 24 hours for apple server to mark the data stale
  2. Open the Settings -> Wallet option
  3. Add the credit card (it will still pre populate the number)
  4. Click on Add a different card
  5. Click on Manually enter the card number and enter the Name/Card number
  6. Click Next and it will show you the old cached expiration date, delete it and enter the new expiration date (this was the problem, for the first 24 hours it won't overwrite this)
  7. Enter the CVV number and add the card


Hope this helps other who may be facing the same issue.


Some other tips which may help also:

  1. Reboot the phone
  2. Check that Cellular data is enabled for Wallet


BTW this line for Apple - this forum sucks (like your call waiting from the 60's), under the devices there's no option to select iPhone 12, 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max (it's still only showing iPhone 11).

iPhone

Posted on Jan 4, 2021 4:53 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 7, 2021 5:49 PM

  1. Sometimes if you sign out of your Apple ID and back in it resolves the problem.
  2. Make sure you are using the latest iOS/macOS update.
  3. Check your Apple ID region to make sure it is correct. If it is correct, you may need to select the same region again. (Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support)
  4. Check the region on your device to ensure it is correct (Settings>general>language & region - set to your region)
  5. A passcode is required to use the Wallet app. 
  6. You need to be in a region that supports Apple Pay - Countries and regions that support Apple Pay - Apple Support
  7. Your bank needs to support Apple Pay - Apple Pay participating banks - Apple Support
  8. If none of these suggestions are able to resolve your issue you can go here for further assistance - If you can't add cards to Wallet for Apple Pay - Apple Support


  • If you need to change your default payment in Wallet or have other issues such as the inability to add passes you can go to these links which covers managing Wallet and wallet use.
  • Add and manage passes in Wallet on iPhone - Apple Support, please note that passes cannot be directly added within wallet, except for QR code enabled passes. For everything else, its done either through the associated app, an email, airdrop or a link in a website.
  • If you get an error that you already have the maximum amount of cards in wallet with less than 22 cards signing out of your Apple ID and back in usually resolves this issue.
  • If you are getting a message to contact the card issuer, call the bank or credit card company who issued you the card to make sure there are no restrictions on the card. 
  • If you are getting a message that Apple Pay services are unavailable at this time, sign out of your Apple ID and back in.
  • How to use Wallet on your iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support,
  • Manage the cards that you use with Apple Pay - Apple Support


Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 7, 2021 5:49 PM in response to InformedBuyerR

  1. Sometimes if you sign out of your Apple ID and back in it resolves the problem.
  2. Make sure you are using the latest iOS/macOS update.
  3. Check your Apple ID region to make sure it is correct. If it is correct, you may need to select the same region again. (Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support)
  4. Check the region on your device to ensure it is correct (Settings>general>language & region - set to your region)
  5. A passcode is required to use the Wallet app. 
  6. You need to be in a region that supports Apple Pay - Countries and regions that support Apple Pay - Apple Support
  7. Your bank needs to support Apple Pay - Apple Pay participating banks - Apple Support
  8. If none of these suggestions are able to resolve your issue you can go here for further assistance - If you can't add cards to Wallet for Apple Pay - Apple Support


  • If you need to change your default payment in Wallet or have other issues such as the inability to add passes you can go to these links which covers managing Wallet and wallet use.
  • Add and manage passes in Wallet on iPhone - Apple Support, please note that passes cannot be directly added within wallet, except for QR code enabled passes. For everything else, its done either through the associated app, an email, airdrop or a link in a website.
  • If you get an error that you already have the maximum amount of cards in wallet with less than 22 cards signing out of your Apple ID and back in usually resolves this issue.
  • If you are getting a message to contact the card issuer, call the bank or credit card company who issued you the card to make sure there are no restrictions on the card. 
  • If you are getting a message that Apple Pay services are unavailable at this time, sign out of your Apple ID and back in.
  • How to use Wallet on your iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support,
  • Manage the cards that you use with Apple Pay - Apple Support


Could not add card or "apple pay is temporarily unavailable"

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.