For years, the most annoying part of paying with Apple Pay was realizing—after you double-clicked the side button—that the wrong card was on top. You’d tap the card stack, squint at a cramped list, and hope you picked the one with the best rewards. With iOS 27, Apple has rebuilt that moment. The redesigned Apple Pay checkout sheet lets you swipe between cards and see rewards balances, account balances, and pay-later options right where you confirm payment.
iOS 27 was unveiled at WWDC in June 2026 and is rolling out through a public beta over the summer, with a full release expected this fall. Here’s exactly what’s changing and how to use it.
What’s new in the iOS 27 Apple Pay checkout
The overhaul focuses on the checkout sheet you see when paying online and inside apps. Instead of a static list, the new design puts one card front and center and turns your other cards into a swipeable deck.
- Swipe between cards: Slide left or right on the main checkout screen to move through your payment cards—no extra taps required.
- Tap for a full grid: Tap the featured card to open a grid view showing every Apple Pay card at once, so you can jump straight to the one you want.
- Live card details: For eligible cards, the sheet surfaces useful information inline: credit-card rewards balances, debit account balances, and available installment (pay-later) offers.
- Use Rewards at checkout: Through a new Apple–American Express partnership, Amex cardholders see a “Use Rewards” option with their Membership Rewards points balance.
Why seeing balances matters
The point isn’t cosmetic. Showing a debit account balance before you pay helps you avoid an overdraft. Showing a rewards balance helps you decide whether to redeem points or pay normally. And surfacing pay-later offers lets you split a big purchase into installments without leaving the payment sheet. It removes the guesswork about which card to use, right at the moment the decision matters.
The four Apple Pay upgrades at a glance
| Feature | What it does | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Redesigned checkout | Swipe between cards; tap for a full card grid | iOS 27, fall 2026 |
| Inline card details | Shows rewards, debit balances, and pay-later offers | iOS 27, fall 2026 |
| Amex “Use Rewards” | Redeem Membership Rewards points at checkout | iOS 27, fall 2026 |
| Tap to Share (in-store) | Securely share contact, shipping, and loyalty info with a merchant’s iPhone | Later in fall 2026 |
| Debit card reloading | Add funds to an eligible debit card in Wallet or at checkout | Later in 2026 |
How to swipe between cards in iOS 27
- Start a purchase online or in an app and select Apple Pay.
- Double-click the side button (or double-tap the Home button on Touch ID devices) to bring up the checkout sheet, then authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID.
- On the main sheet, swipe left or right to move through your cards. Watch the rewards or balance detail update as each card comes into focus.
- Prefer a bird’s-eye view? Tap the featured card to open the grid and select any card directly.
- If you’re using an eligible Amex card, tap “Use Rewards” to apply Membership Rewards points, or look for a pay-later offer to split the cost.
- Confirm to complete the payment.
A worked example: redeeming Amex points
Say you’re buying a $120 pair of headphones in a shopping app. You swipe to your American Express card and see a “Use Rewards” option showing 10,000 Membership Rewards points. Apple values those points at 0.7 cents each at checkout, so 10,000 points equals a $70 credit. Apply them and the app charges your card the remaining $50. You’ll want to weigh that: many travel redemptions stretch points further than 0.7 cents, so cashing them out at the register isn’t always the highest-value move—but it’s convenient when you want an instant discount.
A worked example: avoiding an overdraft
You’re checking out for $85 and instinctively reach for your debit card. In iOS 27, the sheet shows that debit account holds only $60. Because the balance is right in front of you, you swipe one card over to a credit card instead—sidestepping a declined charge or a potential overdraft fee before it happens.
A quick note on “pay later”
The pay-later offers you’ll see are installment plans provided by participating banks, card issuers, and lenders that plug into Apple Pay—not a first-party Apple loan. (Apple wound down its own Apple Pay Later installment product in 2024 in favor of these issuer- and lender-backed options.) Terms, interest, and eligibility depend entirely on the provider, so read the offer details before you commit. Only cards and accounts from participating institutions will show live balances and pay-later options; a card that isn’t supported will still work to pay, just without the extra detail.
What’s coming later
Two related features arrive after the initial iOS 27 launch. Tap to Share, an extension of Tap to Pay on iPhone, lets you tap a participating merchant’s iPhone in-store to securely share details like your email, shipping address, and loyalty membership, view your basket in real time, and check out with Apple Pay. Separately, debit card reloading will let you add funds to an eligible debit card directly in Wallet or during checkout. Both are expected later in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I get the new Apple Pay checkout?
iOS 27 is in public beta over summer 2026 and is expected to release to everyone this fall. The redesigned checkout and inline card details ship with that release; Tap to Share and debit reloading follow later in 2026.
Do I need to turn the swipe feature on?
No. The redesigned checkout sheet is built into iOS 27’s Apple Pay experience. Once you’re on iOS 27, swiping between cards and tapping for the grid work automatically—just keep your cards added in the Wallet app.
Which cards show rewards and balances?
Only cards and accounts from participating banks and issuers display live rewards balances, debit account balances, and pay-later offers. The Amex “Use Rewards” option requires an eligible American Express card enrolled in Membership Rewards. Unsupported cards still work for payment without the extra details.
Is using rewards at checkout a good deal?
It’s convenient, but not always the best value. Apple values Amex Membership Rewards points at about 0.7 cents each at checkout, while transferring points to airline or hotel partners can be worth more. Use points at the register when you want an instant discount, and save them for travel when you want to maximize value.
The bottom line
iOS 27 fixes one of Apple Pay’s longest-running friction points. By letting you swipe between cards and see rewards, balances, and pay-later options right on the checkout sheet, it turns a blind guess into an informed choice—so you pick the card that earns the most, avoids an overdraft, or spreads out a big purchase, all before you tap to confirm. Once you’re on iOS 27, there’s nothing to set up; just start paying and swipe.
WalletWisp is an informational resource, not financial advice. Card terms, rewards values, and feature availability can change—verify details with your bank or card issuer before making decisions.
